Life is Easier If You’re Handsome

Since food trucks needed quick service, but also required eye-catching performance, a stir-fried dish using a wok was essential.

‘Cheese potato pancakes would be a hit with Westerners.’

That left one last gap in the menu.

What could replace the Korean soup?

"Should we go with handmade burgers or hot dogs?"

"Those are really common in the U.S., easy to sell. But they don’t feel Korean enough."

"You originally suggested Korean soup to emphasize the authenticity, right?"

"Yeah. I want at least one dish that truly represents Korean flavors."

We tossed around various ideas.

The most promising option was bibimbap—

But it was scrapped because of ingredient prep.

A real, well-made bibimbap wasn’t just about tossing random stuff into a bowl. It required proper ingredients, and that took too long to prepare.

‘Way too many components—definitely not suited for a food truck.’

Since we already had stir-fried rice and pancakes, adding another stove-heavy dish would be a logistical nightmare.

‘We’re bound to get swamped with customers. We need something that can be prepped in advance...’

One perfect answer flashed through my mind.

Something so obvious that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it sooner.

One of the most iconic Korean foods.

"Let’s do kimbap."

"Kimbap? Isn’t that similar to bibimbap?"

"The key difference is that we can make it ahead of time."

"But what if we run out?"

"Easy—we market it differently. Instead of saying ‘limited quantity,’ we call it a special or ‘exclusive’ menu item."

Since rolling them individually would take too long, we could pre-cut them into half-rolls for a grab-and-go feel.

Like eating a hot dog, but Korean-style.

It would save time, highlight Korean cuisine, and fit perfectly as a food truck dish.

‘Of course, prepping all the ingredients the night before would be time-consuming...’

But as a light, easy-to-eat menu item, it was perfect.

"Alright! The final menu is: Kimbap, Stir-Fried Pork Bone Stew Rice, and Cheese Potato Pancakes!"

"Yep!"

And so, on Saturday of our first week, the menu was officially locked in—

And we rushed off to do some serious grocery shopping.

***

To be honest, stir-fried pork bone stew rice wasn’t exactly food truck-friendly either.

‘Since you have to make the pork bone stew first.’

The dish relied on using the broth and meat from the stew to make the fried rice.

Which meant we had to cook the stew itself in advance.

Sure, once the broth was ready, we wouldn’t need to keep making it, but it still required prep time—and the only reason I insisted on this dish was personal greed.

‘Because the best part of pork bone stew is when you stir-fry the rice at the end.’

I was curious—what if we sold that version from the start?

Besides, Will It Work on the Mainland? wasn’t about sticking to the same menu.

We could adjust and experiment along the way, so there was no need to fear failure.

Anyway—

We finished preparations faster than expected.

WEEK 2, DAY 1

Our first sales location?

A university campus.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Targeting a younger crowd meant easier SNS exposure, so it was a logical choice.

But—

"...Donghu, there’s literally no one here."

"Yeah, I... didn’t expect this either."

Forget SNS buzz—

we didn’t even have a single customer.

We had great menu choices, we had modified the recipes to suit foreign palates—

And yet, we overlooked the biggest issue.

‘Existing businesses.’

More specifically, competition.

We weren’t the only food truck around, but we had assumed that as long as we prepared well, customers would naturally come.

"Wow, there are so many other food trucks... and they’re all packed."

Sujin scanned the surroundings, frowning.

"It’s not even like we picked a bad location, but still..."

"Should I go out there and do some juggling or something?"

Kim Hyunjun and Ahn Suhwan looked just as stumped, while Ove remained optimistic, still prepping ingredients.

Then came the harsh reality—

Lunch ended.

Sales: 0.

Not a single dish was sold.

We were completely overshadowed by the long lines at other food trucks.

We tweaked the menu board, we tried some flashy fire-based cooking, but nothing worked.

"This kimbap we rolled... I guess we’re just eating it ourselves."

"...I never thought we'd actually end up saying, ‘The staff enjoyed the leftovers.’"

Total failure.

Some suggested we move locations, but I refused—insisting we stay for the evening rush.

"You have some kind of plan?"

Sujin raised an eyebrow.

"I have a face."

I made up my mind.

I was going to handle this myself.

***

It’s a proven fact—the prettier the cashier at a PC café, the higher the sales.

It’s an undeniable law of business.

Simply put—

‘A store’s sales are directly influenced by appearances.’

People have been known to visit cafés just to see a certain worker.

Looks matter when running a business.

So, in this case—

‘Why not take advantage of that?’

Instead of staying in the kitchen, Sujin and I would step outside to attract customers.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team would focus on cooking.

A face-based marketing strategy.

Would it work?

We’d find out tonight.

***

The night scene near the university was lively.

Laughter, drinking, the buzz of conversation—the energy was completely different from lunchtime.

There was a sense of freedom, of celebration.

And in a setting like this, good food was essential.

"What should we eat? Tacos? Burgers? Maybe hot dogs?"

"I kinda want to try something new tonight."

Two slightly tipsy girls, Janie and Mayki, were seriously debating their dinner options.

Then—

"...Oh?"

They noticed a food truck.

Or rather, they noticed the man sitting in front of it.

A guy sitting alone, illuminated by the truck’s warm lighting.

The moment they saw him—

"...Holy crap. How is someone that good-looking?"

Janie froze in place.

"Yeah, we’re going there."

Mayki was already walking toward him.

Like moths to a flame—

People naturally started gravitating toward the food truck.

Because of one person.

Kim Donghu.

A sculpted face, as if carved by a god.

The kind of man who makes you believe in first love, the type of person you might never see again in your lifetime.

His marketing strategy?

Just sitting there.

‘...This is insane.’

Even the production crew watching from the sidelines was stunned.

‘With a face like that... yeah, I’d go there too.’

This was a sales tactic only Kim Donghu could pull off—

And the results?

Phenomenal.