OPENING a new bakery in the dense Huaqiangbei business district, South Korean Kim Jin-ho has begun a new career after being a successful mobile phone engineer with a nationally acclaimed telecom company for two years.

Kim said he wanted to stay in the city he loves a little longer while adapting his lifestyle.

"I have worked for ZTE Corp. here for two years, and wanted to stay longer after my contract finished," he said. As a result he and his wife opened their first bakery a few months ago.

The couple has lived in the city for nearly four years.

Before that, they lived in South Korea and the United States.

Kim and his wife, both cooking enthusiasts, decided to open a franchised Korean bakery to provide fresh bread for themselves and other homesick Koreans living in the city.

"The franchised brand was founded in South Korea more than two decades ago, and has a lot of outlets in Seoul," said Kim. He believes a brand familiar to Koreans saves time and money in marketing.

However, the brand does need to cater to local customers.

"We are thinking of installing transparent covers for the bread stands, which is rare in Seoul," said Mrs. Kim.

"In South Korea, bakeries usually have open-air racks, which allow the tantalizing smell of warm bread to fill the stores and let the hot bread cool down," she said, although her Chinese customers believe leaving bread in the open air can lead to "hygiene problems."

Chinese people's different taste preferences are another problem the couple has encountered.

The brand targets affluent young women between 18 and 35, and the couple is confident about the business prospects despite stiff competition.

Editor: Wing