Previous Story
[In 1983, President Byeong Chul Kim was dispatched to Senegal for Misung Commercial’s African expansion, where he successfully established the hair brand “NINA” over ten years. Expecting to return to Korea, he instead took on a new challenge in 1993 as head of Misung’s Jakarta factory. In 2018, a devastating fire destroyed the facility, leading to its relocation to Sukabumi and a fresh start under the renewed name “NINA.” The new factory introduced “Taman Hijau” (Green Park) and continued to evolve through initiatives such as the 5S movement and high-tech system adoption.]

After years of running multiple factories, I realized one thing: an organization survives only by continually changing, like a living organism. When change stops, vitality fades. Yet resisting change is human nature, and overcoming it depends above all on the strength of the bonds among the people who work together.

To strengthen our teamwork, we took part in many group activities. A nearby valley offered rafting, an ideal way to build unity as we rode the rough waters together. On the factory lawn, lunchtime futsal matches brought players and cheering squads together, their energy breathing new life into the workplace.

Team-building rafting with everyone on board!

Employees taking part in the futsal tournament on the lawn

Everyday greetings mattered too. I often arrived early to welcome employees entering through Taman Hijau (Green Park) with “Selamat Pagi!” and saw them off with “Selamat Jalan!” These simple exchanges were not just well-wishes but small, meaningful moments of connection between leader and staff.

I believed the strong ties we built would one day help us withstand any hardship. I continually sought improvements, discussed them with staff, and put them into action. When no clear changes remained, I would even repaint parts of the factory to keep it feeling alive. Visiting buyers often remarked that Misung NINA always seemed refreshed, and their words made me proud.

The factory’s “Happiness (Bahagia)” Bridge

A Turning Point in My Life

One of the biggest challenges of working overseas is managing one’s health. When I began feeling stiff and unwell, I visited local hospitals. The doctors were optimistic, and after tests and medication, my symptoms eased—leading me to believe everything was fine.

In 2018, during a trip to Korea, a checkup at Severance Hospital brought unexpected news: I had advanced prostate cancer. I immediately underwent robotic surgery and radiation treatment. About a month later, the doctors approved my recovery, allowing me to return to the factory in Indonesia.

President Byeong Chul Kim, just before surgery

However, in 2022, I reached a major turning point. I was often traveling to the Probolinggo region, and the long hours by car and train began causing lower-back pain. Assuming it was a simple muscle strain, I followed a local clinic’s advice to do water-walking exercises and spent two months at a nearby pool each morning.

The routine felt refreshing—until a later MRI in Seoul revealed shocking news: prostate cancer had metastasized to my third lumbar vertebra. The cancer from 2018 had not been fully resolved, and the doctor’s message was clear.

“You need to stop working now and devote yourself fully to treatment.”

In October, I informed the headquarter and discussed the path forward. We agreed I would finish my remaining work and step down as CEO on December 31, 2022.

I was 78 then. Having joined Misung in 1972, 2022 marked my 50th year with the company. For years, I had thought it might be time to step down, but I could never bring myself to do it. I loved the company and the work, and the factories I had built and nurtured felt almost like my own. The headquarter often joked, “President Kim, if you’re not doing the job well enough, keep working until you do,” using humor to let me continue without a set retirement age.

In the end, illness forced me to leave a company I could never bring myself to leave on my own.

And so, the work of decades finally left my hands. Since 2023, the headquarter has taken direct leadership of the Indonesian subsidiary.

A Time to Put Things in Order

From late 2022 to early 2023, I had time to say my goodbyes. I visited Sukabumi Plants 1 and 2 and the Probolinggo Plant 3 for farewell ceremonies with employees. Beyond the factories, I also closed other chapters—resigning as Vice Chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce and as an advisor to the Korean Association, with farewell gatherings held there as well.

I also concluded my long involvement with East Jakarta Church, where I had served as Chairman of the Foundation’s Board—a requirement for churches to operate legally in Indonesia. I handed the role to a successor and joined the congregation for a final farewell service.

I returned the company apartment and donated my small private apartment to be used as a mission house, a place I had originally purchased for my post-retirement stay. Its furniture and household items were given as well, and only a small portion of my belongings was sent back to Korea.

President Byeong Chul Kim, donating the mission house

Around that time, I was invited to speak on the “Invitation to Happiness” program on Far East Broadcasting Company Indonesia, sharing how I tried to live out my faith alongside my work. What stayed with me most was the idea of “sharing”—not dividing things fifty-fifty, but giving more to others and keeping less for myself. Even if it seems like a loss at the time, such sharing ultimately creates greater opportunities. Looking back, I realize I tried to carry that spirit both at church and at work.

Coming Home After 40 Years Abroad

On March 12, 2023, I finally boarded a plane to Korea. At Incheon Airport, my son and daughter were waiting with a welcome banner, and reading its message brought tears to my eyes.

“Wilderness! After 40 years abroad, Canaan! Welcome home to Korea!”

My wife shed tears, but I remained outwardly calm.

‘Ah, I really am home now.’

It felt as though the entire forty-year journey was contained within that one sentence.

With the welcome banner prepared by my children

Words of Gratitude

After returning to Korea, I visited the headquarter to pay my respects and was offered an honorary non-executive advisor role—a generous gesture that allowed me to focus on treatment. I am especially grateful to Vice Chairman Min Youp Lee for his support during my retirement and afterward.

These days, I receive tests and treatment at Gangnam Severance Hospital several times a month. When health allows, I travel within Korea and occasionally abroad, taking photographs and sharing them with friends and colleagues in Africa, Indonesia, the United States, and Korea, keeping those lifelong connections alive.

To all the executives and employees who worked alongside me at Misung NINA, thank you.

To the customers who cherished our products, I offer my deepest gratitude.

I am also grateful to President Byung Dae Lee of BNB Magazine for serializing this memoir, and to the editors who helped shape it. To every reader who has followed these ten installments, my sincere thanks. May God’s grace be with you always.

Thank you.

A blooming scene of the factory.

The flags of Korea, Indonesia, and NINA flying together over the Misung Indonesia factory