Learned Coffee Following a Friend... Achieved '100 Million KRW Monthly Sales' on YouTube [Content Commerce]

Interview with No Jubin, CEO of 'Geunyang Wondoo Coffee,'
A YouTube Channel Loved by Coffee Enthusiasts
17 Years in Coffee... The Success of Health-Conscious 'Bulletproof Coffee'

"The answer to coffee lies within each person's own taste. I want to help everyone find their perfect cup."

No Jubin, CEO of 'Geunyang Wondoo Coffee,' runs a YouTube channel familiar to coffee enthusiasts. If you search coffee-related keywords such as 'coffee bean storage methods' or 'home coffee machines' in the YouTube search bar, content from this channel appears first. CEO No shares various coffee information with viewers, including coffee bean characteristics and brewing methods. The channel is known for pursuing straightforward content rather than following trends.

No Joo-bin, CEO of Geunyang Wondoo Coffee, explaining coffee in a YouTube channel video. (Photo by Cafe24)

CEO No majored in International Business Management in college and began studying coffee by chance while working in the clothing industry in his late twenties. After learning brewing methods at a coffee academy with a friend who loved coffee, he started studying seriously. He is passionate about coffee, having operated three coffee shop locations himself and managed up to three franchise stores while running a coffee specialty brand.

CEO No said, "When I brewed coffee properly, the taste was truly excellent," adding, "It was fascinating how the taste changed depending on who brewed it, which made me enjoy coffee even more." He has 17 years of experience in coffee. During that time, he has served as a judge at various barista competitions and taught students as an adjunct professor in the barista department at a university for over ten years.

The distinguishing feature of Geunyang Wondoo Coffee is 'health.' Having been physically weak and sensitive since childhood, CEO No often felt fatigued after drinking low-quality coffee. In his search for coffee he could enjoy, he became interested in coffee that benefits health. The signature menu of Geunyang Wondoo Coffee is 'Bulletproof Coffee.' This coffee is made by mixing coffee with oil and butter containing medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), attracting attention from people managing their health through the so-called 'low-carb, high-fat' diet. This coffee also promotes diuresis, helping to expel waste products from the body.

Bulletproof Coffee became popular as a health management recipe among young entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. Leveraging his expertise as a coffee professional, CEO No researched how to maximize the taste while preserving the benefits of Bulletproof Coffee. He explained, "To reduce carcinogen formation, we roast coffee at low temperatures and rigorously manage quality by conducting quarterly tests for mold, toxins, and carcinogenic substances."

CEO No faced a crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic while operating offline stores. Due to the nature of cafes handling specialty coffee, which involves conveying stories about origins and flavors to increase sales of premium beans, face-to-face sales channels were blocked.

However, the crisis became an opportunity. In early 2022, he closed offline stores and shifted sales channels to the YouTube platform. By applying the 'YouTube Shopping' feature to the channel through the Cafe24 platform, he introduced and sold numerous coffee-related products such as ingredients exclusive to Bulletproof Coffee, coffee beans, filters, grinders, and coffee makers. The highest monthly sales recorded online by the Geunyang Wondoo Coffee brand reached 130 million KRW.

CEO No said, "YouTube is a platform with an overwhelming number of users in Korea, so I thought I could meet many consumers with purchasing power," adding, "The advantage is that the process from discovering a product to making an actual purchase is effectively shortened."

He added, "Coffee is very familiar to modern people, but it is difficult to brew coffee that suits one's own taste," and "I want this channel to help anyone brew coffee according to their preferred taste."