On the fifth day of the first month of the lunar year, Kim Myeong-seong from South Korea was making jiaozi with Korean-style spicy cabbage fillings at “Friend,” his uncle’s Korean restaurant in Kunming. Thousands of miles away in Cheongju, South Korea, his family were worshipping their ancestors, making rice cakes and having a reunion dinner.
It was the first time that Kim Myeong-seong had spent a Chinese New Year holiday in China. For this young South Korean man, Kunming has an inexplicable appeal.
Last May, Kim Myeong-seong came to Kunming with his mother to see how his uncle’s restaurant was going. “I was impressed by the city the moment I got off the aircraft. The sky was blue and on both sides of the streets there were all kinds of flowers,” he recalled.
Kim Myeong-seong saw his future in Kunming. “My uncle’s restaurant is on Nanqiang Street. It is an old, beautiful street full of Chinese characteristics. The restaurant is not big but is always packed with customers at dinner time. Many people have to queue outside,” he said. Soon, Kim Myeong-seong returned to South Korea. He quit his job as a doctor and began to make preparations for working in Kunming.
“I’ve never worked in the catering industry before. Cooking sushi and cutting sashimi take long-term practice. We all work hard for more than ten hours every day, but I like my present job,” said Kim Myeong-seong as he sat by the symbolic pear tree in front of “Friend” and looked at the stream of passing people. “Kunming is a dreamland full of vitality. I hope to seize this opportunity and fulfill my little dream.”
Kim Myeong-seong is currently preparing to open a restaurant of his own in Kunming. Today, the international metropolis is attracting more and more “Kim Myeong-seong” who want to pursue an entrepreneurial career. They come from all over the world and are engaged in a variety of occupations. On one hand, they are exploring this land for opportunities to fulfill their dreams, while on the other hand, they are also bringing new vitality to the development of Kunming.