"We Are Not Selling Artifacts, But Delivering Value at the Muithz Shop"

[Interview] Kim Mikyung, Head of the National Museum Culture Foundation
Her Criteria for Museum Merchandise
"Always Weighing Dignity and Popular Appeal"
"Significance, Rarity, and Aesthetics Must Be Upheld"
"The First Question: 'Would I Want to Buy This?'"

The Muithz Shop, once occupying a quiet corner of the museum, has now become an essential stop for visitors. It used to be known as a souvenir shop-a place you could visit or skip without much thought-but today, it is the first destination for many who come to the museum. At the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, scenes of so-called "open runs," where people rush to the Muithz Shop as soon as the museum opens, are now common. This is driven by visitors eager to secure popular items with limited quantities before they sell out.

On the 22nd, Kim Mikyung, Head of the Product Business Division at the National Museum Culture Foundation, posed for a photo holding Muithz at the Muithz Shop on the first floor of the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan. Photo by Seo Mideum

It is also a common misconception that Muithz Shop employees are part of the museum staff. In reality, the personnel responsible for planning and operating the Muithz Shop and its products belong to the National Museum Culture Foundation. The foundation oversees the operation of Muithz Shops in national museums across the country. It is also known that the foundation is housed within the National Museum of Korea rather than in a separate building, and that employees do not receive individual incentives based on sales performance. This is because the foundation is classified as a public institution for balancing accounts: the government covers any deficits, while any profits generated are returned to the state.

However, this trend is changing. Muithz sales reached an all-time high last year, exceeding 41.3 billion won-about double the previous year. As a result, the foundation became the first public institution of its kind in Korea to receive government incentives.

Kim Mikyung, Head of the Product Business Division at the National Museum Culture Foundation, who led the Muithz success, recently told The Asia Business Daily, "Thanks to all the support, we now have a new holiday bonus," adding, "It will be paid for the first time this Lunar New Year, and from July this year, our staff will increase by nine people."

Kim, who joined the foundation in 2016, is a marketing expert. She previously planned products such as "Morning Rice" and "Green Plum" at Woongjin Foods, and managed the marketing for the "Seven Springs" salad bar at Samyang Corporation. After completing her MBA, she joined the museum foundation, recalling that the experience was "very unfamiliar." Everything from salary levels to organizational culture and work methods was markedly different from private companies. Nevertheless, she embraced this as "refreshing" and began to introduce small changes.

The starting point was curation. At the time, the Muithz Shop displayed products in a uniform way, making it difficult to stimulate purchasing desire. Kim introduced themed product exhibitions, set up a dedicated section for Hwajeopdo artifact merchandise in the center of the shop, and organized events linked to gift themes for Family Month. The response was immediate.

The criteria for Muithz product planning are significance, rarity, and aesthetics. To avoid distorting the message of artifacts, meetings and studies are held with the curatorial team, and both internal and external verification processes are followed. Even the shape of a hand on the Bangasayusang merchandise is carefully reviewed for appropriateness. Striking a balance between the dignity of the artifact and its appeal to the public is the greatest challenge. Only after passing the internal test-"Would I buy this as a consumer?"-is a product finalized. The Bangasayusang miniature "Mind Series," released to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, was also born through this process.

Recently, sustainability has also become an important criterion. The longer a product is used, the more its quality must be ensured. For example, the Gyeongcheonsa Ten-Story Pagoda ice mold was a big hit upon release, but was remanufactured after the peak season to improve its quality. Kim said, "I hope our products are not just one-time purchases, but become memorable tools that people continue to use and cherish."

Kim also commented, "Our staff work incredibly hard, regardless of department. The number of visitors to our online mall increased from about 10,000 to 700,000, so every employee helped with packaging, and offline stores became so crowded that lines formed, just like at luxury boutiques." Regarding future plans, she said, "We are simultaneously developing specialized products using collections from 13 regional national museums. The work is tough, but we are enjoying it."