For 14 years, Sunny Myung has been an innovative expert in the food and beverage industry in South Korea; she is the President of Tiwi Trade and Tiwi Corporation, a leading edge Australasian F&B company that specializes in import and distribution.
She is also the CEO of Pachamama Ltd., a food manufacturing factory that produces home replacement meals and meal kits.
While leading these two businesses, since 2009, she is also the first woman to hold a position as The Board Director of The New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Korea.
With over 14 years of experience in the industry and a passion for the business, Myung shares her perspicacity with other importers, distributors, and those involved in the hospitality industry by leading and facilitating trade promotion events and educational opportunities for all parties.
Get your tickets now for Saturday’s event
How Tiwi Got its Start
Tiwi, was the first to exclusively import New Zealand wines to Korea. The name Tiwi is made up of the national animals of Korea and New Zealand: The Tiger and the Kiwi. This is a representation of the company’s identity and relationship with both countries.
Myung saw a gap in the Korean market and proceeded to import some quality New Zealand wines. Not only just to import wines but more importantly to share the quality and goodness of New Zealand products and culture into Korea.
After running Tiwi for over 14 years, their portfolio has been colorful, to say the least. They have various wines from all regions in New Zealand providing the Korean market with a broad selection of wine varieties.
While continuing to import wines, they extended the business by working with Food & beverage brands. They’ve worked with some of the largest brands which are household names in New Zealand, while also working with smaller boutique brands and also highly innovative brands.
They have some incredible products in the pipeline that they are so excited to share in the near future and are constantly aiming to improve and inspire people’s lives as they proactively introduce premium New Zealand Food & Beverages that are sustainable and healthy.
Sunny Myung Talks Wine
“This event will provide you with new core memories that you can carry with you in life. The atmosphere at our wine festivals is so rare, if I could bottle it up to keep it forever I would.”
How excited are you to attend this year’s events in Busan and what can we expect from the NZ wine festival?
The excitement I feel for this year’s festivals takes me back to 2009 when I was organizing the first-ever New Zealand Wine Festival.
We haven’t had a festival in a few years due to the pandemic, so this year’s events have been eagerly anticipated.
New Zealand wine sales have skyrocketed in the Korean market this year, reaching record highs with new varieties and wineries.
The festival will unveil 20 award-winning wineries from various regions of New Zealand.
The Busan event will be held at the Busan Cinema Centre. This is such an exciting and new location for us and we can’t wait to experience it all together.
How many wineries will participate in this year’s events? Please list 3-4 key wineries and the vintages they will offer at the festivals and what food they pair well with?
This year, we will have around 20 wineries. Some iconic wineries include Kim Crawford, Villa Maria, and Two Rivers. All 20 wineries are world-class and they each offer something different. The vintages at both events will generally be 2020 and 2021. There will be new wines from Mission Estate and Craggy Range. You can always expect the best quality from them.
New Zealand is known for its iconic Sauvignon Blanc which is perfect for a summer’s day. Pinot Noirs also share the spotlight and offer an elegant and sophisticated experience. The buffets are carefully selected with a wide range of foods that pair very well with the wines that we will be showcasing.
This year, we will have “The Grand Grazing Table” which will be made up of New Zealand-made products such as; fragrant cheeses, fruits, snacks, and honey — essentially everything you’d want on a cheese platter but supersized.
It truly will be a gastronomical experience that is so exclusive to Kiwi culture.
Do you have any recommendations of wines that we should be looking for this year and which ones are your favorites? Any new wines and vintages that are not in Korea yet?
My favorite variety is a fruitful Pinot Noir from Marlborough to Central Otago. Although the same variety, you can have an entirely different experience based on the region. There are various new wines that will be new to the Korean market. Make sure to stop by those stalls to widen your wine knowledge!
Why should people want to attend the New Zealand Wine Festivals this year?
There have been no social opportunities like this since the pandemic and this is a perfect weekend getaway while rekindling relationships with old friends, to network, and reconnecting with New Zealand Wine.
This event will provide you with new core memories that you can carry with you in life. The atmosphere at our wine festivals is so rare, if I could bottle it up to keep it forever I would.
The event takes place from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is one of the city’s most anticipated events each year.
Tickets cost 130,000 won for Kiwi Chamber members, 150,000 won for non-members, and 130,000 won per ticket if you can organize a group of eight people.
Tickets can be purchased at the Kiwi Chamber website.
