Saved Up Military Salary to Start a Business, Achieved 7x Sales Growth... 28-Year-Old Succeeds with Insects [Content Commerce]

Bang Suhyun, CEO of Kkumdomi, Shares Pet Insect Breeding Content
Sales Grew 6 to 7 Times Compared to 2021
"Plans to Enter the Japanese Insect Breeding Market Next Year"

'Kkumdomi' is a YouTube channel that uploads content related to insects, including pet insect breeding methods, collection know-how, and product reviews. The channel is run by Bang Syehyun, the CEO of Kkumdomi, a 28-year-old young entrepreneur who has been collecting and breeding insects for 15 years since middle school.

Bang began breeding insects during his childhood while living in Japan. At that time, rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles could be easily found in Japanese parks, and insects were widely sold even in supermarkets, reflecting a well-developed insect breeding culture. When he was around five or six years old, he saved up his allowance from his mother to purchase his first rhinoceros beetle. The memory of observing that beetle led to his continued interest in insects, and from middle school, he started breeding them in earnest with proper equipment. He shared information about breeding through blogs and online communities.

Bangsyehyun, CEO of Kkumdomi, is holding insects sold at the Kkumdomi office in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Provided by Cafe24

Bang said, "While serving in the military, I wanted to start an insect-related business, so I saved my salary to buy equipment and prepared for entrepreneurship. I thought that by creating my own channel on YouTube and providing content that shares insect-related knowledge, just as I did on blogs and online communities, I could strategically utilize it for commerce. That's why I started in earnest in 2021."

The initial startup process was not smooth. Most of the business funds he saved during his military service were spent on purchasing business equipment such as cameras and computers. To save money, he rented a 70-pyeong (approximately 231 square meters) plot of land in Uiseong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, leveled the ground himself, and built a greenhouse to create a breeding environment. After overcoming many difficulties to establish the business foundation, he relocated to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, where he now operates the business stably.

Kkumdomi's greatest differentiator is its "cleanliness." To break the stereotype that breeding insects makes the surroundings dirty, the channel focuses on introducing hygienic breeding methods. One representative example is the bedding. Generally, bedding made from fermented sawdust containing many microorganisms is often used, but this increases the risk of mold or fruit flies. Unless adult insects are in the breeding season and require nutrients, using hinoki or aspen bedding keeps things cleaner, and Kkumdomi shares such tips.

Another strength is that the content is wholesome and suitable for both children and parents to watch together. Kkumdomi provides many practical tips that are genuinely helpful for insect breeding, without sensational content. Bang explained, "When children are interested in insects, it is usually the parents who actually make the purchase. The conversion rate is higher when we share methods for keeping insects as cleanly as possible. Although the subscriber count is still not high due to the narrow focus on insect breeding, many viewers are seriously raising insects, which greatly benefits the business."

Kkumdomi is growing its business through breeding products it has developed itself. Bang is increasing business efficiency by utilizing Cafe24's "YouTube Shopping" feature. In fact, about 30 to 40 percent of total sales are generated through YouTube. Currently, Kkumdomi's brand sales have grown six to seven times compared to when the business started in 2021. One of the flagship products is the "KIB Jelly Cutter," which slices insect jelly feed in one piece. If the jelly is given whole, the leftovers can spoil or become difficult to manage, but cutting it in half helps maintain freshness and makes replacement easier. Additionally, a new version has been released that allows two jellies to be cut at once, compared to previous products. This product is especially popular among those breeding dozens of insects and has sold over 5,000 units cumulatively.

Bang said, "The domestic market for insect breeding products is so small that there are only a handful of companies developing products directly in Korea. Kkumdomi's strength is that we constantly develop new products to address inconveniences experienced by breeders themselves. Although the Japanese market is larger than Korea's, due to national characteristics, there is often less attention paid to detailed convenience improvements. I believe we can be sufficiently competitive in this area."

Bang plans to enter the Japanese insect breeding market in the future. He said, "Starting next year, I want to actively enter the Japanese insect breeding market, which is said to be about 40 times larger than Korea's, and export K-insect breeding products. My goal is for 'Kkumdomi' to become synonymous with insects, to establish ourselves as the number one pet insect brand, and to grow into a brand with a clean and innovative image, just like the 'Apple' of the insect world."