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Would you like some kimchi with that Steak?
That's a short way of saying that American restaurant fare is becoming big business in South Korea.

Unbeknownst to many Americans, big family chain restaurants such as Outback Steakhouse, T.G.I. Friday's, Bennigan's Grill & Tavern and others are opening restaurants there at a faster pace than anywhere else.

Last month, Tampa-based Outback opened its 50th restaurant in South Korea, and according to Korean media accounts, the steakhouse is now the No. 1 family restaurant chain in that country. Industry experts say Korea's population density and fondness for beef and American culture make it a dream market for U.S. restaurant chains.

Hyun Shin, a South Korean businessman who brought the New Orleans- based Smoothie King concept to Seoul last year attributes the popularity of American restaurants in Korea to the large number of Korean-born students in U.S. universities. That raises awareness of U.S. brands in Korea, Hyun said. "It makes Korea an expansion market for American companies," he said. "Bennigan's, T.G.I. Friday's and Outback are considered to be more premium food service than they are in the U.S."

The Aussie-inspired Outback restaurant chain has more steakhouses in South Korea than in any U.S. state but Florida and California. The company has opened at least 17 restaurants in South Korea this year, jumping to at least 50 there from 33 at the end of 2003, according to Outback filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. When Outback opened its 50th location in South Korea last month, the company's Korea president, Chung In-tae, told the Seoul newspaper Chosun Ilbo that it would open 20 additional restaurants in the country next year. Outback hopes to have 100 restaurants in the country by 2006,
Other family restaurant chains, Carrollton, Texas- based T.G.I. Friday's operates at least 29 restaurants in South Korea, more than double its total in any other foreign country. And Plano, Texas- based Bennigan's operates 20 restaurants there, making Korea its top foreign market, said Eric Taylor, Bennigan's director of worldwide franchise development.

Shin, the Smoothie King franchisee in Seoul, said South Korea is an ideal market for a U.S. restaurant company, so Smoothie King picked it for its first international venture. South Korea is reasonable market to U.S company. First, South Korea has an expanding economy and a gross domestic product that is on par with some small European countries, such as Portugal. Also, South Korea's high population density - 49 million people in a country the size of Virginia - makes logistics easy for a U.S. company. Smoothie King was able to put all six of its units in Seoul, which is home to more than 12 million people, rather than locating them in far-flung places, Shin said.

Third, Koreans eat many of the same foods as Americans, although in smaller and more healthy portions, Shin said. According to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, South Korea was the third- largest importer of U.S. beef in 2003, after Japan and Mexico, having imported $816 million in beef. Korea has since stopped importing U.S. beef because of last year's mad cow disease scare, but the U.S. and Korean governments are working to restart trade, said Gregg Doud, the beef association's chief economist.

The bulk of Outback's Korean menu mirrors its American counterpart, with the signature fried onion appetizer and Outback's rib-eye, New York strip and sirloin steaks. The few Korean specialties on the menu include kimchi, a spicy cabbage dish served with nearly every meal in Korea, and Kakadu short rib, which is described as a Korean-style short rib marinated and served with fried rice and kimchi. In addition, U.S. companies are able to capitalize on Koreans' fascination with American pop culture, said Taylor, the Bennigan's franchising executive. In this vein, Bennigan's outfits each of its 20 Korean restaurants with decor from a different U.S. city, such as Las Vegas and Seattle.

Question

1. Do you go to family restaurants often?
    Where do you go more-American family restaurants or Korean family restaurants?

2. How's the food in American family restaurants? Do you like it? 
    How do you think about those restaurants?

3. What made U.S companies succeed in marketing in Korea?
    How do you think about that?

4. What effect will "South Koreans get taste of U.S" bring in Korea?
    What are the problem and solution of this?

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