What kind of company is “Hoho”?

Hoho is a design company established in 2017 under the motto “Designs That Bring Smiles to People.” It produces the geumbak (gold leaf craft) DIY kit “Glitting.” Believing that small hobbies can beautifully enrich everyday life, Hoho reinterprets the aesthetics of traditional crafts in a modern way to make them easy and enjoyable for anyone.

What inspired you to develop traditional Korean Glitting?

The idea began after we encountered the traditional gold leaf craft used to decorate hanbok. We wanted to create a “painterly hobby that applies gold leaf by hand rather than with a brush,” and after numerous trials, we developed a new type of DIY gold leaf kit using eco-friendly EVA material. Compared to conventional foil art, it offers finer details, stronger adhesion of the gold leaf, and a more polished finish, achieving a quality that satisfies anyone.

What did you focus on most when creating the product?

We focused on achieving a harmony of design, materials, and emotional experience. To find the material that best expresses the beautiful shimmer of gold leaf, we went through various trials and ultimately chose eco-friendly EVA. The patterns were also carefully designed to serve not merely as souvenirs but as works of art in their own right. Notably, the “Four Palaces in Four Seasons” series captures the seasonal atmosphere of the four main royal palaces of the Joseon Dynasty through color and composition, allowing users to appreciate both traditional elegance and contemporary sensibility.

What was your reason for creating other series such as Hanbok, Dancheong, and Traditional Patterns in addition to the “Four Palaces in Four Seasons Glitting”?

It is because the combination of traditional patterns and gold leaf creates one of the most beautiful harmonies. Dancheong, hanbok, and traditional patterns reflect the essence of Korean aesthetics while offering strong potential for design expansion, which is why they have remained beloved themes. In particular, the “Hanbok Art Nouveau Glitting Kit Set” is a creative fusion of Alphonse Mucha’s Art Nouveau style and Korean hanbok, presenting a fresh interpretation that bridges tradition and art.

What did you especially consider for tourists as consumers?

“Glitting” is not just a souvenir but a participatory cultural product that allows users to directly experience and complete a piece of Korean culture. The act of applying gold leaf and completing the artwork at one’s travel destination becomes a cherished part of the trip. The finished piece can also be kept as a memento or shared as a gift. As a hands-on souvenir that conveys the beauty of Korean tradition without language barriers, it has received especially enthusiastic responses from international tourists.

What are your future plans and direction for sustainability?

To reduce environmental impact, we have adopted eco-friendly EVA materials and paper packaging. The product has also obtained CE international safety certification, ensuring that people of all ages can use it with confidence. Looking ahead, we plan to launch new series that combine traditional patterns with contemporary art, presented alongside the Four Palaces in Four Seasons series. Our goal is to expand into offline experience zones at tourist destinations and build a global online distribution network. We are also preparing to introduce practical extension products such as keyrings and cases designed to hold completed artworks.