Brand consultant Hee-Young No—often called advisor for her advisory role—will remodel Rotex Hotel on Olympic Boulevard in Koreatown, Los Angeles into La Song Hotel, a four-star boutique property set to open in 2026. Drawing on a 30-year career that includes Bibigo, Olive Young, and KCON (K-pop convention), she is positioning the project as a cultural landmark with a 5,400-square-foot first floor featuring a coffee shop and her brunch café 3birds. Her YouTube channel “@bighandroh(큰손 노희영)” launched in March 2025 and surpassed 400,000 subscribers in September 2025.
“I became a restaurant CEO at 26,” said Hee-Young No. Over 30 years, she has launched around 200 brands and about 2,500 offline stores. She heads Hino Consulting Firm and the Food Research Institute, and in industry circles she is often called as the advisor for her advisory presence. Major projects tied to her career include Bibigo, Olive Young, and KCON (K-pop convention).
Q: What exactly is the new Koreatown project—and when will it open?
A: “We are remodeling Rotex Hotel on Olympic Boulevard into La Song Hotel,” she said. “After the remodeling, La Song Hotel will be a four-star boutique hotel,” set to open in 2026.
Q: Why Koreatown—and how does your hotel experience inform this project?
A: “Los Angeles is where I grew up, and I feel deep nostalgia for it,” she said. “I’m a hotel fanatic and a 3 million miler. I’ve stayed in over 1,000 hotels worldwide. Recently, the best boutique hotel is Amangiri Resort in Utah ($3,425–$7,800 per night). On this U.S. trip, I also stayed in a room at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas used for filming the movie F1. I’ve experienced almost every hotel in the LA area; on business trips, I often move hotels daily. I’ve used 3- to 5-star hotels including Hotel Bel-Air and The Peninsula.”
Q: What is your vision for La Song Hotel in Koreatown?
A: “I want La Song Hotel to be more than lodging—to become a cultural landmark that carries the history and emotions of Koreatown. I want it to be the best place for guests to experience both value and culture in Koreatown. Rather than ‘Seoul-ness,’ I want to show ‘Koreatown-ness.’ The first floor—about 5,400 square feet—will include a coffee shop and my brunch café 3birds so guests can enjoy a relaxed brunch space. It will be a special space infused with Koreatown history and boutique-hotel brand sensibility.”
Q: You’ve crossed fields—food brands, hotel/cinema complexes, cultural events. What enables that?
A: “I’m not afraid to take on new fields. Switching from pre-med to Parsons School of Design set my lifelong approach to work,” she said. “I could execute diverse projects—food brands, hotel/cinema complexes, cultural events—because of a challenger’s mindset and broad experience in performance, travel, and dining, as well as growth-minded leaders I met at CJ Group and Lotte. In 2012, when I planned KCON (K-pop convention) everyone opposed it, but Miky Lee (CJ Group Vice Chair) said, ‘Even combat sports have fandom; let’s try it with K-pop,’ and supported it—so it became possible. BTS had their first stage at KCON.”
Q: Your YouTube channel grew quickly. What is the aim?
A: “I partnered with producer Seok-Ro Lee, who created channels for Jinkyung Hong and Hwajung Choi, and started in March 2025,” she said. “Subscribers passed 400,000 in September 2025, which gives me a sense of responsibility. ‘@bighandroh(큰손 노희영)’ is my life’s challenge story where passion and capability come together. People take on fewer challenges these days. I care about the next generation and want to share my experience and capabilities.”
Q: Advice for building sustainable brands in the Korean American restaurant scene?
A: “Define your own brand and a signature menu clearly,” she said. “Koreatown has many great spots, but some operators stay in their own world without competing outside. You need the perspective to compete with restaurants in New York and Beverly Hills. Both menu and interior need ideas and differentiation. Even for soft tofu stew, you should be able to define, ‘This is our restaurant’s soft tofu stew,’ so customers choose you. Through competition and differentiation, you can build sustainable brands in Koreatown.”
Q: Practical tips for personal branding?
A: “Stack small areas of expertise layer by layer,” she said. “For example, become a Koreatown dining super-fan who knows reservation routes, menu curation, and detailed experience. Everyday choices and experiences can become your brand advantage. Personal branding isn’t hard—keep exploring yourself and your experiences, and clearly define what you do well.”
Q: Your core philosophy as a brand consultant?
A: “A brand is a living organism. It never stays fixed,” she said. “Like people, brands face crises and trials, but they keep moving and growing. External conditions—like downturns or tariffs—are just excuses; ultimately, the manager is responsible for a brand’s success or failure. Humans have weaknesses, but if we focus on the good and share experiences, opportunities emerge. Don’t sit in despair or blame the world—challenge yourself. Positive thinking and a challenger’s spirit matter.”
BY EUNYOUNG LEE [lee.eunyoung6@koreadaily.com]
