Getting Hoo Factory off the ground cost Park Sihoo-ssi a lot of blood, sweat and tears
The universal truth is, a business that is built from scratch is built from blood, sweat and tears. You have to have the vision and the ambition to start and then the courage and the tenacity to go at it all the way. It is always very appealing to be your own boss as you can do anything you want, how you like it, at your own time and at your own pace.
But the reality is, it is not that easy.
And Park Sihoo-ssi will be the first to tell you that his little start-up, Hoo Factory, is definitely built on blood, sweat and tears, lots of and all his.
Park Sihoo-ssi’s Hoo Factory had been build on his blood, sweat and tears!
He had to overcome a lot of hurdles, hard knocks and challenges – all understatements from what he had to experience and weather. What would have been a happy event turned to sheer nightmare for him and at times, I am sure he felt the tremendous pressure from insurmountable challenges. But his courage and tenacity, on top of all the unerring support from his most loyal fans and friends helped him pull through!
Now, he is seeing the fruit of his labour, Hoo Factory, taking off and taking shape. Hopefully, it would develop and grow to how he would like it to be – his vision and with his ambition!
Hoo Factory’s small but comfortable office
I am so glad to have the chance to visit his baby yesterday evening, his office, Hoo Factory. The office is located off the main street that has lots of car showrooms, on a side lane in Shinsadong. Being a cold winter evening, by 7 pm, the stair well of the 4-5 storey building was already in darkness, so we had to climb up the stairs to Hoo Factory’s office on the 2nd floor with the aid of one of the staff bearing a small torch light.
The office was not large but a good size for a start up office. The walls of the office were decked with posters of Park Sihoo-ssi’s dramas and movies, including his latest “Local Hero” (“Neighborhood Hero”). It has a common area with maybe 7 – 8 work stations for the staff and 3 offices for the “bosses” including that of the CEO and a closed office that had the sign “President” and a Chinese double happiness word in red. Guess who is the “President”?
Who has the “oval office” or the President’s office?
And we saw lots of scripts of “Local Hero” on one of the desks -Park Sihoo-ssi’s, I am sure!
There is an 8 seater meeting room or what I would call a “war room” with audio and visual facilities, something that I am sure Hoo Factory can’t do without! This is probably where the company’s directions are set and planning gets done.
Unfortunately, our man wasn’t on hand to welcome us. I understand that he had a busy day. So we had the next best person as his delegate, his brother, Park Woohoo-ssi. Gosh, little brother has lost so much weight, he looks great! He was most obliging yesterday and took photos one-by-one with each of the visiting fans. And, he actually smiled! Rare sight, I must say!
In Park Sihoo-ssi’s absence, his brother, Park Woohoo-ssi was on hand to welcome us
So there you have it, Hoo Factory! A fledgling company that has been build with blood, sweat and tears! We heard about its start up around 3 years ago. It had the most tumultuous and uncertain birth and infancy, but now, it is on much firmer grounds.
Now that he has got Hoo Factory off the ground, his next challenge will be how to develop and grow it to what he wants it to be.
All the very best, Park Sihoo-ssi! We will be with you all the way!
Having the vision and ambition to start a business but building it needs courage and tenacity
起业的血汗和泪水
事实是一个从头开始的企业是由血汗和泪水建成的。你必须以高瞻远瞩的眼光和雄心来开始，然后勇气和坚韧去守候事业。当自己的老板总是非常吸引人的，你可以做任何你想要的，你喜欢的，在你自己的时间之下，并按照自己的节奏。
但现实是，起业不容易。
而施厚君会是第一个告诉你，厚工厂是建立在血汗和泪水上，许多的血汗和泪水，都是他的！
Park Sihoo-ssi, all the very best for a successful Hoo Factory!
他不得不克服无数的障碍，艰苦的磨练与不停的挑战 – 可说这只是轻描淡写，他所承受的，要度过的是千万倍的痛苦，是喜事变成噩梦。有些时候，我相信他要承受不可克服的挑战和巨大的压力。但是，他的勇气和毅力，加上对他最忠实的粉丝的坚强不屈的支持和爱护，帮助他渡过了难关！
现在，可以看到自己劳力的后果，厚工厂，起业成型。希望，这刚起飞的业务能够发展壮大，实现他的梦想！
Scripts and more scripts, works and more works!
