The Korea Student Aid Foundation (Chairman Bae Byungil) announced on September 29 that ‘Ollif’ (CEO Bae Jihwan, a freshman in the Department of Youth Guidance and Education at Daegu Science University), a tenant company of the Daegu Youth Startup Center, is operating ‘Cafe Dorim,’ an experiential multi-purpose space in Dalseong-gun where visitors can interact with insects and reptiles, thereby creating social value such as revitalizing the local economy.
The Korea Student Aid Foundation is a quasi-governmental institution under the Ministry of Education, established in 2009 to provide specialized and comprehensive financial support for higher education, ensuring that anyone can have educational opportunities according to their will and ability regardless of their economic circumstances. With an annual budget exceeding 11 trillion won, the foundation implements various programs to foster future talent, including national scholarships, student loans, national work-study scholarships, national excellence scholarships, donations, and mentoring.
The indoor view of the cafe where ‘Ollif,’ a tenant company of the Korea Student Aid Foundation Daegu Youth Startup Center, opened ‘Cafe Dorim,’ featuring the ecological program ‘Feeding Experience’ and serving coffee and beverages.
‘Ollif,’ a company specializing in insects, has led efforts to address the depletion of marine resources by developing feed using insects as well as traditional live feed (juvenile fish) used in aquaculture. Leveraging the accessibility to the city and the beautiful natural scenery of Dalseong-gun, the company launched its own unique nature and animal experience cafe, ‘Dorim.’
‘Cafe Dorim’ was designed so that children and families living in urban environments, where access to nature is limited, can experience live insects and reptiles up close and appreciate the value of nature.
Here, children can step away from mobile devices to interact with insects and reptiles, fostering ecological sensitivity and curiosity, while parents can relax in a nature-inspired cafe space and find psychological comfort.
In particular, all staff members are experts from the Department of Industrial Entomology at Korea National University of Agriculture and Fisheries, providing visitors with in-depth knowledge and meaningful experiences through ecological classes such as ‘seasonal insect exploration,’ ‘understanding reptile ecology,’ ‘feeding experience,’ and ‘making insect specimens.’
Bae Jihwan, CEO of Ollif, stated, “Our ultimate goal goes beyond simply offering an experiential and relaxation space; we aim to create social value that positively impacts the Daegu region. Through ecological classes at Cafe Dorim, we provide children with opportunities to directly experience and learn about the diversity and importance of nature and living organisms, stimulate the local economy through steady visitor inflow, promote intergenerational communication by providing a space where parents and children can enjoy together, help visitors appreciate the value of life through interaction with insects and reptiles, and offer psychological comfort to local residents through nature.”
Bae Byungil, Chairman of the Korea Student Aid Foundation, said, “We support the creation of social value through the opening of an experiential cafe by a resident of the Daegu Startup Dormitory. In line with the government’s policy to foster the startup ecosystem, the Korea Student Aid Foundation will continue to provide tailored support so that (prospective) entrepreneurs with sufficient will and capability can pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.”
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