Sommelier Hyunbin Park

As one of Solbam’s opening members, Sommelier Park Hyunbin shares the importance of greeting guests with sincerity—an unchanging value that continues to guide his journey.

Sommelier Park Hyunbin began with Solbam as an opening member, growing alongside the team while developing his own career. Today, as part of Solbam’s sommelier team, he has earned international qualifications, and is helping to shape the team’s unique culture.

Could you tell us about your career path and how you came to join Solbam?

I first started out in hotels, working mainly in banquet services at Conrad Hotel in Yeouido and Novotel in Dongdaemun. But in those settings, I rarely had the chance to communicate directly with guests or learn the kind of personal, intimate service that I really longed for. That left me with a sense of frustration, and I began to take an interest in fine dining.

At that time, by coincidence, I had the opportunity to interview with Chef Eom Tae-jun, who was preparing to open Solbam. During the interview, I found myself drawn to him. I only spoke for about twenty minutes, while he spoke passionately for nearly two hours about his vision, values, and philosophy for Solbam. It wasn’t an ordinary interview—I felt convinced by his energy. Working with someone who has such a clear sense of purpose and ambition is something anyone would dream of. Chef also had hotel experience, so he understood the challenges I faced and spoke candidly about realistic paths for growth, which resonated deeply with me. That was when I decided I wanted to grow alongside Solbam.

Have you always enjoyed working with people?

Yes. I’ve always enjoyed meeting people and engaging in conversations, which is why I felt naturally drawn to a career in service. At first, I dreamed of becoming a flight attendant, but a school job offer led me toward hotels instead. I’ve tried many service-related jobs since I was 19: working part-time in small restaurants, family dining chains, and later in large hotel banquet halls for weddings and corporate events. But here at Solbam, I’m experiencing fine dining for the first time. Although my background is still relatively modest compared to others, I feel that Solbam’s focus on friendly, human-centered service has allowed me to finally unfold my true aptitude.

What makes Solbam’s service unique?

Our guests are incredibly diverse—couples, solo diners, business meetings. Whoever they are, our aim is to make sure they spend their time with us comfortably, and to ensure that our warm and personal hospitality is felt throughout their stay. For solo diners, I make sure to engage them in conversation so they don’t feel alone. When I sense that I’ve created a positive experience for a guest, I feel truly fulfilled and accomplished.

How did you move from being a service staff member to becoming a sommelier?

Even back in my hotel days, I had a strong interest in beverages. I earned a bartender’s license, entered cocktail competitions, and also spent a lot of time studying coffee. Wine began for me with a book called The Aesthetics of Wine, which I studied on my own. When I joined Solbam, I had the invaluable mentorship of Head Sommelier Go Dong-yeon, who helped me study more effectively and set clear directions for how to invest my time. Thanks to that guidance, I passed the first round of the Korea Sommelier Competition and eventually earned my CMS Certified Sommelier qualification, and also ASI Gold.

What were the last four years at Solbam like for you?

When I first joined, my motivation was simple: I wanted a new challenge. I was looking for something more personal than banquet service, where I could interact directly with guests. Although I could have chosen a famous Michelin-starred restaurant, joining Solbam as part of the opening team was a completely fresh and even shocking experience. Now, as I enter my fifth year, I realize how much I’ve grown in such a short period of time. Growth doesn’t come from certifications alone. It’s about learning from constant guest interactions, reading situations intuitively, and developing communication skills that make me not only a better sommelier but also a better person.

Was it difficult to balance work with studying to become a sommelier?

Time management was absolutely critical. After service ended each night, I dedicated at least an hour or two to wine studies. Closer to exams, I switched to morning practice sessions, since evaluations usually took place during the day.

When preparing for my CMS certification, I studied with Sommelier Go and a group of peers who shared the same goal. That sense of community was incredibly valuable—not only did it help us share costs for tastings, but also gave us a chance to learn from each other’s methods and find what worked best for ourselves. The greatest reward, though, was building genuine friendships with colleagues in the industry.

