When communication meets hospitality

Choi Jung-wha, president of the Corea Image and Communication Institute (CICI), and her husband Didier Beltoise, CEO of Cs, a consultation firm, pose at Westin Chosun Hotel in downtown Seoul, Monday. The couple launched the 5.4 Club, a tourism promotion body, in March. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

• Published Jul 25, 2013 5:43 PM KST
• Updated Jul 25, 2013 5:43 PM KST

This is the second in a series of interviews with “power couples” leading in their respective fields. — ED.

By Park Jin-hai

He is slightly early; she is only few minutes late.

But Didier Beltoise, CEO of Cs, a consulting firm, begins to talk to the reporters about himself and his wife, Choi Jung-wha, president of Corea Image Communications Institute (CICI), with the gentle adroit manners of the top hotelier he was.

When she arrives, Beltoise and Choi converse naturally in French and English, smoothly moving from one topic to another.

The two however do not jut out as personalities; they let the subject of communicating about Korea through five senses come forth more effectively than themselves.

It’s the synergistic outcome from when an expert in communication meets an expert in hospitality.

Choi says Korea already has great cultural content that foreigners would love. In fact, what it lacks is the communicative delivery.

“Communication is important as much as substance. It will be the key element to make the visitor’s trip a pleasant and memorable one. Without it, we cannot cater to the needs of them,” said Choi.

To this, her husband, Beltoise, adds the precision of someone who has spent his entire career in hospitality or the sector that knows a thing or two about providing fine “experience.”

“What differentiates superb food from good food is its positioning, color and every other minor detail,” he said.

So the experts in respective fields are bringing their know-how to the common goal of making the other person happy.

“Making the person feel happy, experience something different and experience something that the people will remember,” said Beltoise, is where he and his wife agree on in their latest pursuit of the 5.4 Club. The club under the motto of “Feeling Korea through five senses and four themes,” suggests what to see, what to eat and drink, what to enjoy and relax and what to talk about in helping expats to get to know Korea through five senses.

The couple were already successful when they met, Choi as the nation’s first Korean-French interpreter and Beltoise as a general manager of Grand and COEX Intercontinental Hotels.

The two tied the knot in 1995 and had to stay separated when Beltoise was dispatched to an overseas position. In 2004, he settled in Korea and since then the couple have worked together to improve Korea’s national image.

Choi says her husband of 18-years is her biggest helper. He is vital to the success of CICI that she founded in 2003, the one who stands beside her and gives “immediate feedback” on her activities.

“We Koreans tend to insist on what we think is good, rather than what foreigners want to see, eat and enjoy,” she added.

Choi asks what is the good of showing, for instance, a six-hour long “pansori” or traditional Korean narrative music, to foreigners without providing proper information.

“Even if it is the one that represent Korea the most, yet, they will for surely flee in half an hour.” She stresses that through communication, we need to provide everything bite-size that others can digest, depending on their levels of understanding Korean culture.

Beltoise urges her to think more of what others want, to learn the art of seductive communication, she said. His opinions are most cherished, since they reflect the perspective of recipient side of the service she provides.

For instance, in a Korean food event held overseas, he looked at the menu and suggested that the seaweed soup, a popular local soup, should not be included, because of the texture that some foreigners might dislike.

“Black sesame soup is popular here. But, he told me that its black color might make foreigners hesitant to taste it. So we tried to make it grey while maintaining the taste,” Choi said.

“I have been able to absorb elements of different cultures, their reactions and what people would appreciate,” said Beltoise.

The CICI has been inviting global opinion leaders every spring and fall since 2010. During the three-day visit, it cannot care less the every small detail. That wows expats on a visit, and that in turn moves their hearts.

“After returning their countries, usually 70 to 80 articles on their experiences in Korea are posted, all voluntarily. I think it is because they are touched by our hospitality,” said Choi.

In March, the two also launched the 5.4 Club that is similar to the “Comite Colbert,” the exclusive club of luxurious brands that represent France. The club’s third meeting, slated for late September, will look back on the CCF’s event, and the members will also delve deeply into how Korea will integrate its status as a leader in traditional culture and runner-up in modern and IT sectors including K-pop.

The non-profit organization has a network of partners in the four fields and provide customized tour plans to visiting expats.

“One person cannot do anything. But under the wide networks of 5.4 Club partners we will create something unique that contributes to lifting Korea’s image in the world arena” said Beltoise.

Both of them agree that Korean tourism is at a critical juncture. They say in the past Korea’s place in the world of hospitality was nearly negligible, compared with European countries. However, it has greatly improved and now we see Koreans sitting in the position of general managers of famous hotel chains.

“I feel a sense of great responsibility, since this will greatly impact the future of Korean cultural awareness in this transitional period,” said Choi.

The two said that tourism has become more affordable. They claim the current one-for-all tourism programs should be divided into different levels accordingly.

“The biggest challenge, I think, is that we Koreans, who have lived in a homogeneous society for a long time, tend to give something in lum sum by nature. I used to be one of them,” said Choi.

Beltoise said that Koreans could be more confident and open up more, especially when one considers how affectionate they are once they know someone.

“Like being more open, and saying hello in the elevator, said Beltoise.

Choi chimed in that Koreans could work more on translating our strengths of spontaneity and “jeong” or affection into more effective communication, and that is where she and her husband would like to focus on through their 5.4 Club activities.

Is Beltoise sometimes pressured that his wife is more famous?

“Not at all. When she is happy, I am happy,” he said.

“We are complete together. He reminds me of the importance of nuance and details,” added Choi, beaming with smile.