Willy Park (Alice Cheongdam, Seoul)
How did you feel when you were announced as runner up?
I think even those who didn’t win, still felt like we did just by being there. I can’t believe I was one of the top among all the people who competed worldwide!
What was the toughest part of the global finals?
The language barrier was the hardest. At first, it was a little hard to communicate because English is not my native language. And it was hard to get over my jet lag from a long flight, and I constantly worried that something would happen to my ingredients!
What was one of your favourite moments in Mexico?
I’m so glad I met people and made friends from 22 countries who each had different stories and cultures. The experience at the Patrón distillery was just mind blowing too. I think my heart is still in Mexico!
What do you predict the year ahead holds for you?
I think 2020 will be a very meaningful year for me. As I prepare for other competitions, I will continue to think about the environment and recycling, and I want to go to visit all my new friends and guest bartend and their places!
I’m so happy that this competition helped me grow and develop myself, now I want to work hard to grow, develop and promote Asian and Korean bar culture to the world.
