1. Tell us about Min_d mind.

Min_d mind is a company that makes “functional Korean scented products” to make the memories of Korea last longer. Our representative product, Horonggak, is a hanok-shaped candle warmer that has been recognized for its positive response from consumers, achieving about 4,800% in funding in 2022. In addition, we design, develop, manufacture, and distribute products that combine Korean culture, fragrance, and functionality, such as the lucky bag diffuser and the Korean niche fragrance series.

2. What was the inspiration behind the creation of the candle warmer?

Western candles are going global, so why not the Eastern ones as well? This product was born out of that thought. With the rising interest in K-culture, the demand for Korean goods and souvenirs has increased significantly. However, we noticed a gap in the market for high-quality products. Based on this insight, we created the hanok-shaped candle warmer.

3. I heard that attention has been paid not only to the warmer but also to the scents of the candles.

As a company specializing in “functional fragrance products,” we infused candles with subtle and uniquely Korean scents like mugunghwa, pine, and cypress into our candles to create a lasting memory of Korea. We want to gift consumers worldwide with warm and serene healing through candles that evoke Korea.

4. I heard there were challenges in creating the product.

We’re proud to say that our candle warmer is the only one of its kind in the world because we did the planning, design, construction, and manufacturing all in-house. However, after receiving overwhelming support from crowdfunding, we realized the need for comprehensive company guidelines. We changed our in-house manufacturing facilities to make it easier to manufacture and distribute our products, and we also did a lot of research on packaging methods. We viewed those as growing pains for improvement and succeeded in creating a quality product.

5. What are your future plans?

In the second half of 2023, we plan to participate in domestic exhibitions to meet consumers offline. We are preparing for consumers who have only encountered us online to experience our brand in person, seeing and smelling the products we offer. In 2024, we plan to introduce a new product after Horonggak along with a mini version of the Horonggak.

6. What did you learn from the contest, and do you have any stories you’d like to share?

Participating in the competition provided objective evaluations and feedback, guiding us on where to invest more for product upgrades. While it’s great that Horonggak has been recognized nationally, the process and outcome of the contest were highly satisfying as it served as a valuable guide for future endeavors