Ramen legend wants to create a ‘Little Norway’

Lee Chul-ho, the man behind the “Mr. Lee” brand of ramen noodles. By Chun Su-jin

Lee Chul-ho knows what it feels like to gulp down stale bread to fight off hunger. In his youth in Norway, part of his daily routine was to buy bread sold as livestock feed after a long day of working low-paid jobs. Now a successful millionaire businessman, Lee was a young Korean boy who happened to land in Norway during the Korean War (1950 to 1953).
He’s left those hard times in the past, but telling the stories still moistens his eyes, as observed during a recent interview in Seoul.
Lee lost his family while evacuating during the war and worked as a houseboy for American military bases, mostly shining soldiers’ boots. That didn’t mean he was safe from the violence of war. One day bomb fragments penetrated his thigh, causing him to faint. He woke up in a hospital under the care of a Norwegian medical team.
This was the first time he’d ever seen Norwegians, who sent him to their home country for further treatment. After the wound healed, Lee was given the choice of returning to Korea or to staying in Norway. Lee, then only 17, decided to stay.
He didn’t speak a word of Norwegian, but had high hopes. So began his hard yet rewarding journey from rock-bottom.
After some manual labor jobs, Lee switched to working at a restaurant. “I thought I’d never be hungry there,” Lee said. By then, he was done with alleviating his hunger with pig feed. He had nowhere else to go, nothing else to do and nothing to lose.
First, he started as a cleaner. His diligence earned him credit from the chefs and restaurant manager, who gave him the chance to study to be a chef.
“I went to a four-year culinary school, where I studied hard enough to earn a scholarship in France,” he recalled. To ease his study in France, he first chose to learn French in Switzerland, where he worked part-time as an assistant cook at a restaurant.
“The other assistant cooks and I were first given the job of peeling potatoes,” he said. “Others complained and stopped peeling, but I peeled them and categorized them by shape and dish.
“After that, the chefs loved me and wanted to hire me as a full-timer.” The news spread, and Lee’s restaurant in Norway quickly hired him back.
Once he earned his success as a chef, Lee was out to find the love of his life. For nine years, he exchanged letters with a German woman in an effort to learn her language.
Although he fell in “love at first sight” when he met her in persons, Lee also found out she was engaged.
“She brought her parents and fiance to visit me while on vacation in Norway,” he said.
But weeks later, Lee’s fate changed. His pen pal sent a different kind of letter to him this time, reporting her canceled engagement. Eventually, they married.
“My dear wife died in 1984, but she still lives in my heart,” Lee said, touching his eyes with his handkerchief. They had three daughters.
Meanwhile, Lee didn’t just sit back even though he was a successful chef. One day on a visit to Seoul, he happened to have a bowl of spicy ramen.
“I still cannot forget how great it tasted,” Lee said. “I thought it would definitely sell well in Norway.”
After retiring as a chef in his 50s, Lee started a noodle business, “Mr. Lee.”
After a rocky start, he became a huge hit. Now, Mr. Lee has become synonymous with ramen, beating Japanese competitors.
What’s his secret?
“There is none. Just believe and have the integrity to make a business success,” Lee said.
Now Lee is in the third phase of his life, finding ways to contribute to his two motherlands ― Korea and Norway.
“I’d like to start a ‘Little Norway’ in Korea to promote Norwegian seafood and businesses and a ‘Little Korea’ in Norway,” Lee said.

By Chun Su-jin Staff Reporter [sujiney@joongang.co.kr]