我很高兴昨天有机会参观他的宝贝厚工厂的办公室。厚工厂位于新沙洞的一条小街里的一座4-5层的大夏，离一个主要街道集中着很多汽车展厅的一带很近。昨天，大约7点的寒冷的旁晚，那楼的楼梯间已经灭了灯，所以我们在厚工厂的一位员工用小手电筒的协助下，爬到他们位于2楼的办公室。
This is the CEO’s office. I wonder what is behind the door of the President’s office 🙂
办公室并不大，但对一个启动公司来说，是非常舒服。办公室的墙壁挂了施厚君演过d的电视剧和电影的海报，包括他最新的“小区英雄”（“邻家英雄”）电视剧。办公室有一个公共区域 ，有着7- 8个工作位子，还有3个“老板”办公室，包括CEO和一个关闭着的办公室，门上标着“社长 President”，还有贴着红色中文的双喜字。猜猜谁是“社长 President”？
我们也看到很多的“小区英雄”的剧本在一个桌上 – 应该是施厚君的吧！
还有一个8人座的会议室或我称为是他们的“作战室”吧。里边有着厚工厂少不了的音频和视频设备！这可能是公司设定发展方向和计划如何执行的集中点。
The “war room” where directions are set and plans are put in place
昨天，虽然访了厚工厂，可是我们最喜欢的男士不在场欢迎我们。据我所知，昨天他忙碌了一天。迎接我们的是一把手，他的弟弟朴宇浩君。天哪，弟弟减肥成功，看上去挺帅有型的！他昨天非常客气，和每一位厚粉拍照留念了。而且，他居然笑了！罕见的现象！
这就是厚工厂了！一个刚刚起步的公司，建立在血汗和泪水上！3年前，我们听说它的启动，在刚诞生时，遭受了许多风波暴雨，但是现在它是在更坚实的平台上。
现在，厚工厂已开始展翅起飞，下一个挑战将是如何发展成长，实现他的梦想。施厚君，祝你一切顺利，事业成功！我们将与你一路同行！
Who is the star in Hoo Factory. The answer is obvious!
Photo Credits – Many thanks! Twitter, Weibo; other photos by Nance
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8 Comments
Thank YOU so much Nance! This is simply marvellous insight : how many of us ever imagine a superstar actually has an office like us the working class hahaha. How much I thumbs up to his choice of Hoo Factory Entertainment!! Stand out unique name, how many people would think of using the word Factory to represent an entertainment management company? I give him and his team full marks for their genius idea. Why not factory when this office is indeed into the creation and manufacturing of entertainment, yes tell me why not? Brilliant! So good to hear his younger brother too taken on to loose weight and looking dashing, older brother’s charisma and charm should be a good example for younger brother hehe.
(Y)
Thanks Nance for your report about your visit at “Hoo Factory'”, the headquartes of PHS;’s entertainment company. I do agree with Choi Hua Loke , that the word “Factory” was very well chosen, because his Factory is like a laboratory, of never-ending process of experiments, built , as you say, ” with blood, sweat and tears.”. And in his Factory , PSH has incorporated his ambition, the results of his artistic activity, of his incredible talent and creativity continually making art! “The man who builds a factory, builds a temple.”[Calvin Coolidge]. And PSH has built his Temple , “HOO FACTORY”, where he can reveal his high-reaching insights into the way an extraordinary talented actor works! He knows that as an actor, he is like workers in a factory. He provides his services to his audience, he feels that the work he is doing is important and meaningful. That’s why he feels he must do his job perfectly. “HOO FACTORY” is the fruit of his endeavour to build his earthly paradise where ,together with his board through seriousness of purpose and persistance , can carry the day, and move forward so long as he keeps up the momentum. “Any film , or to me any creative endeavour , no matter who you’re working with, is in many cases a wonderful experience.{Martin Scorsese]… And I wish PSH a creative and successful endeavour with his “HOO FACTORY” !
And Stefania Lupu, when I saw the photo in Nance’s article where Hoo Factory signage among the few other offices’ signages (outside the building), I remember you me and Nance we spoke about PSH’s English language, now seeing this signage what does it tells us? I almost could conclude that English is his 2nd language for sure. Other signages some are in full Korean, some both Korean and English, Hoo Factory’s is just English, a signage in Seoul.
We wish Foo Factory all the best !
Dear Chai Hua Loke, from the very beginning I was sure that he knows English, but he is too shy to adnit how good his English is. But having the signage of his entertainment company in Ehglish, it means that he is aware that English is an international language to communicate with his fans all over the world. Good for him!