I also visited Yeongcheon Market near Independence Gate (Dongnimmun). Yeongcheon Market has small shops lined up on both sides. Compared to traditional Gunam-ro Market in Haeundae, Busan, it is larger and has longer lines. About half of the customers were foreign tourists and the other half were Koreans, and the place was bustling with energy. Tourists reportedly visit the market after touring the historically significant site of the former 'Seodaemun Prison.'

There is a young person making a monthly profit of around 15 million won in a tiny shop. I deliberately didn't take a picture of that shop. Looking into the world of self-employment, there are plenty of people making a net profit of 15 million won in a 5-pyeong space, while countless others run deficits of 5 million won a month in a 50-pyeong space. There are also cases where people open a 200-pyeong restaurant, lose over 800 million to 1 billion won, and become ruined. On the other hand, someone doing business in a 2-pyeong space might buy a 3 billion won apartment.

The secret lies in choosing the right item, along with the power of social media, among various other reasons. As a beginner in the restaurant business, I often visit successful establishments across the country. Last time I went to Gyeongsangbuk-do, this time to Yeongcheon Market, and there is another place I plan to visit next. Being a novice in the food service industry, I intend to constantly study, explore, and benchmark.

In business, it's either success or a learning experience (failure). I never want to be left behind as a loser. Even though I started my business 720 months after birth (late in life), there are examples abroad of people succeeding by starting businesses in their 80s. My friends are all living leisurely like queens, enjoying luxury shopping, traveling abroad, and taking it easy. However, I work from morning till night. I’ve put cultural life on hold and am hyper-focused on what I'm doing now. I have been living this life for almost two years. Because I have a dream, I am satisfied even if I work like a 'musuri' (a low-class maid in the royal court).

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