[Travel] To get "real" feedback from actual users
In an era where taking care of myself has become essential to avoid burnout. Are you taking good care of yourself by getting enough rest and making time for yourself? Here is a master of “staring into the fire” who keeps the flames burning every day to help more people experience true “rest .” This is the story of the maker behind Wood & Burn, who has been crafting stoves by hand for over 10 years and pours his heart into the camping lifestyle. We heard about the maker’s journey—how, through genuine passion for his products and communication with his supporters, he has committed to presenting only products that he himself is satisfied with.
Thinking of Nothing but Fire
“Wood & Burn,” the Fire-Gazing Master
Hello. I’m Kim Tae-hwan, CEO of Wood & Burn, a camping stove brand that has been creating products using wood and fire since 2013. Ourbrand primarily manufactures wood-burning stoves for home use, pellet stoves, and camping stoves.
At first, I made products by myself in a workshop about 10 pyeong in size. Back then, I set up a Naver Cafe and posted photos of my work there. One by one, people saw the cafe and started buying my products, and I began selling small quantities—about 10 units a month. That start has continued to this day, and I’m now running the brand with about 10 employees.
For our wadiz funding campaign, we mainly showcased fire pits for enjoying the fire or cooking outdoors, as well as stoves that connect to a chimney. In addition, we’re also focusing on home stoves that use pellets or firewood for use inside tents or buildings.
▶ Curious about Wood & Burn’s funding campaign?
I decided to build the stove I wanted to use myself
The reason I started making products that use wood and fire is that I’m a pretty serious camper. Back when I worked at a company, I used to relieve stress by drinking. Then, I happened to try camping and fell in love with it.
I used to go camping with my family often, but in the fall, the temperature difference between day and night is huge. One night, I lay down to sleep and it was freezing. I couldn’t find a wood-burning stove on the market that I liked, and since I have hay fever, I knew gas or kerosene stoves wouldn’t work for me. That’s when I decided to build the stove I wanted myself, so I got started.
Of course, building a stove wasn’t easy. Fortunately, I had worked in design at my company and had picked up a bit of welding by watching others, so that helped. I studied the key techniques on my own by reading foreign materials and papers, and I also met someone in Korea who was introducing related technologies and culture and got help from them. Back then, there were almost no resources available in Korea for studying stoves and fireplaces, so I had to gather information the old-fashioned way—by putting in the legwork.
A business with a distinct off-season,
there were always challenges
Having run the brand for over 10 years, I feel like almost every moment has been challenging. When I quit my job, it was essentially like giving up a stable income to start a business with no capital. Since it’s a business with a distinct off-season, there were always financial difficulties.
Still, I think the reason I’ve been able to keep going this long is that I genuinely love “staring into the fire.” Even now, when I’m testing products, I’ll light a fire and just stare into it blankly—I really enjoy that time. Staring into the fire is my driving force.
Second is my family, who supports me wholeheartedly. Seeing me enjoy my work for the first time, my family cheered me on a lot. I believe I’ve been able to get this far thanks to the work I love and the family who supports me in it.
Because I’m more passionate about this work than anyone else, I pour all my energy into creating every single product. The reason I haven’t expanded into other travel product categories is so I can focus even more on the fireplaces I’m currently prioritizing.
There’s aphrase I always include in my stories:“The prosumer spirit of creating the products I want to use myself.” This spirit is the very essence of Wood & Burn. I started this brand by making the products I wanted to use myself, and since I only create products that satisfy me personally, I always keep this spirit in mind as I work.
The most important aspect of running a brand is
communication with actual users.
The “MyStove Mini,”which we launched through a wadiz funding campaign, was a stove that received a great response, raising a cumulative total of about 400 million won. Actually, this product had been sitting in the warehouse as a prototype for about a year. But my wife discovered it and actively offered her comments on the design, which led to its release. Since it’s small, it’s relatively less warm, but that actually made it perfect for enjoying the fire’s glow even in the summer.
Since then, I always ask my wife for her comments when evaluating new product designs—whether the design is appealing from a user’s perspective and what improvements could be made. Communication with actual users is the most important part of creating travel products.
On the Naver Cafe I mentioned earlier, we’ve been collecting reviews ever since we had just 10 or 20 members. If someone posts a question about a product, I reply within 10 minutes. I actually learn a lot more than I expected through that process.Even though we always try to think from the user’s perspective, real users might have different ideas, so I think it’s important to have lots of conversations with them.
Wadiz funding—
Once you try it, you’ll get the hang of it
Wood & Burn ran its first funding campaign on wadiz in 2019. Since I’d always been very interested in crowdfunding, I’d been determined to run a funding campaign on wadiz at least once. From a creator’s perspective , the system—where we produce only the quantity of products for which sales are guaranteed and can receive feedback from supporters—was truly appealing.
Plus, unlike regular shopping, which is often a one-time purchase, you stay connected with your supporters. People who participate in fundinga project onceoften go on to participate in funding other products, becoming true fans of our brand. For example, our Naver Cafe membership has grown significantly since our wadiz campaign.
Some people find launching a funding campaign daunting, but once you try it, you’ll get the hang of it. That’s how it was for me. Once I got started, I ended up running a total of eight projects. I’m not saying you should go into it lightly, though. (Laughs) Basically, if you’re ready to connect with potential supporters, I really hope you’ll give it a try.I think you’re more likely to succeed with funding if you genuinely want to share yourbrand and products with others and communicate with them.
If I were to give one tip for travel funding, it’s that “that one little something” is crucial—that one specific thing you want to highlight in your project. We showcase that point with a single photo. Since our product involves fire, we capture a high-quality image of it beautifully burning. This helps supporters imagine themselves using the product.
For people’s true “rest”
We stand before the fire again today
The wadiz funding campaign has been a huge help in every aspect, from brand awareness to sales. At first, our production volume was so low that we were always at a disadvantage when it came to sourcing raw materials and components. It was a structure where we had no choice but to produce at a high cost and sell at a high price. However, through wadiz, we were able to achieve economies of scale. By negotiating with suppliers using the inventory secured through the funding, we were able to lower our production costs. Since this was reflected in the prices for consumers, a virtuous cycle was created. I believe this was a major reason the brand was able to grow.
With many people turning to camping during the COVID-19 pandemic, camping has become a major travel trend. Just as it was my original motivation for starting this brand, Wood & Burn will continue to focus on helping people enjoy true “rest” in the future. We’ll keep communicating with our users and working hard, just as we are now, so please continue to show your support.
Written by Han Ji-hye
▶ This content was first featured on the wadiz blog. If you’re curious about more stories on the blog, click!