Q1. What made you to get a job in baking breads?
   When I was fourteen years old, my dad was in the Vietnam War during which the Korean government dispatched the Korean army in 1964. To make matters worse, my mom and I were separated from each other. For that reason, I realized that it is hard to make a living. I ran away from home and left for Seoul without any definite plan. I got off the train at Yongin station, and because of the lack of money, I almost starved to death for four days. While I was suffering from hunger, I met an artisan of bread who was the president of Myeong-dong bakery. He was providing shelters to some runaway girls and boys. Thanks to him, I graduated from middle school and high school. Then I started to make breads.

Q3. In our society, a consumer's appetite is more fastidious. Futhermore, they search for new goods which are acceptable. So a patissier makes an effort to develop new goods. If you have a special skill or new product, please tell me.
   I manage the "Korea Bakery Association" as a vice-president. Because of this position, I do my best to make new products. There are hundreds of breads already in the market. So, it is difficult for me to develop new breads. Thus to make new goods, I change something from old breads and innovate them into new products.
   One new product of mine is called Jonaegi sweet potato bread. Jonaegi sweet potato is the first sweet potato in Korea. It has a high sugar content and grows only in Busan. Based on this advantage, this bread can keep the same price as much as the famous Gyeongju Bread or fried Soboro Bread.

Q4. What is the worst incident or situation in the bread business?
   As an executive member of the Korea Bakery Association, I visited foreign countries to examine bread. When customers berated my bakery breads, I regreted my to please. So to speak, many customers didn't enjoy eating bread in my bakery. Whenever I think about that situation, I am too sad to make bread.

Q5. When people have jobs, they have specific perspectives or views on their occupations. Would you tell me what you think of the job?
   My philosophy is just this. Try to have many breads that I had made before selling. When my satisfaction is 100%, I sell customers my bread.

Q6. I heard your title is “The Volunteer King of Yoengdo-gu”. Do you have some special events or opportunities for volunteer service?
   It is my innate character to volunteer. Let me tell you one real-life story. In Nampo-dong, a poor grandfather was selling toy shoes. When I went to Nampo-dong, I would buy all of the toy shoes for him. When I was busy, I couldn’t have time to buy them. However, I remembered the grandfather and I went back there to buy the shoes whenever I was free.

Q8. Time - wise and economically, it is hard to perform both work and voluntary service. Do you have a difficult time to do work and service at the same time?
   I volunteer not directly but indirectly. For instance, I’ll give elders some bread that I baked in nursing homes. So, I don't have any difficulty.

Q9. Do you have some special goal that you want to achieve in the future in your voluntary service? 
   My goal is to help other people in need physically and spiritually. I think that true happiness is on pursuing the happiness of oneself and the others. When I want to buy something, I would buy it. While I get something I want, I will volunteer.

Q10. Please give our school’s students a piece of advice.
   I want to tell you about two things. First, do everything that you can. In the university, students enjoy their lives which are peaceful, but our society is not a peaceful place. It looks like a battle field. Therefore, you should study and eagerly practice your skills. Second, love your parents. I lost my mom when I was fourteen years old. Lately, I am missing my mom very much. I can’t reverse time and I don’t see her. Be a good son or daughter while they are with you.
 

Lee Ji-seon | By CP Cub Repoter