Born and raised in South Korea, Woo Sung spent 15 years in Vietnam, mastering the language, cuisine, and culture. His deep love for Vietnam, from phở to Tet, has made the country his second home.
Despite being a native Korean, Woo Sung speaks Vietnamese fluently and understands the country’s culture and cuisine as well as any local.
Woo Sung, 28, surprises many people with his ability to speak Vietnamese proficiently and even cook iconic dishes like phở. He was born and raised in Korea but spent 15 years living in Vietnam, which he now considers his second home.
“Back in Korea, my family had relatives working in the seafood industry in Vietnam,” he recalled. “When I was 12, my entire family moved to Vietnam.”
Although Woo Sung returned to Korea in 2022, his father and brothers still reside in Ho Chi Minh City. He visits Vietnam two or three times a year to reconnect with family, friends, and the places he loves.
After returning to Korea, Woo Sung briefly ran a Vietnamese restaurant in Seoul, serving dishes like phở and bánh mì. While the restaurant has since closed, he now works in marketing. Before that, he gained recognition through his YouTube channel, where he introduced Korean culture to Vietnamese audiences and showcased Vietnamese cuisine to Koreans. With 15 years of experience in Vietnam, Woo Sung provided professional reviews of local dishes in fluent Vietnamese.
The challenge of learning Vietnamese
Woo Sung gained recognition through his YouTube channel, where he reviewed Vietnamese dishes in fluent Vietnamese.
When Woo Sung first arrived in Vietnam, he couldn’t understand or speak the language for two or three years. Determined to learn, he attended language classes and began picking up basic communication skills within 10 months.
“Pronunciation was the hardest part,” he admitted. “Vietnamese has sounds that don’t exist in Korean, like ng, nh, and d. I also struggled with slang, which took me a long time to grasp and use naturally.”
Woo Sung compared Vietnamese to Korean, noting that spoken language on the streets differs significantly from formal language in textbooks, often influenced by regional dialects.
Over time, as he interacted with Vietnamese friends and immersed himself in daily conversations, his skills improved significantly. For Woo Sung, consistent practice and a curiosity to explore Vietnamese culture were key to his success.
“You can’t just rely on classroom learning,” he said. “Participating in activities like hanging out with friends, traveling, eating, and playing sports helped me learn faster. Being patient and unafraid of making mistakes is essential because language learning always involves errors.”
Falling in love with Vietnamese cuisine
Woo Sung’s passion for Vietnamese food led him to experiment with cooking. The first dish he tried making was stir-fried morning glory with garlic. “I didn’t measure the water properly, so it turned into a soup,” he laughed.
He found Vietnamese dishes more intricate to prepare than Korean food, requiring many unique ingredients. Woo Sung admired how Vietnamese cuisine balanced nutrition with natural flavors, incorporating fresh herbs, fish sauce, garlic, and chilies.
His favorite dishes include bún bò Huế (spicy beef noodle soup), hủ tiếu (southern-style noodle soup), phở, bánh mì, grilled pork with rice, hotpots, and vegetarian dishes.
Cooking phở, in particular, is a challenge he respects. “It’s incredibly complex, with many spices and a lengthy cooking process,” he explained. “To get the authentic taste, you need to carefully select ingredients and perfect the broth.”
Though his Korean customers appreciated the phở he served at his restaurant, Woo Sung admitted it still lacked the depth of flavor found in Vietnam. He dreams of bringing more diverse Vietnamese dishes to Korea, believing that beyond phở and bánh mì, Koreans would love the distinct flavors of Vietnamese cuisine.
Experiencing Vietnamese hospitality
Living in Vietnam taught Woo Sung the importance of community, hospitality, and enjoying life to the fullest.
After 15 years in Vietnam, Woo Sung treasures the country’s friendliness and warmth. “Whenever I filmed in the streets or at eateries, people were welcoming and even offered me extra food,” he shared. “This kind of hospitality touched my heart.”
He contrasted this with his experiences in Korea, where most people dislike being filmed, making public shoots challenging and less enjoyable.
One of his most cherished memories is celebrating his first Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) at a friend’s house. “I felt the warmth of a Vietnamese family and was deeply moved by how welcoming everyone was,” he recalled. “The traditional dishes, like bánh chưng and thịt kho hột vịt (braised pork with eggs), left a lasting impression on me.”
Woo Sung found Tet in Vietnam far more vibrant than in Korea, where celebrations are simpler and lack the same festive atmosphere. The experience, he said, was a precious chapter in his life.
Living the Vietnamese way
Woo Sung credits Vietnam for making him more open and sociable. “Living in Vietnam is very comfortable and fun,” he said.
“Even though I returned to Korea, I visit often because there are still so many places I want to explore and delicious dishes I want to try.”
His time in Vietnam has shaped his outlook and personality, instilling in him an appreciation for the country’s culture and people. Woo Sung concluded, “Living like a Vietnamese person truly makes life more joyful.”
Vietnamnet.vn
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