[Interview] The Snack Company Chairman Immersed in Gugak... Yoon Youngdal's 'Artistic Management Theory'

2025 Yeongdong World Gugak Expo Opening Ceremony
Interview with Yoon Youngdal, Chairman of Crown Haitai Confectionery
"The Essence of Snacks Is Play... We Sell Dreams and Hope"
Integrating Art into Products Like Couque D'Asse and Oh Yes

"Eolssu, that's right, well done."

On September 12, at the 2025 Yeongdong World Gugak Expo in Yeongdong, North Chungcheong Province, Chairman Yoon Youngdal (80) of Crown Haitai Confectionery held a Janggu stick and kept rhythm in front of the company booth, causing icons on the screen to break and the score to rise. In front of the "Jangdangi Game Machine," an experiential Gugak education device personally developed under Chairman Yoon's leadership, the laughter of children and the footsteps of adults mingled together. The device connects a Janggu drumhead made from recycled banners to a tablet, allowing children to learn rhythm through play. Chairman Yoon said, "At first, it was big and heavy, but now it's small enough for elementary school students to carry," adding, "I hope it becomes a gift for children."

Chairman Yoon Youngdal of Crown Haitai Confectionery (center) is experiencing Janggu-ri collage. Photo by Crown Haitai Confectionery

As the co-chairman of the Yeongdong World Gugak Expo, Chairman Yoon was everywhere at the event that day. He admired the work of Nak-hwa-jang artist Kim Youngjo, saying, "The brushwork is alive," and at the exhibition hall utilizing spatial computing technology from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), he asked detailed questions about how the sense of space in traditional performances was realized. This demonstrated his qualities as an 'inquisitive owner' who constantly asks questions on site. He also left a strong impression by engaging comfortably in conversations with visitors.

Chairman Yoon's connection to Gugak dates back to the 1997 Asian financial crisis. At that time, Crown Confectionery was undergoing court receivership proceedings, and it was the sound of the daegeum (Korean bamboo flute) that he happened to hear on Mount Bukhan that became the turning point. Chairman Yoon recalled, "I realized that the sound of instruments can purify the soul and heal wounds," and "I experienced firsthand the immersive effect of art."

This experience led to the philosophy of "AQ (Artistic Quotient) Management." He emphasized the belief that employees with strong artistic sensibilities can create confections filled with dreams and love, and invested in a variety of artistic fields, including Gugak, sculpture, and literature. The most notable example is the Songchu Art Valley, an outdoor cultural and artistic theme park spanning 3.3 million square meters in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. It is seven times the size of Heyri Art Village in Paju and serves as a complex space encompassing sculpture exhibitions, outdoor performances, experiential activities, and academic events. A well-known anecdote is that he purchased nearby motels and offered them as practice spaces for artists.

Since last year, he has served as the 12th president of the Korea Mecenat Association, working to promote culture and the arts. He has supported stages such as "Yangju Pungnyu Akhoe," "Changsinje," and "Youngjae Haneumhoe," and holds weekly competitions at the "Crown Haitai Hall" in Namsan Gugakdang, where children from kindergarten to elementary school participate. Chairman Yoon said, "Children who learn through their bodies at a young age will one day become true audience members who gladly pay for tickets."

Yoon Youngdal, chairman of Crown Haitai Confectionery, is viewing the Crown Haitai Confectionery booth at the Yeongdong World Gugak Expo.
[Photo by Crown Haitai Confectionery]

-Why have you emphasized investing in children?

▲I believe that Gugak can only survive if the next generation is able to encounter our music naturally. By allowing children to experience Gugak as play through stages like the "Youngjae Gugakhoe," those children will grow up to become reliable audience members for Gugak in the future. I am confident that they will become precious nourishment for our music scene.

-What is the background for taking on the role of co-chairman of the Expo?

▲This event is a festival created through collaboration between local governments and the private sector. I wanted to seize this valuable opportunity to promote the beauty of Korean traditional music to the world. Since overseas promotion is realistically difficult, Crown Haitai directly organized a performance at the Osaka Expo, and in June, 130 members from the company club and students from Seoul Institute of the Arts took the stage. For nine products, including Jolly Pong, Yeonyanggaeng, and Peanut Caramel, we also introduced limited-edition packages featuring the Expo emblem, schedule, and location.

-What do you hope to achieve through the Expo?

▲Traditional music is like the most fitting attire for the people who embody the unique emotions of their country. It is not a matter of good or bad, but of difference. I hope this event becomes a historic festival where traditional music from around the world gathers in one place, serving as a true venue for cultural exchange. I look forward to people enjoying both the beauty of Gugak and world music together.

-What is needed for the popularization and globalization of Gugak?

