[Culture] Capturing New Customers by Adding “This” to Concept Shoots

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"Youth Hanbok Arang" by Maker Park Hye-yeon
"The Photo Shoot Funding Campaign Was a Success"

Maker 'Youth Hanbok Arang' Profile

3-Line Summary

• Cheongchun Hanbok Arang, a hanbok brand that blends tradition with a modern sensibility, chose wadiz as the platformto launch its first concept photo shoot package.
• By weaving a distinct Story titled “A Journey Back in Time” throughout the entire shoot, the brand sought to differentiate itself from conventional photo shoots.
• By showcasing a unique experience of enjoying hanbok in everyday life, they achieved cumulative funding of over 200 million won and a satisfaction rating of 5.0. This also allowed them to significantly increase their revenue.

STAY ORDINARY, KEEP CLASSIC

Park Hye-yeon, CEO of Youth Hanbok Arang

Q. Hello. Could you please introduce Youth Hanbok Arang?

Hello. We are Youth Hanbok Arang, a brand that offers new cultural experiences by infusing traditional hanbok with a modern sensibility. Under the slogan “STAY ORDINARY, KEEP CLASSIC,” we incorporate elements that are both familiar and beautiful to today’s audience into hanbok.

While hanbok is Korea’s representative traditional attire, the market has shrunk significantly compared to the past. Since the industry is dominated by long-established brands and master artisans with decades of experience—rather than startups pursuing innovation—initiatives like social media and funding are relatively rare. That’s why our approach has stood out even more. We still consider ourselves a fledgling brand, but our goal is to slowly and steadily develop Arang’s unique identity.  

Q. You’re running a variety of hanbok-related businesses, from sales to rentals and photo shoots. Was there a specific reason you became so passionate about hanbok?

It wasn’t so much that I loved hanbok from the start, but rather that it began with a sense of something missing in my life. Back when I was traveling a lot, I used to experience the traditional culture of every country I visited. The joy I felt from encountering their unique food and clothing turned into a deep affection for those countries and became unforgettable, special memories. 

I wanted to give my foreign friends the same experience when they visited Korea, but there were no opportunities to showcase our traditional culture. In particular, trying on traditional clothing was limited to just throwing on a hanbok and taking a few photos. Eight years ago, when I started my business, even that was rare. Seeing how underappreciated hanbok was, I thought, “Couldn’t I do a better job of introducing it?” My desire for people to enjoy our culture through hanbokis what led to the creation of Arang today.

Q. The color schemes of your hanbok—like aurora and hologram—are quite unique. Where do you get this inspiration?

I’d like you to think of the hanbok we present not as the creation of a single designer, but as Arang’s hanbok. These garments are the result of everyone’s comments—from our part-time staff to the instructors who handle the ironing. 

When creating new designs, what we prioritize is “the coexistence of elements that resonate with people of this generation and traditional elements.”Rather than focusing on older adults familiar with traditional hanbok or young people who aren’t very familiar with it, we strive to resonate with people in their 20s to 40s—those who can embrace new culture based on a certain level of understanding. That’s why we draw heavily on things we encounter while traveling, design sites like Pinterest, and fashion weeks. At the same time, we make sure to preserve traditional silhouettes, such as the “jar-shaped” fit. That’s what makes hanbok truly hanbok.

Q. What about your photo shoot concepts? I’ve noticed a wide variety of themes, like *Alice in Wonderland* and *The Lady of the Inner Chambers*.

When deciding on a new concept, I don’t set any boundaries.I might draw on elements from fantasy novels that spandifferent eras, or draw inspiration from familiar fairy tales. I believe that even an idea that might seem trivial can become a new story when connected to existing concepts. 

Next, we consider how far we can bring this Story to life in the photo shoot. Our customers should be able to blend naturally into the photos while enjoying the process. Since there aren’t any clear references to follow, it takes a long time to go through trial and error—from setting up the studio to deciding on poses—but all of us at Arang are truly passionate about the concepts, so we enjoy the process.

Youth Hanbok Arang’s First Funding Campaign: “Alice in Wonderland” Concept Studio

Q. Since everyone has different tastes, it must be challenging to capture them all in photos. Does Arang have its own set of standards when producing the final results?

Since our customersdecide to book a shoot after seeing our lookbook, we believethey deserve results that live up to those expectations. Even if the photographers’ styles differ, the retouched photos must be of the same quality as the lookbook. We believe the best results come when we infuse each person’s individuality into the photos, which is why we tend to have lengthy preliminary consultations. We go beyond just the questionnaire to have in-depth conversations, paying attention to even the smallest details to understand each customer’s style. 

Wadiz: Where supporters who recognize the value of experiences gather

Reviews left by supporters on the Community forum after the first funding campaign 

Q. I understand your brand has a strong social media presence and is sought out by many celebrities. Given that you already have a loyal fan base, why did you choose to launch a funding campaign?

As I mentioned earlier, the hanbok market has changed significantly over time. The consumer base has shifted, and the market itself has shrunk. So, while the brand may appear large on the surface, its actual influence and the size of its fan base aren’t particularly large.

Although we have a large number of social media followers, it’s not always easy to actually give them the opportunity to experience hanbok. To spread the idea that “hanbok can be enjoyed in everyday life and is a way to experience culture,” we needed a channel to showcase ourselves to the public. That’s why we turned to wadiz.Since it’s a platform designed not justto sell products but to tell stories, we felt we could share Arang’s story and communicate sincerely with our supporters.

