[Vietnam Times] Expat Spotlight: Song Injoon of CHUS - Introducing A New "Local" Way to Shop

In the bustling streets of Saigon, a foreign man is busy cycling in the tropical heat while dressed in an Ao Dai and wearing Non La. The temperatures only get hotter, yet his smile continues, making a good impression for the cameras.

Song Injoon acted as a cheerful delivery man who travels a great distance to bring you only the best products from Vietnam (Photo: CHUS Facebook).

Although he is no actor, Song Injoon took upon the main role in the commercial for his company - CHUS. The character this Korean man played is a cheerful delivery man who travels a great distance to bring the best products from Vietnam. Injoon believed this is also the personal reason to why he founded CHUS many years ago.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Injoon grew up to earn an MBA in the U.S. Injoon did not expect his career would take him to Vietnam. However, in 2024, Injoon and his family will celebrate their fifth year living in the S-Shaped Land. Looking back at this milestone, the Korean expat shared that CHUS - his company - helps express his love for Vietnam in a practical way.

"Many years ago, I had the opportunity to work in Asia because at that time, my father's business was here, mostly in Vietnam. I decided to come join and learn about the business in Vietnam. In 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, I was here and did not leave for 2 years. I felt lucky because for the first time, I could see the way the local community helped each other through difficulty," said Injoon.

To pursue his passion, he started his own company even though he was already carrying an important role in his family business (Photo courtesy of Song Injoon).

Fueled by a love for Vietnamese culture, Injoon traveled to many provinces and was most surprised by two things: the variety of the beautiful local souvenirs and how under-promoted they were. A business-savvy Injoon soon realized the untapped potential between Vietnamese crafts and the online world.

Upon coming to this realization, Injoon began developing an e-commerce platform that introduces these quality products to the world. Not only passionate about the idea of running his own business, the Korean expat also aims to create a network where he can connect with local entrepreneurs across Vietnam.

“After 3 years, CHUS partners with about 500 brands, with over 7500 products on the website. We also launched a YouTube channel a few months ago and just has already surpassed a whopping 10 million views on our video content,” exclaimed Injoon.

Still, Injoon is aware that there are many more interesting aspects of the local cultures that are being overlooked. Not everyone has the opportunity to explore Vietnam like he did while living and working here. To bring the stories that these handicrafts carry to a much larger audience, Injoon has a plan.

Since 2021, the Korean businessman has taken upon himself a special mission of bringing the quality products from local artisans across Vietnam to online buyers (Photo courtesy of Song Injoon).

“This year, CHUS is doubling down on two key areas: fostering local talent and providing unique products. Firstly, we're expanding our exclusive collaborations with local brands. These partnerships create one-of-a-kind designs you won't find anywhere else, perfectly reflecting the spirit of CHUS in the market. Secondly, we're launching a personalization category featuring up to 90 local brands. This exciting addition empowers you to customize your experience, from engraving names on products to sending pictures for custom frames and building your own unique orders,” said Injoon.

CHUS originated from "choose" but with the yellow triangle above the "u" that represents the iconic Non La.

Prior to the ambitious plans for CHUS, there were plenty of trials and errors. Injoon reads, looks for information from online sources, and even observes his staff's likes and dislikes so that they can find out the effective way to promote handicrafts.

Even the name and logo of his company has earned positive reaction for its creativity. Thanks to Injoon's brilliant team, the image and identity of his brand could be new and refreshing, local and international at the same time. CHUS originated from the word "choose" but with the yellow triangle above the "u" that represents the iconic Non La.

Injoon shared that the story of CHUS is full of surprise since it is the first e-commerce dedicated solely for Vietnamese local handicrafts, while being run by a non-native. While optimistic about the journey of CHUS in Vietnam, Injoon believes that this is just the start. There are great, wholesome parts of Vietnamese culture that often stay hidden from most people, waiting to be discovered.

ZOEY NGUYỄN

The article was published on Vietname Times on 30 May 2024