Chapter 15
Chapter 15
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Why Shops Fail
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Why did this shop fail?"
Great location. Plenty of foot traffic, clean interior—it's not bad at all. If anything, even I'd think about grabbing lunch here.
So why on earth...?
Why would the owner put a place like this up for sale?
It was prime lunchtime, but the shop was completely empty, lights off.
Anyone could see it was a failure.
"Well, the thing is..."
The real estate agent scratched the back of his head and continued.
"I'm no good at lying, so I'll be straight with you. Other agents would just say the owner's health took a turn or they're emigrating far away—something vague like that."
People these days aren't fools; they sniff out half-baked excuses like ghosts. The agent had decided on honesty.
"This place was doing great. Business boomed, so the owner threw himself into it even more. He started with half the space, but success led him to buy out the neighboring spot and expand."
"I see."
"But then he got divorced."
"Pardon?"
Kim Jong-chun did a double take at the abrupt twist.
"He got so wrapped up in the business that he neglected his family. Makes sense—I hardly ever saw the lights off here myself. Out at dawn, back at dawn—when's he supposed to see his family?"
"......"
"After the divorce, he couldn't focus on the shop anymore. Customers started drifting away, one by one, and eventually it tanked."
The unexpected reason hit Kim Jong-chun like a smack to the back of the head.
He'd vaguely assumed it was bad food or poor service—something like that.
But hearing the story, the owner seemed like a dedicated guy. Too dedicated, sadly, at the expense of his home life....
'Could that happen to me too?' The thought flashed through his mind unbidden. He was already working, learning to cook, closing up late into the night. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd eaten dinner with the kids. And that kind of life—not for a day or two, not for a month or two... but forever? His chest suddenly felt tight. The agent showed him shop after shop, but Kim Jong-chun barely registered them.
"Shall we check out the next one?"
They drove to a spot right in front of a traditional market. Market day, apparently—people swarmed everywhere. Carts rolling by, vendors laying out goods and waiting for customers.
"It's bustling, a bit chaotic. This way."
"This one's got a good spot too."
"Right? Not many young folks, but plenty of middle-aged and seniors."
Gukbap draws young people too, but it's still seen as an old guy's staple. Not a bad vibe here, though.
"Small space, but the price reflects that. Building's old, needs some fixes~."
The agent pulled a key from his belt and unlocked the door. Lights on, and the interior came into view. A tad smaller than Lee In-cheol's place, but room for four or five tables. Some wear and tear from age, but in a market alley, that was par for the course.
"...Looks like it was a jeon place originally."
Kim Jong-chun muttered at the wide griddle.
"Yes, exactly."
"Why'd this one fail?"
A jeon joint right by the market—prime setup. Add makgeolli, and it'd be packed in no time.
"You here to investigate failures?"
"Haha, no, just curious. Doesn't seem like it should've tanked."
"Do failures need a reason?"
The agent said flatly.
"Restaurants are a dime a dozen here. Don't thrive, you die."
Don't thrive, you die. Stung for an aspiring entrepreneur.
"Let's take a look.... Oh, the market closed for construction a while back. Six months or so? Lots folded then—this was one."
"!"
Market closure. With shoppers as your core customers, that'd be devastating for a restaurant. 'Variables like that too, huh...' Kim Jong-chun clenched his fist. Obstacles popping up out of nowhere.
"One last one, shall we?"
"...Yeah, okay."
He didn't know how he even got in the car. Shoulders slumped, mind in turmoil. Lee In-cheol's success had made him think business was straightforward. Watching Song Woo-yeon's wizardry bred baseless confidence that failure was impossible. But look at these shops. 'So many ways the world crushes dreams.' Empty storefronts blurring past the car window brought gloom.
"Here we are."
Stepping out, a shabby-sign shop in a tucked-away alley—neighborhood business spot.
"Schools nearby, old apartments too—decent foot traffic."
Kim Jong-chun, face weary, asked.
"...Why'd this one fail?"
"It's complicated. Remember that downpour last year? Flooded some neighborhoods. This area's one."
Yeah, he'd heard. Just on the news.
"Flooded the shop—couldn't operate for a while. Big losses, and then..."
"And then?"
"Tried a full reno post-flood, but the interior guys took the money and bolted."
"......"
"Then the landlord jacked up rent. Couldn't hold on."
Total disaster. That unlucky? Natural disaster, scam, unilateral rent hike...! 'Shows every way a shop can crash.' Haha. Absurd laugh escaped. All Kim Jong-chun wanted was a modest shop for a happy life, but the world wasn't kind. 'Good food alone won't cut it!' With that harsh lesson, his first shop hunt ended. Deep sigh included.
"Haa...."
The path to starting out felt distant and treacherous.
Sure enough, next day at the shop, Kim Jong-chun's face was clouded with worry.
He'd tasted harsh reality firsthand.
'Better to know before starting than stumble blind. Like a vaccine.' Franchise ops obsess over store counts, skipping this. Sweet-talk minimum earnings, lure investment, open shops. Each sign becomes free promo. Franchise HQs bear zero bankruptcy risk. Succeeds? Great. Fails? Not their problem. 'Tsk tsk. Short-sighted.' Piles up, tarnishes brand. What do folks want from franchises? Not Michelin stars. Reliable popular taste. Consistent quality. Trustworthy hygiene. But sloppy franchises can't deliver. Taste varies by branch, hygiene slips—reasons to pick 'em vanish. Treat each franchise like the brand's face, manage responsibly. 'Too time-consuming and costly—that's why they don't.' Even now. Hold Kim Jong-chun's hand, scout myself? Nail ten spots easy. Sweet-talk quick ROI, open tomorrow. But food biz ain't easy. Start unarmored mentally, burn out fast. 'That's why this grind is essential.' Facing grim future upfront vs. rose-tinted blind start? Worlds apart. 'Not that I'd let him actually fail, though.' I had faith.
Three weeks scouting locations flew by.
I watched Kim Jong-chun silently. After days agonizing, he steeled up, hustled agents more energetically.
Drew on sales days, leaving cards diligently.
Today, exactly three weeks in, resolute face before me.
"Woo-yeon, kid. Narrowed to two spots. Take a look?"
"Of course. Hand 'em over."
Nodded at papers; he stiffly passed them, tense.
Rustle.
Flipped quick. Hm. Solid for a newbie. Footwork showed.
Good. One thing left.
"Uncle. Coat on."
"Huh?"
"Gotta see these spots ourselves. Papers miss a lot."
Tap tap.
Tapping sheets, his face lit up. Thinks he passed review.
We'll see.
Time for magic. The spell to judge business viability.