Cement Sack Backpack That Evoked Memories: 'The Weight of My Life'

A man walking on a construction site carrying the backpack "The Weight of My Life."
Photo by Seongsin Cement

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] A stout man wearing a T-shirt is walking at a construction site carrying a cement sack on his back. His expression looks as if he is bearing all the hardships of the world. Upon closer look, what he is carrying on his back is not a cement sack but a backpack designed with the 'Cheonma Cement' logo. The T-shirt also features the Cheonma Cement logo. This backpack, worn by the man, is a popular product grandly named 'The Weight of My Life.'

Cheonma Cement is a brand of cement produced by Sungshin Cement. On the 1st, Sungshin Cement collaborated with the online shopping mall 4XR to produce and launch five products: a backpack, safety helmet, T-shirt, slippers, and towel. Among these, the safety helmet was given away as a gift through an event, while the other four items were sold on the market.

In particular, the backpack was made to closely resemble a cement sack to the point of being mistaken for one. Although the material differs from actual cement sacks, it uses paper leather (hanji leather) with a texture similar to cement sacks. It is sturdy, made by bonding hanji?traditional Korean paper made from mulberry bark?with natural cotton fibers. The crumpled paper feel was preserved. Only 500 units were produced as a limited edition.

The products were sold on the 4XR online mall and at six direct offline stores located in Seoul, Suwon, Incheon, Daejeon, Gwangju, and Changwon, as well as on Musinsa Mall. The backpack sold out within a week of its release amid tremendous customer response. Customers were enthusiastic about the product’s copy, which reads, 'The solitary path of a man who steadfastly walks through harsh and difficult adversity. We support them.'

The backpack and other items sparked significant buzz on the 4XR website, internet blogs, Instagram, and Facebook. Customers even dubbed the set of five items?backpack, safety helmet, T-shirt, slippers, and towel?the 'Nogada Edition.' The term 'Nogada Edition' is a portmanteau combining 'nogada,' a slang term for construction day laborers, and 'edition,' referring to a limited fashion product edition.

Customers also requested additional releases of the 'The Weight of My Life' backpack, but unfortunately, 4XR plans not to produce more due to the limited quantity. The backpack is currently so popular that it is being resold at a premium on secondhand markets like Junggonara.

The T-shirts, after selling out in the first batch, were restocked on the 17th and are selling well. Towels are sometimes given as gifts with the backpack and are also sold individually. The slippers, humorously marketed with the copy 'Slippers made for the CEO to wear,' are also selling very well.

Before collaborating with Sungshin Cement, 4XR had previously released collaboration products with Daehan Flour’s Gom Pyo brand, including short-sleeve T-shirts, backpacks, and Gom Pyo keyrings. Kim Kwang-seon, head of 4XR’s sales and marketing team, said, 'Although the backpack is very popular, we will not produce additional units. Through issue marketing, 4XR and Sungshin Cement are mutually benefiting. We plan to continue collaborating with other companies,' raising expectations for future collaboration products.

A Sungshin Cement official stated, 'Many people did not know that Cheonma Cement is a product of Sungshin Cement, but through this collaboration, many have come to recognize the brand. Although it is difficult to quantify, we consider this to be a highly valuable intangible effect.'