Gobansikdang Signs Contracts to Expand into Vietnam, Cambodia, and UAE

- Handon Gui Goban Sikdang and Beef Rib Specialty Goban Garden Enter Market Simultaneously
- Partner Who Succeeded Locally as Vietnam Dookki Tteokbokki Master Franchisee Selected

[Han Ji-hoon, CEO of Goban Sikdang (left), and Kim Wan-yeop, CEO of D Vina Service, are posing after signing the master franchise agreement.]

K-franchises are gaining attention across Asia. Since last year, expansion has been active, centered on K-BBQ brands in countries such as China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Goban Holdings Co., Ltd. (CEO Han Ji-hoon), which operates the premium Korean pork barbecue specialty restaurant Goban Sikdang, officially announced its overseas expansion by signing a master franchise (MF) agreement on July 27 with DI VINA SERVICE Co. Ltd (CEO Kim Wan-yeop) for three countries: Vietnam, Cambodia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Since last year, Goban Sikdang has made several visits to Vietnam to conduct surveys on multinational dining brands and hold meetings with various partners. The brand explained that they ultimately decided to enter the market after observing the ongoing spread of K-Culture locally, the high interest in various Korean products and K-Food, and the success of existing BBQ brands.

Kim Wan-yeop, CEO of DI VINA SERVICE Co. Ltd, Goban Sikdang’s partner in Vietnam, is the person who successfully introduced ‘Dookki Tteokbokki’ to Vietnam in 2018 as a pioneer of K-Food. Kim stated, “There are many K-BBQ brands in Vietnam, and local consumption continues to increase, so we decided to pursue the business because the market outlook is bright.”

Through this MF agreement, Goban Sikdang plans to open its first store in Vietnam in the fourth quarter of this year at Vincom Mall, the largest shopping mall in Hanoi, and will subsequently expand into Cambodia and the United Arab Emirates during the contract period.

Han Ji-hoon, CEO of Goban Holdings Co., Ltd., which operates Goban Sikdang, said, “We are successfully operating franchise businesses locally in Vietnam, and based on this know-how and experience, we have high expectations for Goban Sikdang and Goban Garden, and we plan to provide full support.”

Meanwhile, Goban Sikdang is also in talks for Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and aims for direct entry into Japan and North America by 2025.

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