November 28, 2024

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Will Peecher (left), senior vice president of operations at FGE International, the operator of Five Guys, and Kim Dong-seon, head of business strategy at Hanwha Galleria, pose for a photo after signing a business agreement at a Seoul in October 2022. (Hanwha Galleria)

South Korean department store franchise Hanwha Galleria announced Monday that it is opening the first Korean store of US burger chain Five Guys in southern Seoul at the end of June this year.

Five Guys is an American fast-food chain with over 1,800 stores across 23 countries. The upcoming Seoul opening is its sixth launch in Asia.

The first Korean store, a two-story building with a total of 150 seats, will be located on a 618-square-meter site in the bustling Gangnam Station area in southern Seoul.

Hanwha Galleria said employee recruitment will begin this month and primary workers will receive cooking and service training for six weeks in Hong Kong.

The Korean launch of Five Guys is one of the pet projects of Kim Dong-seon -- head of business strategy at Hanwha Galleria and the third son of Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn -- since he joined the retail unit in February last year.

He is expected to play a leading role in securing the brand’s soft landing here as he focuses on maintaining its originality in all areas from recipes to services.

The company added it plans to open up over 15 more Five Guys restaurants across the country over the next five years.

By Yu Ji-soo (jisooyu123@heraldcorp.com)