[Power K-Women] Kelly Choi: "Multiplay-Type Korean Women Have a Big Advantage on the Global Stage"

Determination to Become the Best
Higher Success Rate Than Living Moderately
Work and Family Are Not a Choice
Can Be Solved with Support from Others
Enjoy Freedom Beyond Financial Independence
Revel in Wealth and Health Abundance

Editor's NoteAsia Economy selected 40 women from various fields at home and abroad as 'Power K-Women' at the ‘2022 Women Leaders Forum’ held on October 19. These women leaders have faced all kinds of barriers and boundaries such as gender, race, disability, and poverty, yet they did not yield to them but broke or transcended these boundaries to create new and universal values. Their stories will provide comfort to a weary world, serve as role models for someone, and give the community the strength to move forward again.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] "When I attended night high school (while working), the salary at the white shirt factory that fed and housed me was 70,000 won. I think I saved 90-100% of my salary. I saved for three years and went to Japan. Even in Japan, I worked part-time, delivering newspapers morning and evening while attending school."

Kelly Choi (real name Choi Geumrye, 54, photo), a Korean woman who ranked in the top 0.1% of wealthy people in the UK, said this in an interview with Asia Economy on the 19th. She leads a global company with annual sales of 700 billion won across 1,200 stores in 12 European countries. She is better known as the protagonist of the "dirt spoon" myth. In fact, Choi’s life is a drama of tears and inspiration. She is a figure who overcame adversity and wrote a success story.

She was born into a poor family in Jeongeup, Jeonbuk. The family environment was too difficult to satisfy her thirst for learning. Choosing to move to Seoul, she studied during the day and worked at night, nurturing her dreams. Her life was a continuous struggle until she left for Europe via Japan. Learning English, Japanese, and French was a matter of survival. She literally had to work hard to earn living expenses. Because her dream was big and she wanted to achieve it, she endured the pain of life and looked forward to tomorrow. "I did everything from modeling to serving and making clothes for jobs that paid well."

Choi wanted to be the best at whatever she did. For that, she desperately needed a mentor to guide her. That is why she immersed herself in books. She found 1,000 mentors in 1,000 books and took their guidance as life principles. Although she dreamed of becoming a designer and went abroad to study, she switched from advertising to the food service industry because of this. She thought deeply about what kind of work suited her, what path led to success, and what she needed to do to achieve it, and then put it into practice.

Kelly Choi founded an advertising company and enjoyed great success but also faced difficulties that left her with a debt of 1 billion won. Meeting sushi master Mr. Yamamoto was a turning point that led to the growth of Kelly Deli today. How did Choi reach the top? She cited three main secrets to her success.

First is the determination to become the best. Choi explained, "Most people think it’s difficult, but actually, the probability of success is higher than just settling for a decent living." Second is the decision to catch two rabbits at once. She said, "Don’t see household chores and work as an either-or problem. With help from people around you (husband, children, experts), you can definitely manage both." Third is to become a well-thinker (someone who thinks like a wealthy person). Choi advised, "Enjoy freedom beyond economic independence and enjoy the abundance of wealth and health."

Were there any difficulties because she was a female leader? Choi said, on the contrary, being a woman was more advantageous. She explained, "Korean women have excellent multitasking abilities. Watching TV, talking on the phone, and taking care of children at the same time is not difficult. Foreign women are not like that. This is a special strength of Korean women." For this reason, she added that Korean women need to spread their dreams on the global stage. She also said, "Men tend to be specialists who dig deeply into specific areas, while women excel at connecting these areas."

She did not forget to give a message to society. She said that the desire for growth in women is often regarded as excessive ambition, which is a common phenomenon in both Korea and abroad, but this needs to change. Choi lamented, "For men, mother, wife, and colleague are three major supporters, but for women, they are three major factors that hold them back. Even in the workplace, when women try to get promoted, they are criticized for being greedy."

The difference in starting points between men and women. Choi’s goal is to narrow that gap. She recalled her own hardships due to the lack of female mentors. Choi is directly becoming a mentor herself, sharing her know-how openly through online and offline lectures. Her book ‘Well Thinking’ was born with this meaning. Money was not the goal. She donates 100% of the royalties. Choi believes money should be earned through business.

"Within 2-3 years, I want to grow the company to a trillion won scale (business income). I want to be the best. Usually, if you have money, you don’t have time, and if you have time, you don’t have money, but I am a happy entrepreneur who has both. I want to be a good role model."

Born into a modest rural family, she moved alone to Seoul at sixteen and became a factory girl. She worked at a sewing factory during the day and studied at night, advancing toward her dream. She worked hard to earn money and went to study in Japan and France. Although she once thrived in the advertising business, she also faced a debt of 1 billion won and even contemplated suicide. However, by taking wealthy people as mentors, she succeeded in making a comeback and is now generating sales of 160 to 170 billion won through 1,200 stores in 12 European countries with her food service company ‘Kelly Deli.’ Recently, she established the ‘Well Thinking Academy’ to share her secrets to success. Her books include ‘The Woman Selling Lunchboxes in Paris’ (2021) and ‘Well Thinking’ (2022).