Young Chef from Gangneung Meets True Mentors, Emerging as KYCT(Korea Young Chef Team)’s Top Prospect

Hwi Won Son, a 14-year-old chef passionate since age 6, persevered through a 400km weekly commute for his dream.

-Moving away from profit-driven academies, he flourished under Director Jun Woo Lee’s character building and Chairman Young Don Kim’s spirit of sacrifice at KYCT(Korea Young Chef Team).  
-Winning the 'Social Contribution Grand Prize' at the 2026 Korea Hallyu Culture & Industry Awards, he sets a benchmark for young chefs.
  

[KYCT young chef, Hwi Won Son at the photo line after receiving the Social Contribution Award. / Courtesy of KYCT Reporter Mun-su Kim)]

Hwi Won Son (a 2nd-year student at Gangneung Solol Middle School), who emerged as the top prospect of the KYCT(Korea Young Chef Team) by winning the Social Contribution Grand Prize at the 2026 Korea Hallyu Culture & Industry Awards, is inspiring both the educational and culinary sectors with his remarkable journey. His story reveals the background of a truly exemplary young chef—one who values character and attitude over mere technical expertise.
 
Born in Gangneung, Hwi Won Son opened his eyes to the world of culinary arts through family camping trips since he was a year old. While his peers worried about academy homework, Hwi Won Son took "the next camping cooking battle with his father" as his greatest joy and most serious endeavor. He was born with an exceptionally delicate palate, even noticing subtle flavor shifts in ingredients like carrots inside a simple Gimbap.
 
By the age of six, he began asking for real knives and cutting boards instead of toys. Whenever he visited wholesale mega-stores, he would cry in the kitchenware aisle, holding onto pepper mills, or carry around a 15kg bulk of raw meat, eager to cook it. His dream of becoming a chef, which sparked before graduating from kindergarten, never wavered through elementary school and grew even stronger as he entered middle school.
 
However, finding proper culinary education within regional limitations proved difficult. The local academies in Gangneung focused entirely on commercial, license-oriented classes, failing to satisfy Hwi Won Son’s thirst for the essence of culinary arts. Despite having just graduated from elementary school, he boldly chose to commute a round-trip distance of over 400 kilometers every week from Gangneung to Seoul via the KTX high-speed rail to pursue his passion.

 
The large academies in Seoul, however, were merely profit-driven businesses operating temporary weekend classes that lacked genuine depth. Just as he was growing disillusioned with the superficial training and felt distanced from cooking—despite enduring a grueling 200km commute—Hwi Won Son found a turning point through the KYCT(Korea Young Chef Team). Unlike private academies, KYCT(Korea Young Chef Team) is a registered non-profit volunteer organization that provides full educational support and development to cultivate the next generation of young chefs. Here, he met true lifelong mentors: Director Jun Woo Lee, Chairman Young Don Kim, and his reliable team captain, Kyu Lyn Kim.
 

[Top, L-R) Organizing Committee Chairman Jae Su Im, and Young Chef Hwi Won Son posing at the photo line after winning the award. (Middle, L-R) KYCT Guardians and Chef Jin Seo Kim participating in the ″Warmth-Sharing Relay Campaign″ at the Imsil Rose N Festival in Jeonbuk; Volunteers serving free meals during the campaign at Central Park in Cheongju, Chungbuk. (Bottom, L-R) Prominent Korean Young Chef Kyu Lyn Kim; Team Captain/Chef Kyu Lyn Kim alongside mentor Chef Jun Woo Lee. / Courtesy of Mun Su Kim, KYCT Reporter]

KYCT(Korea Young Chef Team)'s educational support took a completely different path from typical commercial academies that emphasize flashy techniques or recipe memorization for profit. Director Jun Woo Lee prioritized character building and fundamental etiquette, teaching respect for ingredients, kitchen manners, and teamwork.
 
Furthermore, Chairman Young Don Kim’s philosophy of field-based learning, rooted in service and sacrifice, ignited the young chef's passion. Through KYCT(Korea Young Chef Team)'s philanthropic programs, he learned to become a chef who does not merely chase personal success, but instead embraces the value of sharing—delivering happiness to marginalized neighbors through his hard work. Immersed in an altruistic environment centered on character rather than just commercial skill acquisition, Hwi Won Son advanced rapidly, establishing himself as a core asset of the organization.
 
The harmony of the organization's dedicated, character-driven educational support, combined with the teenager's perseverance since the age of six, yielded magnificent results. Alongside team captain Kyu Lyn Kim, Hwi Won Son led numerous volunteer culinary initiatives across the nation—including projects in Imsil and Cheongju—culminating in his winning of the prestigious Social Contribution Grand Prize at this year's awards ceremony.
 
Hwi Won Son’s growth story serves as a prime example in an era where many rush into flashy early education or mechanical resume building through expensive private academies. He has proven how invaluable a non-profit foundation that prioritizes character, proper attitude, and sacrifice over mere technical skills truly is in nurturing exceptional talent.
 
Having taken his first perfect steps on the right path paved by Chairman Young Don Kim and Director Jun Woo Lee, the young chef has mastered a warm heart for people before mastering technical skills. This is exactly why Hwi Won Son is recognized as the top prospect poised to lead the future of K-Food beyond KYCT(Korea Young Chef Team), and why his future shines brighter than ever.
 

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