Meet Soomin Kim

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Soomin Kim a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Soomin, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

The idea of introducing delicious food and the culture behind it are never tiring! However, the tour participants’ genuine curiosity and the interest in my culture really keep me energized. Food brings people together and I feel grateful to be around other fellow food lovers all the time.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

The DMV area is home to the third-largest Korean population in the U.S., and Annandale is the heart of its Koreatown. Virginialicious is dedicated to introducing people (both locals and visitors) to its incredible food, culture, and stories. As a Korean native now living in the U.S., Virginialicious is passionate about sharing this experience.

Virginialicious was built on love for food, community, and giving back. It all started in Spring 2024 with its very first food tour. It has welcomed food lovers from across the DMV and beyond, becoming a go-to experience for anyone curious about Korean cuisine and culture. Many locals who had never explored these Korean restaurants now return as regulars, supporting family-owned businesses.

The tours are more than just about food – they offer a fun, immersive cultural experience! Guests enjoy delicious dishes while learning fascinating historical and cultural facts about Koreatown, from the origins of certain recipes to how Korean immigrants shaped Annandale’s food scene. Every bite comes with a story, making the experience both delicious and enriching.

The tours bring exposure and customers to small, mom-and-pop restaurants—many of which lack an online presence. A portion of proceeds is donated to Food for Others, a nonprofit fighting food insecurity in Northern Virginia.

How does it work?

Booking a tour is easy – just grab tickets through the link on Virginialicious’ social media or website (virginialicious.com). Follow the instructions, meet the tour guide and the group at the designated meeting point, and get ready to walk to 4-5 different restaurants while learning, laughing, and even playing a few games along the way. Then, repeat!

Looking for a private experience? Special occasion tours or dinner club outings can be booked by contacting Virginialicious via email. Got foodie friends? Virginialicious offers gift cards that can be used for their future food tours as well.

Virginialicious isn’t just a food tour—it’s a movement to celebrate and uplift local businesses while creating meaningful connections through food, history, and culture.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Passion, continued learning and research, and persistence. Things will never be easy if they are worth achieving. When you love something, you continue to learn to be better and never give up. There are so many resources out there that we are not aware of. Keep on asking others for advice and help. Reach out to local government bodies and communities.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

I notice that I feel overwhelmed when things are not organized and when I try to fit too much into my schedule. The first thing I do is to make a list. By writing things down, I move all the unorganized things from my brain onto a visible paper/screen. That way, things seem way less intimidating, and you can tackle things down. Prioritizing the items definitely helps.

Another thing is – to start. Things may look bigger than life when you are just staring at them or thinking about doing them. Once you get into the actual project, things are not THAT bad usually. One at a time.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Virginialicious LLC

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