A young entrepreneur in his 30s who successfully launched his first business with everyday hanbok: the maker of “Jedo”
A young entrepreneur in his 30s who successfully launched his first business with everyday hanbok
A young entrepreneur in his 30s
J-Do, a modern hanbok brand with the identity of “fluttering elegance”
J-Do is a brand that’s been around for about five years now.
CEO Do-jun of J-Do says that although this was his first time starting a business, he’s taken on many challenges before.
He tried part-time jobs as an extra and even worked on construction sites. He also worked as a server and in the food service industry.
We met with him, a young entrepreneur in his 30s, to ask what the first thing he had to do when starting his business was and how he launched his fashion brand.
and finally, why he decided to launch a funding campaign on wadiz and what he found most rewarding about the experience.
Shall we dive right into his insightful and meaningful story?
The Charm of Korean Hanbok
CEO Do-jun says he first became interested in hanbok when he was twenty.
As he looked into hanbok, he found that there weren’t many options for men, and many designs were uncomfortable, making people reluctant to wear them.
This led him to the idea of incorporating elements of hanbok into Western clothing to create garments that anyone could wear easily and comfortably, which is why he began designing them himself.
As it happened, he also had a truly reliable support system. CEO Do Jun’s parents ran a contract manufacturing business.
Although he had tried his hand at various ventures, the experience of watching his parents work from a young age led him to dive into this industry himself.
Perhaps clothing was an inseparable part of his life.
How to Start a Clothing Brand
He majored in digital animation. He’s always loved drawing.
Since launching the J-Do brand, he’s been able to fully showcase his talent by designing a wide variety of outfits.
When he created Jaydo, he says the first thing he did was define the brand identity.
When he thought of hanbok, the image of fluttering silk and the elegant silhouette of a high-quality hanbok came to mind, so he began with the identity “The Beauty of Fluttering.”
He then proceeded to create various sketches. He would sketch whenever inspiration struck—whether while watching a drama or walking down the street.
He says that once he starts sketching, he loses track of time—he can easily spend three to four hours at a stretch.
She also spent a lot of time exploring Dongdaemun to study fabrics.
Once she sourced and brought the fabrics back, master artisans with over 40 years of experience would divide the work into cutting, sewing, ironing, and other tasks to bring the garments to life.
He repeated this process for three months and was finally able to launch his business.
The unsung heroes behind the J-Do brand: the artisans
They say there isn’t a single part of the J-Do brand that hasn’t been touched by the hands of these artisans.
Artisans who have been working since the heyday of tailor shops and dressmakers come together to bring CEO Do-jun’s sketches to life.
That’s why, unlike other clothing brands, everything—from sketches to production, quality control, and shipping—is handled under one roof.
Because every step of the process is transparent, the brand not only builds trust but also delivers a clear difference in quality.
Perhaps it’s no coincidence that they’ve raised over 600 million won in cumulative funding on wadiz.
wadiz, Without a Doubt
They say they first learned about wadiz through a friend’s recommendation.
They felt that wadiz’s funding system was a perfect fit for J-Do, a brand just getting started. Wadiz has also been successful in traditional categories.
They ran their early projects on their own, but after being contacted by a wadiz project manager, they were able to lay the groundwork for even greater growth.
When asked what they liked most about using wadiz, they replied, “The reviews from our supporters.”
Once a funding project ends, reviews from supporters start appearing one by one: “This is the first time I’ve met such a kind maker,”
“I work at an art museum, and this fits the current exhibition’s atmosphere perfectly,” or “My girlfriend loved the gift I gave her”—
There have been many moments of pride, and these days, she’s even gained regular supporters—so much so that when she sees a familiar name, she’ll sometimes include an extra tassel.
Thanks to these experiences, he says he always runs his new product funding campaigns on wadiz.
That’s because it allows them to gauge supporters’ reactions and identify ways to take the clothing to the next level.
Plus, the advance payment helps a lot with securing initial funding.
He says he always recommends to friends who are starting businesses that they launch funding campaigns first.
🎬 Watch the video to learn more about Jaydo Maker’s startup journey and funding story
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