By Kang Seung-woo
Staff reporter
U.S. beef is yet to be completely welcomed by consumers, as the massive demonstrations against the government decision to resume imports two years ago are still fresh in their mind.
However, Lee Ki-sang is on a one-man mission to remove public doubt on U.S. beef, and the restaurateur's tool is "L.A. galbi," short ribs seasoned Korean style.
"When I was applying for a patent on my brand of L.A. galbi three years ago, my friends told me I was crazy because all American beef was banned at the time," Lee said in a telephone interview with The Korea Times.
"I thought that the ban would be lifted five or six years later," he said.
Last August, the 61-year-old opened his restaurant named "K-55 L.A. Galbi" in front of Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. The base is codenamed, "K-55."
Korea prohibited the import of American beef in 2003 after a case of mad cow disease was discovered and the ban remained in place until 2008, when the government decided to lift it. The decision triggered two months of huge demonstrations, inflamed by biased television reports portraying U.S. beef as a possible transmission vector for the human variant of mad cow disease.
"I am very familiar with L.A. galbi, so I am confident in running an L.A. galbi-specialized restaurant," he said.
His plan is not modest at all. "I want to build a nationwide chain and expand it to the United States."
Lee said that, despite reports that Koreans shun U.S. beef, he was encountering no hostile response from customers ― both Koreans and U.S. military personnel in the area.
"Customers do not like Australian beef, so we only use meat from the United States," he said, adding that Korean people of all ages come to his restaurant.
"Since opening the store, we are doing as well as I thought we would," he said, though his plan to expand into a network of franchises has yet to be put into practice.
"But there have been growing inquiries on opening a franchise and retired U.S. soldiers are also showing interest in the business."
Lee, who currently relies on Internet advertising, said that he intends to begin aggressive marketing in the coming months.
"I am certain that I can succeed with L.A. galbi," he said.
Lee worked in the U.S. beef distribution business for 30 years before he opened his restaurant.