Westin Chosun hopes to become seedbed for Korea's hoteliers

By Kim Rahn

Korean hoteliers are talented and well-educated but are not treated well here with many leaving the industry, said the new general manager of the Westin Chosun Seoul.

Brian Pak, the hotel’s first general manager of Korean descent, said he hopes to support and help them develop, so that not only the Westin Chosun but Korea’s entire hotel industry can improve.

“Korea’s hoteliers are more talented and passionate than those in any other country I’ve been. I see many hidden gems. But at the same time I see those gems, who can be jewels if well polished, don’t become so but quit the industry,” the Korean-American said.

Pak said he is moving to change policy at least in his hotel so that capable young people can move to higher positions faster than they would in the current system, helping them become the core of the organization by offering education and training.

“I hope the efforts will spread from the Westin Chosun to other hotels, so the whole industry can shine more. I want to see those having passion be rewarded, satisfied with their achievements,” the 46-year-old said.

Pak continued that Korea’s hotel industry is already well developed, and Korean staff is better in dealing with customers than foreign hoteliers.

“We have set rules but the hospitality industry deals with living human beings. With the same quality of service, some customers are satisfied while others are not. Their expectations differ according to their growing environment, wealth and social status. Korean workers, at least those at the Westin Chosun, have a good sense of that and catch the different preferences well.”

Korean-born general manager

Pak, who moved to the United States with his parents when young, often visited Korea for business trips since 1994, and almost every time, he stayed at the Westin Chosun Seoul.

“I’m kind of sensitive, so I don’t sleep well at hotels during business trips. But at the Westin Chosun, I slept well and the service was good. I stayed here about 30 times, and I barely had a complaint,” he said.

Although he was not a customer but the general manager when he came back in July, the good impression hasn’t changed because he is satisfied with the quality of the staff, facilities and organization.

Being a native Korean general manager at a hotel here, Pak said he likes there is no language barrier, which he faced while working for Japan-based business consulting companies in the U.S. for over a dozen years.

“Since I joined the hotel industry, too, I often had difficulties at hotels in other countries as some workers there didn’t properly understand my directions although we communicated in English. Smooth communication is one good thing here. But on the other hand, I don’t understand some of the culture and customs of this Korean organization, so I’m trying to adjust to them.”

Engineering major helps

Pak didn’t enter the hospitality industry right after college. He majored in civil engineering at the University of California, Davis, and worked at Intercontinental Management Consultants, taking charge of consulting projects for tourism-related businesses such as resort facilities, golf courses and car rentals.

While offering consultation to the Westin Resort Guam, he joined the hotel in 1999 to take charge of sales and marketing, starting his hotelier career. He was also a starting member of the W Seoul-Walkerhill, working as director of operations, and took the first general manager position at Aqua Resort Club Saipan in 2005, only six years after entering the industry.

He first studied civil engineering, learning about the structure of a building, and then worked in architectural engineering which focuses on interiors. After entering the hotel industry, Pak studied hotel management by himself for hours after work every day.

“There are very few people who have a career in both building hotels and managing them, and I’m one of them. Hotels usually undergo renovations every six years and they need someone who has expert knowledge in design, renovation and operations,” he said.

Like many other hotel groups here, the Westin Chosun is considering running medium-priced business hotels.

“If we build and operate business hotels, we need someone who can check both construction and management. My major and experience will help,” Pak said.