Local Entrepreneurs: Plan B

Where Fashion Meets Art

Interview by Melline Galani

For many of us, style or fashion can be trends that we choose to follow or not. But for some, fashion is a lifestyle, and clothes are a means of artistic expression. Moreover, we know that many expats here have diffi culties in fi nding their style and in the right sizes. Recently, I met with the owner of Plan B, a clothing store that sets itself apart from others. We hope this interview is not only interesting but also helpful for those in search of a distinct clothing style.

Gwangju News (GN): Hello and thank you for taking time to participate in this interview. Please introduce yourself to our readers. Park Sang Won: Th ank you for having me. My name is Park Sang Won, I am 28 years old, and currently I am working in the apparel and restaurant industries. I moved from Gyeonggi-do to Gwangju and have lived here since I was in the sixth grade. I began dressing up starting in middle school and wanted to meet and communicate with other people like me, and that became my dream at the time. Now I have been in the clothing business for the past six years.

GN: What are the biggest challenges of owning and running your own business? Park Sang Won: I think every business has its own challenges. As with all businesses, communication and customer satisfaction along with distribution and fl exible styling are important, and we have to fi nd the colors and know the styles that our customers want in their clothes that are trendy and distinctive. Likewise, there are diffi culties, but I work diligently to manage this store.

GN: What were you doing before you opened the store, and how long has Plan B been around? Park Sang Won: Before starting my own business six years ago, I used to do a lot of diff erent things, such as working part-time at convenience stores, factories, or arcades. I opened the clothing store aft er coming back from the army.

GN: We know you also run the jazz bar Lucchetto. Isn’t it diffi cult to operate two businesses at the same time? Park Sang Won: Lucchetto was opened in December 2019. It started as a place for friends who are like my family, and I prepared a stage for performances with the

aim of becoming a jazz bar, but now I am operating it as a place where I can meet and communicate with people rather than planning performances. Of course, it is difficult to operate the clothing store and the bar at the same time, but I have a partner and an employee at Lucchetto, and the place has a family-like atmosphere, so I am enjoying it rather than finding it difficult.

GN: How do you select the clothes you sell and from where do you acquire them? Who are your target customers? Park Sang Won: All the clothes that I sell are selected by myself from different places such as Seoul, Busan, China, and Japan, and they are designed for styling (for example, animal print, punk, and tech styles). I usually bring in the clothes I would wear myself. There are no stereotypes about the garments I sell, so the target customers can be anyone regardless of gender or age.

GN: In addition to clothes, does the store offer other products or accessories? If so, please tell us about them. Park Sang Won: In my opinion, there is no styling without accessories; therefore, I select things that I think look pretty, such as rings, necklaces, shoes, or other trendy and unique accessories. Now I am in the process of preparing a new category of products consisting of handmade accessories that will be available in the future. 41

GN: There are many clothing stores around here, some of which are cheaper. Why should people come to this store, and how do you keep up with the competition? Park Sang Won: There is no business without competition. I think the main reason customers come to Plan B is because of my bright and positive energy and pleasant attitude. I am joking, of course – I think it is because I sell unique clothes made with good fabric and style. Moreover, Plan B also offers custom repair or clothing adjustments if necessary.

GN: Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we know many businesses are facing hardships. Please tell us how the pandemic has affected your business. Park Sang Won: As strange as it may sound, COVID-19 has not made it difficult to operate the store nor did it lower sales. I know that other businesses have had a different time, though. During this period, I did my best to promote the business and researched and studied the market. Hence, I could still sell clothes. Maybe this is the reason I have gotten good results.

GN: What is your favorite or most rewarding aspect of your job? What’s the most challenging part? Park Sang Won: The most rewarding part about doing business is seeing customers satisfied and meeting many people while working. Some of them have become my friends, and we like to spend time together whenever possible. Seeing a shy person gain more self-esteem just by dressing up is also rewarding for me. The difficult part is that I do not have time during the day, since I work seven days a week. I would like to study personal development more, but for now, it is not possible. But I am always enjoying my work as if today were my last day.