▲Gugak is music engraved in the DNA of the Korean people. With just a little stimulation, our shoulders move to the rhythm-it's our uniquely flavorful traditional music. Its participatory nature, where performers and audience sing and dance together, is also a strength. This music is not just a simple tradition but a valuable cultural asset that we must inherit and develop. I will continue working so that more people in Korea and around the world can experience and enjoy Gugak. Gugak develops most beautifully when learned and practiced in its original form.

-What stands out at this Expo?

▲I commissioned sculptor Sim Byeonggeon to create the symbolic sculpture "The Resonance of Tradition, Echoing into the Future." Through the visualization of sound waves and rhythm, five-colored ribbons, and images of pyeonjong and pyeongyeong (traditional Korean percussion instruments), the work expresses how "resonance and vibration" spread throughout the world. At the Yeongdong World Gugak Expo, which connects the present and future of traditional music, I hope for communication among various cultures and empathy among different people. Around the performance venue, Crown Haitai-sponsored sculptures are also on display, providing plenty to see.

Yoon Youngdal, Chairman of Crown Haitai Confectionery, is touring the booth at the Yeongdong World Gugak Expo.
[Photo by Crown Haitai Confectionery]

-You have also performed Gugak with your employees.

▲At the 8th Changsinje in 2012, 100 Crown Haitai employees took the stage at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Staff from production, sales, and administration came together to perform the pansori "Sacheolga" in chorus, led by the company’s designated lead singer. We received certification from the Korea Record Institute and a world record from World Recordsa. During that process, our executives and employees learned Gugak from masters for over a year. Cultivating the sensibility and discipline to appreciate art takes time. Crown Haitai has invested 10% of its net profit in AQ projects. My management philosophy is that all our executives and employees, including myself, must possess the spirit of an artist at their core. At Crown Haitai, about 200 employees are active in five Gugak clubs, including folk songs, samulnori, pansori, gagok, and Palilmu (ritual dance). All our staff are "artists who bake confections."

-Could you share more examples of investment in Gugak and the arts?

▲In 2007, we became the first private company to establish a Gugak orchestra, "Rakeum Gugakdan," and since 2010, we have hosted performances by "Yangju Pungnyu Akhoe," composed of Korea’s top Gugak masters. We have also consistently held various Gugak performances, such as "Changsinje," "Crown Haitai Haneumhoe," and "Daeboreum Masters’ Concert." Going forward, we plan to focus more on nurturing young talent and supporting veteran masters. In particular, we are creating new stages for middle and high school students to foster the next generation of Gugak artists.

-As a business leader, how do you view the confectionery industry?

▲It’s not enough to simply make snacks cheap and tasty. Although they are often regarded as just simple treats, if you think about the comfort a bag of snacks can bring to our lives, their value is significant. If we see the essence of the confectionery industry in "play" and define the act of making snacks as "selling dreams and happiness," our path becomes clear. I want our company to make snacks that restore children’s dreams-snacks that can be felt and enjoyed.

-What is the secret behind your many long-lasting brands?

▲Products like Jolly Pong, Crown Sando, Matdongsan, Couque D’asse, Corn Chips, and Butter Waffle may look the same on the surface, but we are constantly improving them. We pay close attention to developing a variety of products. These days, we are experimenting with the "Mouth-Cleansing Corn Chips" concept, which offers a thin, mild corn chip in a paper cup after meals. This idea was inspired by our tradition of eating nurungji or roasted corn after meals. It refreshes the palate and pairs well with coffee or wine. I see new possibilities in this area.

-Are there products that have seen results through the integration of art?

▲"Oh Yes" and "Couque D’asse" are examples. For Couque D’asse, which previously had a plain appearance, we added a wave pattern. For Oh Yes, we featured a rose artwork by the late artist Sim Youngbo on the packaging, which actually led to a 30% increase in sales.

Yoon Youngdal, chairman of Crown Haitai Confectionery, is delivering a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony of the Yeongdong World Gugak Expo.
[Photo by Crown Haitai Confectionery]

-What kind of talent does Crown Haitai seek?

▲We use the term "in-jae" (person as asset) instead of "in-jae" (person as material). This means a person must be an asset to the company. The "Gugung Injaeron" (Nine Principles of Talent), which I developed myself, summarizes the rules between human suffering and human happiness in nine characters. It emphasizes the importance of refining oneself (Su) and learning (Hak) in one’s current position, considering how to contribute more to the company (Sa), having passion (Yeol), and being loyal (Chung) to the organization and one’s work. It also includes keeping one’s word with trust (Shin), maintaining a research-oriented attitude (Gu), creating things that can be presented to heaven (Jo), and having the judgment to stand out among the crowd and see far ahead (Su), which ultimately leads to the highest position.