Q. It must not have been easy to reach the point where your entire stock was subject to funding in just five minutes. What was the most challenging part of the preparation process?

Schedule management and communication were the biggest challenges. You can’t just launch a funding campaign the moment you decide to, right? From preliminary preparations through the launch, campaign end, and settlement, there are various issues and inquiries that can arise at each stage, so we had to scrutinize everything thoroughly. 

Plus, unlike regular products where the funding ends once the items are shipped, the photo shoot package is different—the real work begins after the funding ends. I had to contact the photographer and coordinate schedules with the studio and makeup artist to align with the reservation dates, so the communication process was quite complex. Also, since the number of people who can be photographed in a single day is limited, I was concerned that not all supporters would be able to schedule their photoshoots on their preferred dates and times. I did my best to adjust the schedule to accommodate the circumstances of our supporters, but I had to have a lot of conversations to convince them and help them understand this process.

Growing Revenue Through Crowdfunding

Q. So, what would you say are the advantages of wadiz based on your experience as a maker?

It gave methe opportunity to use the Story to convince supporters of the kind of experience they could have. This was particularly helpful in two ways. First, it allowed me to overcome some of the challenges involved in selling photo shoot vouchers. In fact, photo shoots aren’t something individuals can easily attempt on their own. Since they’re unfamiliar with the process, many find it hard to recognize the value of a professional photo shoot and are often put off by the cost. However, by explaining our efforts and the shooting process in the Story, I think we were able to effectively convey the experiential value.

Second, thanks to the investments from those who resonated with this value, we were able to take a step forward in terms of profitability as well. The rewards we unveiled on wadiz this time are the most expensive products in Arang’s entire service lineup. We’ve always wanted to try new things, but we couldn’t easily take the plunge because it wouldn’t make sense if our customers didn’t buy into it. However,through wadiz, we were able to launch products in a new price range and simultaneously enhance both product diversity and profitability.

Q. In your Story, you mentioned that you wanted to “show that hanbok can be diverse and beautiful.” Did you actually reach a new customer base through this funding campaign?

Yes, I think we reached more people than we expected. Some discovered us through wadiz, while others purchased additional items from our existing collection after seeing our concept photoshoot. Most importantly, many participated in the funding because they were interested in the photoshoot—and when I thought about it, quite a few mentioned that it was the first time they’d worn hanbok since kindergarten. It gave me a sense of pride to help them reconnect with moments they had long forgotten, and I was happy that our hope for people to enjoy hanbok in their daily lives seemed to come across clearly.

Q. I’m curious if you noticed any differences between your existing customers and wadiz supporters.

They have a very high level of understanding of the product. Just a few years ago, the only types of photos people took were ID photos and family portraits, so concept shoots might have seemed unfamiliar—but wadiz supporterscame in fully aware of what this product was all about. Perhaps because they participated in the funding process out of genuine interest, they were friendly and positive from the moment they walked in. Thanks to that, we enjoyed the shoot, and the supporters’ reactions were much better. Even after we delivered the retouched photos, they expressed their gratitude in great detail and acknowledged our efforts, which gave me the motivation to keep going for quite some time.

Think about your own unique concept and Story that isn’t swayed by trends

Q. Having gone through a total of four funding campaigns, to whom would you recommend funding—those just starting a business or those aiming to expand their market?

I’m a bit cautious since I haven’t gone through every single stage, but I don’t think there’s a single right answer. In our case, we took on this new challenge while running our existing business. We put a lot of thought into how to show people that hanbok can be enjoyed in everyday life through Arang’s unique sensibility. That’s when the idea came to us: combining hanbok with imaginary worlds like Alice in Wonderland and the “Gyubang Girls.” It was an unconventional concept, and I think the positive outcome was largely due to the fact that many people resonated with the Story we shared.I believe that if you can offer a unique experiencelike thisand fully weave it into your Story, you’ll be able to achieve your goals.

If you’re just starting out, thiscould be agreat opportunity to make yourself known. With social media and ads, you have to represent yourself with just a single photo or a single line of text, but there’s only so much you can convey through a single image. Crowdfunding, however, allows you to share your personal story in detail, so I think it’s a great channel to use to promote yourself.

Q. Finally, could you share a few words for aspiring makers looking to launch a photography funding campaign on wadiz?

These days, it seems people are more interested in photographing “themselves”than ever before. Just look at how selfies and body profile photos have become mainstream. Perhaps that’s why there are more accessible products on the market, but I believe that something “easy” and “lighthearted” is, in a way, something anyone can do. If there are too many similar products, everyone’s competitive edge will eventually diminish. That’s why I thinkit’s essential to have a solid, unique concept or Story of your own—one that isn’t swept up in fleeting trends.

We, too, are striving to incorporate this into our offerings. When we have an idea, we try it out faster than others and think it through deeply until we’re confident that “this will generate this level of response.” After all, you can only convince others if you’re convinced yourself. Our next project is no exception. We’re preparing an experience that only Arang can offer by combining beautiful hanbok with a distinct concept, so please continue to show your support.

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Written by Written by Jeong Da-hye, Edited by Han Ji-hye