I’ve always had a soft spot for revenge dramas, zero-to-hero stories, and underdog characters who rise from rock bottom with sheer resilience. As a freelancer who’s been slowly building my own enterprise from the ground up, I saw so much of my own journey mirrored in Park Saeroyi’s story. The long nights, the rejections, the quiet determination to keep showing up. It all hit close to home.
I can say that Itaewon Class is a masterclass in entrepreneurship and leadership. It’s about staying true to your values even when the world tells you to bend. It’s about turning setbacks into strategy and dreams into something tangible.
Here are 7 powerful business lessons from Itaewon Class that I’ve gained and have inspired me to refine my own version of success.
🕴️ Have a Strong Why
Every great story and every great business begins with a why.
For Park Saeroyi, that “why” started from a place of pain and injustice. His father’s death and the unfair treatment he faced became the fuel that ignited his dream. It may have been a “negative” motivation at first, driven by revenge rather than ambition, but it was clear. And that clarity gave direction to every step he took afterward.
In business and in life, your why doesn’t have to be perfect or noble at the start. What matters is that it’s strong enough to move you into action. Because when challenges come and they always do, your why becomes the anchor that keeps you steady.
As a freelancer running my digital business, my why helped me to evolve. Sometimes, what begins as a way to survive might grow into a mission to serve, create impact, or build freedom. I stay connected to my purpose and that purpose continues to fuel my motivation, my inspiration, and my action, long after the excitement fades.
🕴️ Play the Long Game
Another Itaewon business lesson that stuck with me was to play the long game. One of the things I admired most about Park Saeroyi was how he always thought long-term. He didn’t chase instant wins or overnight success. He built his dream brick by brick with strategy, patience, and discipline.
He planned ahead. He had a plan B so when a crisis hit, like when he was evicted from his restaurant space, he didn’t crumble. He was prepared. With enough financial stability and foresight, he didn’t just recover, he bought the building instead.
That moment said so much about his mindset. Playing the long game isn’t just about waiting for success. It’s about preparing for it. It’s about managing your resources wisely, thinking ahead, and trusting that steady effort will compound over time.
For me in my freelancing, this means building systems, saving for slow months, and always keeping the bigger picture in mind. Because the ones who last aren’t necessarily the fastest, they’re the most prepared.
🕴️ Embrace Diversity and Build Strong Teams
One of the things that truly set Park Saeroyi apart as a leader was his inclusiveness. He built a team that many others would have overlooked, people with different backgrounds, struggles, and flaws. Yet, he saw potential where others saw imperfection.
He hired staff for character and heart and not just skill. When his team members made mistakes, he didn’t discard them. He gave them space to learn, to grow, and to rise again. That’s what real leadership looks like for me. It’s creating an environment where people feel safe to improve.
His team at DanBam became powerful because each person brought something unique to the table, a different perspective, a different strength, a different story.
In business, inclusion isn’t just a moral choice. It’s a strategic one. When people feel trusted and valued, they bring their best selves to the work. They become more loyal, creative, and committed to the shared vision.
In future, when I get to build a bigger team, I will definitely take this business lesson from Itaewon Class.
🕴️ Never Underestimate Personal Branding
While Park Saeroyi built DanBam with grit and purpose, it was Jo Yi-Seo who gave it visibility. Her sharp understanding of branding, marketing, and social media turned a small restaurant into a recognizable name.
She knew that in today’s world, great products or services aren’t enough, people need to see you, know you, and feel connected to what you stand for. That’s the power of branding. It’s not just about logos or color palettes; it’s about perception, personality, and presence.
Yi-Seo understood how to tell DanBam’s story in a way that resonated. She turned everyday interactions into moments that built connection, from how the restaurant was styled to how it appeared online. And that’s something every freelancer, creator, or business owner can learn from.
In the digital age, your brand is your reputation in motion. It’s how people remember you when you’re not in the room or when they scroll past your name online. Whether you’re building a personal brand or a business one, remember that consistency, authenticity, and clarity make all the difference.
🕴️ Compete with Strategy and Not Emotion
Even though Park Saeroyi’s “why” was rooted in revenge, he never let emotions cloud his judgment. He was level-headed, patient, and strategic even when facing the people who wronged him.
He didn’t rush into success or retaliate impulsively. He took time to plan, to learn, and to position himself wisely. That’s what made his journey so powerful, he transformed emotional energy into disciplined action.
In business and in life, it’s easy to get caught up in frustration, envy, or competition. But emotion-driven decisions rarely lead to long-term success. Strategy does. Saeroyi showed that real power isn’t in reacting quickly. It’s in responding wisely.
His calm, composed way of handling setbacks reminds us that business isn’t a battle to destroy others; it’s a challenge to build something better, smarter, stronger, and more meaningful.
🕴️Understand Your Market
Passion can start a business, but understanding your market helps it grow. Park Saeroyi knew that success wasn’t just about serving good food. It was about serving people.
Throughout Itaewon Class, we saw how DanBam evolved by listening to customers and adapting to their needs. Whether it was improving the menu, refining the restaurant’s concept, or choosing a location that aligned with their audience, Saeroyi and his team paid attention.
This is a lesson every freelancer, entrepreneur, or small business owner can take to heart. The market changes, trends shift, and customer expectations evolve. The businesses that thrive are the ones that stay curious, flexible, and responsive.
Understanding your market also means knowing your positioning, who you serve, why they choose you, and what keeps them coming back. It’s not about being everything to everyone. It’s about being valuable to the right people.
🕴️The Real Reward of Business Is Who You Become in the Process
At the end of Itaewon Class, what struck me most wasn’t just Park Saeroyi’s success, it was how much he had grown along the way.
Yes, he achieved his goals. He built a thriving business, earned respect, and finally got the justice he sought. But beyond all of that, he became a wiser, humbler, and more grounded person. The journey shaped him, not just as an entrepreneur, but as a human being.
That’s something every business owner, freelancer, or dreamer eventually realizes, the truest reward isn’t the money, the fame, or the recognition. It’s growth. It’s the lessons you learn, the resilience you build, the people you meet, and the lives you touch along the way.
When we start, we often chase outcomes, income goals, client numbers, milestones. But as we keep going, we begin to see that business is also a path of personal evolution. Every challenge tests our patience, every success expands our vision, and every interaction teaches us how to lead with more empathy and strength.
As I look back at the story, I realize that entrepreneurship, much like life, is never a straight path. It’s messy, unpredictable, but also deeply transformative. And that’s what makes it worth it.
If Itaewon Class has inspired you too, take a moment today to reflect on your own journey. What’s your ‘“why”? What kind of person do you want to become through the work you do?
(We write our content in the hope of making you, our readers, feel a little more inspired in a time when you’re probably feeling low. We hope you feel a little lighter after visiting our site. Then, we know we’ve served our purpose.⭐)
🍀 Let’s Stay Connected
If this post resonated with you, let’s keep in touch. I share more on:
- ✈️ Travel, cozy cafes, food discoveries, and freelance life on Instagram and Facebook
- 🧠 Mindful productivity, instructional design, and digital business on LinkedIn
- 💻 Plus, I regularly share digital products and courses to support freelancers, educators, and startups on all three platforms.
Let’s connect. I’d love to learn about your journey too!
