Ui-gyo Hwang FOH Intern

“I believe service is not just about learning actions, but understanding the reason behind them.”This is the story of Ui-gyo Hwang, who began in hotel service and is now taking on a new challenge to learn a deeper and more refined form of hospitality.

How did you begin this path?

Originally, I was majoring in classical music. While I was still studying, I started working part-time at a hotel, and eventually I was offered the opportunity to work with the F&B team there.

I had already been interested in service work and had previous experience in customer service-related part-time jobs. As I became exposed to dining restaurants and hotel hospitality, I gradually found myself becoming more deeply interested in the field.

At first, it simply began as curiosity about what hotel service would be like, but as I gained real experience interacting with guests and working in the environment, I became increasingly drawn to the work itself. Eventually, I decided to leave my original major and pursue hospitality more seriously.

What kind of experience did you gain while working at the hotel?

I worked at Courtyard by Marriott Suwon for about two years. Since hotels operate across such a wide range of departments, I was able to experience many different aspects of the industry.

I worked in the F&B department, mainly handling reservations and liquor-related events. Because our team was not extremely large, I had the opportunity to take on a variety of responsibilities rather than being limited to one specific role. Through that experience, I was able to build a broad understanding of food and beverage service and learn how large hospitality systems operate in practice.

Why did you decide to join Solbam?

While working at the hotel, my interest in hospitality continued to grow, but at the same time, I wanted to experience a more detailed and refined style of service.

Hotels have strong systems and structure, but I also felt there were limitations when it came to deeply connecting with individual guests on a more personal level. Since I was already interested in food and wine, I naturally became more curious about dining restaurants.

Among many restaurants, what drew me most to Solbam was its attitude toward people. I interviewed at several places, but after speaking with the manager at Solbam, I felt that this was not simply a restaurant focused on operations—it was a team with a clear vision and a desire to continuously grow and improve.

I was also deeply impressed by the staff interviews on the website. It felt like the restaurant genuinely valued each individual team member, not simply as employees, but as people with their own personalities and potential. That left a strong impression on me.

What has your experience at Solbam been like so far?

It has been about two months now, and I still feel like I’m in the process of adapting. Of course, it’s not easy, but I genuinely enjoy it. At the same time, I’m constantly aware of how much I still need to improve, which makes me want to work even harder.

The difference between a hotel and a private fine dining restaurant is much bigger than I expected. In hotels, responsibilities are usually divided very clearly, and tasks are often transferred to different departments through an established system.

At Solbam, however, a small number of people work closely together as one team. Because of that, I need to think with a much broader perspective and pay attention to many things simultaneously. It’s an environment that requires a much deeper level of focus and awareness of the entire guest experience.

What is something new you’ve learned since joining Solbam?

Even in hotels, details of service are important. There are standards and rules, such as which direction dishes should be served from.

However, what impressed me most at Solbam was that feedback here goes beyond simply correcting behavior. Instead of only saying “do this” or “don’t do that,” the team explains why certain actions matter and what alternatives should be considered depending on the situation.

It’s not just about changing the result—it’s about understanding the context and reasoning behind the action itself. Through that process, I feel that I’m not only learning techniques, but also learning how to think and grow within service.

Do you have any goals for the rest of the year?

My biggest goal by the end of this year is to improve my English enough to handle guest service more naturally and confidently.

At Solbam, there are many international guests. On some days, foreign guests make up more than half of the reservations. Because of that, I often feel frustrated when I cannot communicate as naturally as I would like.

Especially when guests ask detailed questions or try to engage in personal conversation, there are still moments when I struggle to respond smoothly and need to ask another staff member for help. I want to overcome that limitation.

I also want to pursue wine studies more seriously starting next year. I’ve already completed WSET Level 3, and during the break after leaving the hotel, I spent time studying coffee, café culture, and wine more deeply. Moving forward, I hope to continue developing not only in service, but also in wine.

What are your long-term goals?

Long term, I would like to continue working in hospitality. I genuinely enjoy service, and there are many meaningful and rewarding moments that come with this work.

I’m also very interested in wine, so I hope to continue studying and refining my expertise. Through my experience at Solbam, I want to better understand what kind of role and direction I ultimately want to pursue.

When I worked in hotels, I felt like I had already built some stability within the industry, but the world of fine dining feels completely different. I still have much to learn and many new relationships to build in this field, but I hope to gradually establish myself here as well—with a good reputation, trust, and steady growth.