How CUPBOP Took Korean Street Food Global | Dok Kwon & Junghun Song (E165)

Send us Fan MailWhat does it take to build a Korean street food brand from a used food truck into a global restaurant business?Chef JKP sits down with Dok Kwon, President & COO of CUPBOP, and Junghun Song, Co-Founder & CEO of CUPBOP.They talk about the early food truck days, Junghun’s journey from dance to hospitality, Dok’s move from Citadel to restaurants, their Shark Tank pitch, why they walked away from the Mark Cuban deal, and how CUPBOP is scaling across the US, Indonesia, the UAE and beyond.This is a story about Korean food, business, people, and the patience it takes to grow without losing the brand.WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE• Growing up with Korean food and family traditions• Why Junghun gave up his dream of becoming a professional dancer• Dok’s journey from Goldman Sachs and Citadel to CUPBOP• The story behind the first CUPBOP food truck in Utah• How the two founders met as customer and entrepreneur• Behind the scenes of their Shark Tank experience• Why they walked away from a deal with Mark Cuban• Scaling CUPBOP across the US, Indonesia, UAE and beyondCHAPTERS00:00 Childhood food memories and family traditions08:30 From dance dreams to discovering hospitality17:00 Wall Street, Citadel and the search for entrepreneurship28:00 Building the first CUPBOP food truck in Utah37:00 How Dok and Junghun became business partners46:00 Shark Tank, $5 million offers and national exposure01:16:00 Franchising, growth and building the right team02:03:00 Leadership lessons, entrepreneurship and what’s next for CUPBOPFOLLOW THE GUESTSJunghun SongInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/cupbop4ever/Dok Kwon & CUPBOPInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/cupbop/CUPBOP UAEInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/cupbopuae/FOLLOW CHEF JKPInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcastLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpacchecoPROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY VALRHONAValrhona partners with chefs and artisans to elevate chocolate through craftsmanship, innovation, and a commitment to a more sustainable cocoa industry.Website:https://www.valrhona.com/en/valrhona-middle-east-africa-and-indiaSUPPORT THE SHOWStay hydrated with the Chef JKP thermos flask.Get yours here: https://pay.ziina.com/chefjkp/RKwVHDfpNFood is memories. 🍸Support the showFollow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE