Husband Kim Byung Sang is 55 years old now. He began his business by opening a newspaper stall. Relying on his diligence and wisdom, he later established a large shoe enterprise with 5,000 workers, selling his products in many countries, including Iran and Pakistan. In 1997, the financial crisis that swept across Southeast Asia hit his enterprise hard; and Kim Byung Sang had to close his shoe business after having devoted half his life to it. He did not give up, though. Instead, he found another path to follow and tried his luck once more.

Kim Byung Sang has traveled to dozens of countries around the world. No other country has impressed him deeper than China. It was in China that he noticed a rapid economic development, speedier than in any other country. It was also in China that he met hardworking and hospitable people that made him feel warm and accepted. Therefore, after careful consideration, he chose China as the place to make his comeback in business.

In May 1998, with great passion, Kim Byung Sang came to China and registered a company specializing in the sale of soya bean processing machines. He began selling his machines in cities such as Beijing, Dalian, and Shenyang. Later, he heard that the citizens of Chengdu were fond of soya bean products, so he ventured south to the city hoping to become successful there.

However, misfortune hit Kim Byung Sang once again. Although there was a big market for soya bean products in Chengdu, the soya bean food producers there were not interested in Kim Byung Sang's machines that cost about 100,000 yuan. Their disinterest was due to the narrow profit margin of the soya bean processing business. "Should I leave or stay?" Kim Byung Sang hesitated. When he saw people lining up to buy tofu and saw those who failed to buy some sigh in despair, an idea came to him: Why not sell soya bean products while selling processing machines?

This idea excited him. His wife Lee Ae Lon, however, did not share his excitement. She thought it was a little shameful for her husband to be working as a tofu seller. Although their shoe enterprise was closed, they still had no need to worry about their living costs. In fact, their savings in the bank were more than enough for their family to live a well-to-do life, even if they did nothing for a living.

"I want to sell soya food products not only for money, but also for life experience," Kim Byung Sang explained to his wife. "This new experience will be fun, so I'm not ashamed of doing this kind of work. Selling home-made soya bean products would also be good advertisement for our machines. It is a chance for us to accumulate strength and make a comeback. If you mind the idea so much, we won't sell soya food after the machines begin to sell well on the market. Instead, we'll concentrate on selling machines."

Kim Byung Sang's explanation convinced his wife.

After reaching an agreement, the couple immediately put their plan into practice. They rented a 10-square-meter store at the entrance of the Changshun Street Agricultural Products Market; and since then, they've sold tofu and soya milk they've made with their own machines. Their store attracts numerous customers every day because their tofu has a special flavor and is sold at a reasonable price.

In order to produce enough high-quality tofu to meet the demands of Chengdu citizens, they live a working class kind of life. Every morning, they get up at 5:00 a.m. They then pick out hundreds of kilograms of soya beans, wash them, and soak them in water. By the time they finish preparing for the day ahead, they are exhausted. But, the work has just begun. After preparing the ingredients, they make and sell tofu, soya milk, and other soya bean products until 8:00 p.m.

As Kim Byung Sang expected, after tasting his special-flavored tofu, some people expressed their interest in the machines he uses, and consulted with him on their price and functions. So far, he has sold a considerable number of machines.

According to Kim Byung Sang's former plan, he would stop working in the market when his soya bean processing machines began to sell well. But now, he has found that he has fallen in love with his small business and is not willing to give it up.

Today, he still runs his small store as usual. Kim Byung Sang thinks the money he has earned in China should be used to help the Chinese people. One of his wishes is to donate parts or all of his earnings in Chengdu to those children in China's poverty-stricken areas, so that they can get an education.

(China Pictorial April 11, 2003)