"Ibujin's Sincerity"... Hotel Shilla Reopens 'MatJeju' 25th Branch

Taste Jeju Project for Regional Coexistence Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Chairwoman Lee Boo-jin and Jeju Governor Oh Young-hoon Attend Plaque Ceremony

Hotel Shilla announced on the 3rd that 'Dongmun Kalguksu,' the 25th branch of the representative social contribution activity in the Jeju region, 'Making Delicious Jeju,' has reopened. Through the talent donation of Hotel Shilla employees, the Dongmun Kalguksu restaurant has been upgraded in menu recipes, customer service, and kitchen facilities.

(From left) Lee Boo-jin, President of Hotel Shilla; Lee Yoon-ji, restaurant owner of the 25th branch of Matitneun Jeju Mandulgi; and Oh Young-hoon, Governor of Jeju Province, are attending the reopening plaque ceremony of 'Dongmun Kalguksu,' the 25th branch of Matitneun Jeju Mandulgi on Dongmun-ro, Jeju City, on the 3rd, and posing for a commemorative photo.
[Photo by Hotel Shilla].

Hotel Shilla conducted customized consulting reflecting the characteristics of the restaurant and imparted various operational experiences, including service training. New food items such as Kalguksu and mung bean pancakes were introduced, and the restaurant interior was changed by adopting an open kitchen so that customers could also enjoy the 'visual taste.'

To celebrate the resumption of the Making Delicious Jeju project, which was suspended due to COVID-19, Oh Young-hoon, Governor of Jeju Province, Kim Kyung-hak, Chairman of the Provincial Council, Shin Eon-sik, Chairman of JIBS, and Lee Boo-jin, President of Hotel Shilla, attended the reopening event of the 25th branch. Lee Yoon-ji, owner of Dongmun Kalguksu, expressed her determination for revival, saying, "I will do my best to operate the restaurant well based on what I learned from Hotel Shilla employees and make it a representative restaurant of Jeju."

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the Making Delicious Jeju project is a regional win-win program promoted by Hotel Shilla in collaboration with Jeju Province and local broadcasters. The purpose is to strengthen Jeju's food culture competitiveness and support small business owners in laying the foundation for revival. Targeting small-scale self-employed restaurant operators in Jeju who run their businesses without separate chefs, Hotel Shilla employees provide customized consulting on recipes, customer service, and fully replace kitchen facilities.

The Making Delicious Jeju activity does not end with restaurant reopenings or one-time charity projects. Restaurant owners who have succeeded in revival with the help of the local community have voluntarily formed volunteer groups to help neighbors in need. It is a virtuous cycle model of social contribution activities.

The achievements of Making Delicious Jeju led to the highest honor in the corporate category, the 'Presidential Citation,' at the 10th National Volunteer Day event in 2015. It became known as a successful case of social contribution activities in collaboration with local governments, and benchmarking inquiries have been received from regions outside Jeju.

Making Delicious Jeju is expected to gain momentum again starting with the reopening of the 25th branch. When face-to-face volunteering became difficult due to the full-scale outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, Hotel Shilla focused on practical business support to help restaurant owners overcome the situation. Weekly inspections of hygiene, service, and facility safety were regularized for each restaurant, and existing menus were upgraded or new menus developed. Basic items essential for business, such as spoons, water cups, and aprons, were uniformly produced and provided.

A Hotel Shilla official said, "Making Delicious Jeju, carried out based on the talent donation of employees and the support of the Jeju local community, has reached its 10th anniversary," adding, "We will continue to strengthen coexistence and sharing with the local community and contribute to revitalizing Jeju tourism."

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