With high-fives, dances, and Korean food, the Song family serves up happiness.
An “unlikely couple,” Jung and Yeiri Song met at BYU. They’ve combined complementary talents to build their family of seven and a thriving business. Photo courtesy of the Song Family.
In South Korea the average high schooler studies for 12 hours a day. Junghun Song was not the average high schooler. Despite intense cultural pressure to succeed, Jung failed all his classes. As a people-loving, creative person who aspired to become a professional breakdancer, Jung learned by doing and interacting, not from lectures or cramming. He had the drive to succeed, but school was a struggle, and he was belittled there. His parents, both members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, took the long view and told him they cared most that he trust in God. In time their wisdom would change his life and he’d find his own path to success and influence.
Some 170 miles to the south, in Gwangju, Yeiri Kim (BS ’07), a ballet dancer and studious young woman, was invited by a friend to attend a church. Her friend had lived in Utah and become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. Yeiri felt the Spirit there and eventually decided to be baptized. Her bishop told the new convert about the three BYUs. She liked the idea of attending a Church school and doubled down on her English studies.
Meanwhile Jung headed to Utah, where his older sister lived, and enrolled at BYU’s English Language Center. Although he had not enjoyed going to church in Korea, where some thought the breakdancer was a troublemaker, he still believed in Heavenly Father. In Utah the influence of some BYU friends and a growing appreciation for his parents’ unfailing support began to soften his heart.
One night a friend told Jung that if he had belief in God, he should go out and share it with those who do not. He awoke the next morning and called his mother to tell her of his intention to serve a mission. He could hear his mother’s grateful tears in reply.
He was called to Korea, where seeing people change completely changed him and his testimony grew.
After passing the TOEFL Yeiri came to the United States at just 17. She eventually found her way to BYU to study finance in the Marriott School of Business. “I had loved speaking English,” she says, but “English in a finance class with specialized vocabulary became my nightmare.” Even so, she persevered. With the help of some friends and missionaries, she began to flourish in her studies and her faith.
While at BYU Yeiri helped put on an annual Asian Festival, overseeing the parts related to Korean culture. She discovered that organizing was her chief strength. For one event she had to choreograph a mix of Korean traditional dance, hip hop, and a breakdance. Her roommate told her of a well-known local Korean breakdancer and insisted she call. So she reached out, and Jung soon joined the effort to help with the choreography. After the festival there was a dance party, and Jung disappeared. When Yeiri heard girls screaming, she found Jung tearing it up on the dance floor.
For the Song family, happiness comes served in a cup.
Photo courtesy of the Song family
Yeiri had been praying about whether to serve a mission or work toward marriage. When she and Jung began dating, she got her answer. They married in 2007 and now live in Sandy, Utah, with their five children.
Despite their differences—ballet versus breakdance, organized versus creative—Yeiri says they were made for each other: “We are an unlikely but really good match. We have a strong family foundation, and that lets us create happiness in this world.”
And, for the Songs, happiness is often served in a cup. Jung had worked in a Korean restaurant, and he dreamed of opening an eatery of his own. In 2013 he purchased a food truck to sell Korean BBQ. He called it Cupbop. “I literally used all the experiences from my life and my mission to help me,” says Jung. “When I had no customers at my truck, I learned to knock on doors. Or I would dance, and people would ask, ‘Why is this Asian guy so happy?’ And they would line up!”
Jung Song (left) says he serves Korean BBQ (top) to make people happy and to spread positive energy. Photo courtesy of the Song family.
Even as they were launching the business and their finances were tight, the Songs found ways to serve. “Jung loves to give, but we had no cash,” Yeiri recalls. “So we took the Cupbop trucks to random Utah schools to provide a free teachers-appreciation meal.”
Yeiri did the company’s accounting at first, but they eventually hired a CFO and she moved to marketing. “I was miserable,” she says, “until I realized, ‘I learned how to learn at BYU,’ so I can learn this!” Today they have more than 260 restaurants in the United States and Asia.
Along the way the Songs have spread appreciation for Korean food and culture. Through their foundation, Bopsim (loosely translated as “energy from eating a good meal”), they have put on huge Korea fests with food, dance, and culture at most of Utah’s major universities. BYU hosted a Bopsim event in September, sponsored by BYU Athletics and the Office of Belonging. The events promote greater understanding between groups of people and support local education.
Their take on happiness is making an impression. One day a man at their food truck gave Jung an extra $100. Jung left the truck to return the extra money, but the man said it was a tip. Seeing Jung smiling and happy in a hot little food truck had inspired the man and made him want to change.
Such experiences have helped Jung focus on what matters. “The world has many rich people and many smart people but not many happy people,” he says. “So my dream changed. It is to make people happy.”