GN: Do you have a favorite fashion period, or do you have a particular fashion icon that you admire most? Park Sang Won: There are many different fashion

▲ Park Sang Won

PLAN B (플렌비)

Address: Gwangju, Dong-gu, Chungjang-ro 3-ga, 38-9 (Underground, near Th e First Alleyway) 광주 동구 충장로 3가 38-8번지 지하 Business Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Instagram: @ilove_sangwon

▲ Plan B entrance view.

styles for each period. Th ere is a saying that fashion goes in cycles, but from the 1980s, the movement of deconstructivism in fashion also started under the infl uence of postmodernism and, accordingly, stereotypes like gender and age were dismantled. Deconstruction in terms of fashion (a.k.a. anti-fashion) refers to garments that are unfi nished, coming apart, recycled, transparent, and grunge, so in other words, they were unfi nished, decomposing and/or reassembled. Th is unbiased, deconstructive style, which involves fi nding a personal background and color, seems to be the style now, and my favorite designer is Jean Paul Gaultier precisely for his way of presenting his haute couture collections, using unorthodox, sometimes inexpensive, materials like braided straw or unconventional designs.

GN: Th ank you for telling us about yourself, Plan B, and the types of clothing that one can fi nd there.

Photographs courtesy of Plan B.

The Interviewer

Melline Galani is a Romanian enthusiast, born and raised in the capital city of Bucharest, who is currently living in Gwangju. She likes new challenges, learning interesting things, and is incurably optimistic. Her favorite fashion store in Gwangju is Plan B Instagram: @melligalanis

Fried Chicken with Soy Glaze

Written by Joe Wabe

Food in Korea is very trendy. Every year waves come and go, and while some stay two or three years, most of them in the end fall into oblivion. Except fried chicken, of course, which is a trend that has survived over 20 years and continues to be an all-time favorite for Koreans. Korean-style fried chicken diverges from the rest of the world because of its crunchiness and delicate, non-greasy crust – the style’s trademark. Other factors, such as the smaller size of the chickens and the double frying method in healthy non-trans fat oil, contribute to its excellent texture and special taste.

Th e concept of frying chicken in Korea started during the Korean War because of the infl uence of the American troops, but the serious enterprise blossomed in the late 1970s when the fi rst franchise was established in Seoul and began selling individual pieces of fried chicken at very low prices. Th e craze was soon followed with the idea of pairing chicken with draft beer, and soon aft er chimaek (chicken and maekju, or beer) became a thing.

Th ere are diff erent popular variations, and dakganjeong (닭강정) is a variation of yangyeom-chikin (양념치킨) or seasoned chicken, which is among Koreans’ favorite. Th e chicken is seasoned and lightly sprinkled with potato starch, then fried twice and glazed with a soy and garlic sauce. Th e recipe is easy to prepare at home, and with the tendency of most people to avoid crowds these days, this recipe is ideal for a fun indoor weekend. Enjoy!

Preparation

• Remove all excess fat from the chicken, put it in a bowl, and add all the seasoning. Mix it well and let it sit for 30 minutes. • Add the potato starch and coat the pieces evenly. • In a pot with hot oil, fry the chicken for eight minutes. Take the chicken out, let it cool off for ten minutes, then fry again for an additional six minutes or until golden brown. • To make the glaze, add all ingredients to a pot, boil, and let it cook until it thickens. Th en turn the heat off . • Aft er the chicken has completed its second frying, toss it into the pot with the glaze and mix well. You can add sesame seeds as optional garnish.

Ingredients

(Serves 2 –3) • 1 whole chicken cut into pieces • 2 cups of potato starch • canola oil

Seasoning

• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder • 1 teaspoon of ginger powder • 1 teaspoon of salt • ½ teaspoon of black pepper

Glazing

• 4 tablespoons of soy sauce • 1 tablespoon of honey • 1 tablespoon of sesame oil • 1 tablespoon of chopped ginger • 1 tablespoon of red pepper powder • 1 tablespoon of minced garlic • ¼ cup of water

The Author

Joe Wabe is a Gwangju expat, who has been contributing to the GIC and the Gwangju News for more than 10 years with his work in photography and writing.