1. Tell us about Woorido.

Woorido is a company that processes and researches woods-grown wild ginseng. We have a patented technology that keeps its original shape and dries it so that people of all ages can enjoy the healthy woods-grown wild ginseng.

2. How did you come to make Sappunhui, your own dried woods-grown wild ginseng?

We developed a patented drying technology to extend shelf life by more than five years while maintaining the original shape, making it easier to export wild ginseng. We tested it by soaking dry ginseng in liquor and found that it infuses pretty quickly. Testing it with younger generations yielded an overwhelmingly positive response, leading to the launch of our product Sappunhui, targeting MZ sensibilities.

3. What was your main focus when launching the product?

It took a lot of thought to make woods-grown wild ginseng, which is more expensive than regular ginseng, more accessible to consumers and reflect such in the product design. In addition, the production process required meticulous handiwork to breathe life into each thin root of the ginseng, which was costly and time-consuming, but through trial and error, we were able to bring the product to market.

4. Could you share some tips on using the dried wild ginseng?

The most enjoyable and easy way is to infuse Sappunhui in various liquors like soju, vodka, gin, and other alcoholic beverages, as they blend well with the flavors of the wild ginseng. Besides alcohol, you can enjoy it as tea in a tumbler, or in your cooking, without sacrificing the precious root.

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

After looking at the winners of last year’s competition, I had a lot of doubts about our product’s chances of winning this year, but I was very happy to see that it did. I would say that there are opportunities for anyone, in any product, and I would encourage you to give it a shot.

6. What are your future plans?

We plan to actively reach out to consumers by expanding our offline activities. In particular, we plan to promote it by combining it with soju to make it more accessible and expand its distribution to restaurants and bars. We would also like to diversify our sales, including duty-free shops, to make it easier for foreign tourists to access our ginseng as a gift.