Kim Dong-seon Leads Galleria's New Business... Opens First US 'Five Guys' Store in Korea

Agreement Signed for Domestic Business Promotion, First Store to Open in Early Next Year
Famous for Burgers Made to Individual Tastes with Fresh, High-Quality Ingredients
Strengths Include In-Store Made Patties and Fries Fried in Peanut Oil
"Plan to Expand to Over 15 Stores Domestically Within the Next 5 Years"

(From left) William Peecher, Executive Vice President of Five Guys International, and Kim Dong-seon, Head of New Business Strategy Office at Hanwha Solutions Galleria Division, are posing for a commemorative photo after the signing ceremony for promoting Five Guys' domestic business at The Plaza in Seoul on the 5th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Galleria Department Store is introducing the famous American burger franchise 'Five Guys' as part of its new business venture.

On the 6th, Galleria announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the domestic business rights contract with Five Guys International and plans to open the first Five Guys store in Korea in the first half of next year.

Five Guys started in Virginia, USA in 1986 and is known as the most beloved burger in America, ranking first in customer satisfaction surveys among Americans. Five Guys stores are famous for having no freezers, timers, or microwaves in the kitchen. All food is freshly prepared to order using fresh ingredients. Customers can enjoy differentiated menu items such as patties made fresh daily and fries cut from raw potatoes and fried in pure peanut oil. The menu centers on four types of burgers with double patties as standard, along with hot dogs, sandwiches, milkshakes, and fries. A customization service is also offered, allowing customers to create their own burger in up to 250,000 different ways according to personal preference.

Five Guys is led by founders the Murrell couple and their five sons. After starting franchising in North America in the early 2000s, the brand began its global expansion with entry into the UK in 2013.

Currently, Five Guys operates over 1,700 stores in 23 countries, mainly in the US, Canada, the UK, France, and Germany. In Asia, Korea will be the fifth country to enter following Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and Malaysia.

Meanwhile, the domestic launch of Galleria’s Five Guys is the first new business venture of Kim Dong-seon, the third son of Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-yeon. Since February, Kim, who has overseen Galleria’s New Business Strategy Office, has played a leading role throughout the entire process from initial planning to contract signing for the introduction of the Five Guys brand.

Five Guys has maintained a cautious stance on entering Korea, emphasizing that perfectly replicating the authentic American taste is the most important condition for its franchise business. Kim traveled to the US multiple times, building continuous trust with the founders, and succeeded in moving the founders’ hearts through a briefing that presented a solid plan for the Korean Five Guys business, leading to the contract signing.

Galleria, which has been conducting food and beverage (F&B) business centered on the 'Gourmet 494' brand, plans to introduce a differentiated burger experience never before experienced in Korea through the launch of Five Guys. Galleria plans to open more than 15 Five Guys stores domestically over the next five years.

William Pitcher, Executive Vice President of Five Guys International, said, "Five Guys always prioritizes making good food and shares passion with the employees who make that food. We are very pleased to collaborate with Galleria as our business partner in Korea. Based on our passion for good food, we expect Five Guys to achieve great success in the Korean market as well."

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