Not a frying pan sold by an influencer, but a frying pan made by an influencer [Kuja Maker Part 1]
Together with wadiz
People Making Waves
Game Changer, Kuza
What is a Game Changer?
It refers to people who make a splash while partnering with wadiz.
"Game Changer" features the heartfelt stories of makers.
Interview Highlights!
- An Unusual Resume
- The Kuza Pan, even used by Michelin-starred restaurants
- A frying pan “made” by an influencer, not one “sold” by one
▲ Watch the video now
An Unusual Resume
"I worked part-time as a server at a chicken restaurant."
When I was young, I competed as a marksman for 10 years because I was told I could attend school for free. Eventually, I ended up running a chicken restaurant.
My mother ran the kitchen, and I worked part-time there as a server.
The owner at the time was a first-time business owner, so he found the physical demands very tough.
Eventually, he decided to put the shop up for sale, so we borrowed money and took over the chicken restaurant.
After that, I worked in the automotive industry for about six years before becoming Kooja, the YouTuber and TikToker I am today.
“Can you make money on YouTube?”
For about five or six years, it was the era when people said, “You can make money on YouTube.” Everyone told me, “You know cars well—why don’t you try a car YouTube channel?”
But I didn’t want to do anything car-related. So I chose cooking instead.
I worked hard filming and uploading cooking videos, but it didn’t go well. I realized that YouTube isn’t something you can just control however you want.
"I have to find a way!"
I had to find a different approach—one that wasn’t cooking videos.
Stainless steel pans are really hard to use. They’re heavy, and if you’re not careful, food sticks to them.
But I couldn’t find any channels that clearly explained the principles behind stainless steel or how to use it, could I?
That’s when I decided, “I should make a video explaining stainless steel pans,” and put all my other work on hold for a month.
I visited universities and manufacturers to make the video, and about a month or two later, it got picked up by the algorithm. The view count went through the roof.
After that, I started making videos focusing more on stainless steel.
The Kuzapan Used Even by Michelin-Starred Restaurants
“I want that frying pan, too!”
By chance, I met the CEO of a great manufacturer.
I told him, “Every brand has its own strengths, and I want to create a frying pan that combines all of them.” To be honest, “I want one” would probably be a more accurate way to put it.
But the CEO actually made a similar frying pan for me. After I received it, I pointed out areas that could be improved.
That’s how I got my second frying pan, and it was absolutely amazing. So I showed it off on YouTube!
"Will this actually sell?"
As soon as I showed it off on YouTube, my subscribers started leaving comments saying, “I want to buy this.” I found myself wondering, “Will this actually sell?”
When I mentioned this to the CEO of the manufacturer, he said he’d produce a large batch so I could try selling it.
That’s how I started a group buy on YouTube. And that’s when I was met with a truly astonishing result.
It took only about 5 minutes to sell 1,000 units. I know it’s just 1,000 units, but at 70,000 won each, that’s almost 100 million won.
It was the first time in my life I’d experienced something like that.
“Five out of ten are Michelin-starred restaurants.”
In fact, out of the restaurants we know, 10 of them use Kujapan. It’s significant that 5 of those are Michelin-starred restaurants.
I heard that Chef Lee Jun from a restaurant called “Swaniye” uses Kujapan. I happened to meet Chef Lee Jun, and he
told me that since high-end restaurants cook one portion at a time, it would be great to have a Kujapan in a size suitable for restaurants, eateries, and other food service establishments.
That’s when our collaboration with Chef Lee Jun began. Over the course of more than a year, we worked together to draw design blueprints, create prototypes, and experiment with various approaches.
That’s how we ended up creating the pan Chef Lee Jun wanted, and we even launched a funding campaign for it.
A frying pan “made” by an influencer
“How many companies actually create products by engaging in dialogue with consumers?”
I believe synergy happens when the product I want to create aligns with what consumers are looking to buy.
Even now, we communicate extensively not only with our subscribers but also with our supporters.
Whenever we develop a new product, we keep refining it through discussions like, “How about making it this way? How about that way?”
"Do you sell products once you become famous?"
There are concerns that this is just a frying pan made by a YouTuber—or, in other words, an influencer. It’s not uncommon to hear people say that as soon as someone becomes even a little famous, they start selling products.
If you look at those people, many of them are already selling products made by other companies.
But I’d like you to understand that I’m personally creating these products—handling everything from design and development to research—and doing my absolute best to make them.
This isn’t just a one-off product—it’s something I’m putting my name on, so I hope you’ll continue to show your interest and support.
This isn’t a frying pan that an individual influencer is “selling”—it’s a frying pan that an individual influencer has “made.”
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