One of the challenges of wine studies is that there’s no single “textbook.” Much of it comes from following the experiences of mentors and building personal intuition. And because wine is inherently international, learning it often means learning the culture and people of its regions. True understanding only comes when you look beyond memorization and embrace wine within its cultural context. The more I studied, the more I realized how much I still had to learn.

In fine dining, what do you see as the role of the sommelier?

Ultimately, whether it’s a sommelier, bartender, or barista, our role is to provide the beverage a guest truly desires and to deliver it with excellent service. That requires deep knowledge of the drinks we serve and an attentive service mindset. In fine dining especially, guests come with high expectations, and meeting those expectations requires sensitivity, emotional awareness, and strong communication skills.

How is Solbam’s wine program structured?

In many restaurants, the head sommelier makes all the decisions while the rest simply follow. At Solbam, it’s different. The three of us collaborate on building the bottle list, tasting wines together and shaping the program collectively. Our philosophy is diversity. We don’t limit ourselves to Bordeaux or Burgundy; we also explore lesser-known but fascinating regions, like Greece. Fine dining is about more than famous labels—it’s also about introducing guests to hidden gems. Beyond just the list, we consider service flow, guest experiences, and teamwork in everything we do.

How has your perspective on growth evolved?

In the beginning, I focused heavily on certifications and career milestones. But over time, I realized those alone don’t define true growth. Watching senior sommeliers, I saw that what truly matters is the depth that comes from years of accumulated experience. Now my focus is on learning and experiencing as much as possible here. When I visit other restaurants, I don’t just look at the food—I study their wine lists, the communication between kitchen and staff, and how the service team manages the dining room. These observations feed back into how I can improve at Solbam.

What is the culture like within Solbam’s sommelier team?

We all work with the mindset of improving a little every day. Of course, there are difficult moments, but we support one another like brothers. This bond makes it possible to endure challenges together, and that strong teamwork is, I believe, one of Solbam’s greatest strengths.

How do you approach food and wine pairing at Solbam?

One of our unique advantages is that Chef personally shares each dish with us, allowing us to taste and discuss it in real time. Each sommelier shares their perspective on pairing, and we debate and refine our choices together. While the final decision rests with the head sommelier, the process incorporates all voices. Sometimes we bring different wines with different intentions, and through discussion, we influence one another positively. This collaborative process is a learning opportunity in itself and always leads to stronger results.

What do you find most special about Solbam?

Over time, any job can start to feel mechanical. At Solbam, however, we’ve cultivated a culture where open, genuine conversation with guests is part of the service. Each team member brings their own strengths to these interactions, and that creates a kind of hospitality that food and wine alone cannot provide. For me, that human connection is what makes Solbam truly special.

What does great wine service mean to you?

At its core, wine service is about bringing out the best performance of the wine a guest has chosen. To do that, conversation is essential. I try to learn what flavors and styles they enjoy, whether they prefer freshness or maturity, what temperature they like, and so on. Even with corkage bottles, I ask about their previous experiences with that wine and use examples to refine their preferences. Some guests appreciate a slightly higher temperature to bring out aged character, while others prefer a cooler serving for vibrancy. Adapting service to match each guest’s style is, to me, the essence of good wine service.

What are your current goals and future direction?

For me, hospitality is about managing relationships—whether with superiors, colleagues, or guests. The key is handling each interaction with warmth and creating positive value. I want to continue strengthening these skills through experience. More than anything, I want guests to leave Solbam thinking, “That was a joyful time.” While the food must of course be excellent, I believe the true merit of Solbam lies in creating unforgettable memories through service.

I also hope to take on greater responsibility as a sommelier within the team. Preparing for competitions and certifications keeps me motivated, but the deeper goal is to keep challenging myself, refining my abilities, and earning recognition. Even though I am still at the early stages of my sommelier career, I hope to positively influence the next generation. I know what it feels like to start from scratch as a server, to wrestle with doubts and difficulties. I want to share with others that while studying is certainly hard, with determination and a clear sense of purpose, the journey is absolutely worthwhile. Just as my seniors guided me, I want to encourage others to discover their own reasons, manage their time wisely, and grow as part of a team.