Korea is a very interesting country for business. For years, I have worked in the digital realm and I have leveraged it for my businesses. My main job at the companies I have worked in have been sales but technically that wasn't my position. I was either a marketing manager, team leader, owner, etc. Many Korean companies seem to think that sales is a lowly position. I have never felt that way and I feel it is something that my American sensibilities have been attuned to. I create brands, create a story, reach perspective clients and then close the deal. Sounds simple doesn't it? It doesn't seem to be that simple for many of my Korean colleagues who get caught up in the idea of saving face, job titles, and social status. Whatever, I'm over all that stuff. I like to focus on the job and get it done quickly and efficiently. I scout for the best talent and producers instead of just relying on my network and personal contacts as I found many others do. I might be ...

Often Groove Magazine and I are asked to go to restaurants that desperately want media attention. Often they contact us 2 or 3 months after they've been opened. I am often reluctant to go to these places for I can sense the desperation from the owners and the restaurants. They have the field of dreams philosophy for marketing, “If you build it, they will come.” It’s not enough to build it. Marketing is just as important as the décor, the food, and the service. If you don’t have people in your restaurants and stores, everything is pointless. So today, I would like to give you tips for potential restaurateurs and those that already have restaurants.

So...   • New restaurants, before you open, you should have a plan of action. You should have a marketing plan. You could have the most amazing food in the world, but if no one knows about it, then it'll all end up in the trash. Jumping on a trend is not the best way to succeed because everyone else will jump on the same bandwago...

Daniel Gray is a long term resident of South Korea. He first came in 2004 and since then he has developed a very successful network and a partnership at O'ngo Food Communications. His blog has been mentioned in the New York Times , Serious Eats, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, Lonely Planet, and Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie: Korea: Ancient Food, Modern World. He is a regular contributor to the Korea Herald , TBS eFM radio, and he is the dining editor for Groove Magazine. Daniel Gray is a writer and a marketer. He has vast experience of the Korean market and he has done consulting work for KTO (Korea Tourism Organization), STO (Seoul Tourism Organization), The Institute for Traditional Korean Food, Nongnimbu (Korea's Agriculture Ministry) and for local restaurants. He wrote the nightlife section of the travel guide: Seoul Book of Everything. Services offered: Consulting on how to enter the Korean market, the viability of your product for the Korean Market, and ho...

I'm sad to hear that because the chef seemed to be a great guy and from what I read, he made great food. So what went wrong? Oh, just in case you missed it. Here is the link to the story that Fatmanseoul wrote. http://www.seouleats.com/2009/10/fatmanseoul-goes-italian-at-giacomo.html I think one of the problems was location and the other problems were the problem that most restaurants have. Poor planning. Often Groove Magazine and I are asked to go to restaurants that desperately want media attention. Often they contact us 2 months after they've been opened. I am often reluctant to go to these places for I can feel the desperation from the owners and the restaurants. For the first two months they invite friends and they do the wait and see approach. They hope that people will start to take notice of them and they wait. Soon after they change signs and start making leaflets to hand out to people. Then they try to ask their friends about how to market. Then they offer spec...