From the Stove to the Sink... The Life Drama of Park Yoo-jae, Honorary Chairman of Enex

Park Yoojae Enex Honorary Chairman Autobiography Published

Park Yoo-jae Honorary Chairman

"I want to share the numerous crises, failures, and processes of overcoming them that I have experienced with my juniors." Park Yoo-jae, Honorary Chairman of Enex, summarized his 87 years of life and the time it took to build the current comprehensive furniture company Enex as a "process of overcoming crises and failures." His management career, which began in 1961, is layered with moments of falling and rising again. Although he thrived by introducing Korea's first standing kitchen, the company also faced a crisis when it was shaken by the global financial crisis. Overcoming all these challenges, Park, the honorary chairman who built Enex as it is today, has compiled his life story into a book.

On the 5th, Chairman Park explained the reason for publishing the book, saying, "If even one of the stories about overcoming crises and failures can give someone strength and hope, it would bring me great joy." He titled the book "The Life Drama of Eight Falls and Nine Rises." Upon reflection, he felt that his life embodied not just the saying Chiljeonpalgi (七顚八起, fall seven times, stand up eight) but Paljeongugi (八顚九起, fall eight times, stand up nine).

Chairman Park was born in 1934 in Cheongsan-myeon, Okcheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. He first ventured into management at the age of 27 in 1961 by founding Woongwoo Sangsa and starting a trading and sales business. Ten years later, in 1971, he established Seoil Industrial Company, the predecessor of Enex, marking the beginning of his connection with kitchen furniture. Seoil Industrial, which manufactured and sold kitchen furniture, was the first in Korea to introduce the sink into traditional kitchens. This was the "Ori-pyo Sink," famous nationwide for its advertising jingle "The sink is Ori-pyo." Before the Ori-pyo Sink, kitchens resembled a stove with a cauldron hung over a firebox. Housewives had no choice but to work in a deeply crouched position. By proposing the new paradigm of a "standing kitchen," he enabled housewives to work without bending their backs.

Building on this success, he also ventured into politics and served as a member of the 11th National Assembly. However, due to a management hiatus leading to quality decline and the global financial crisis, the company faced difficulties. He turned this crisis into an opportunity to focus on quality improvement research and communication with employees. Especially during the global financial crisis, he donated personally owned real estate to help the company escape financial turmoil.

Having stepped down as honorary chairman last year, he is currently engaged in policy proposals to the government and writing contributions. He stated, "During the remaining time, I want to share life wisdom with many people and continue learning because by becoming a necessary presence for the company and society, my existence can have value." His autobiography also includes messages to young people. He said, "What may seem like success now can lead to failure, and what may seem like failure now can ultimately be a process toward success. I hope you never give up through the ups and downs of life." His autobiography will be available in bookstores around March.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.