A 25.2 Billion Won Annual Sales Legend Built from a Side Job

In Wangpi, Uljin, the peak season for picking bracken runs for about one month, from late April through May.

The picked bracken is blanched, then dried for two days before storage; dried bracken is prized as a winter ingredient that can be eaten year-round.

Back when orders came by fax, Master Ko Hwa-sun often worked until 2 or 3 a.m. to deliver greens, often leaving her children home alone.

Her children grew on their own through their mother's absence and supported her business, and this family sacrifice became the solid foundation of a wild-greens business that has lasted nearly 30 years.

Blanching is essential to remove the trace toxins found in raw bracken.

Blanched bracken should be dried right away while still hot, which removes moisture quickly and preserves its natural color and aroma. This is done in a well-ventilated place, flipping the greens every three hours as they dry.

About 20 years ago, during the period when she was supplying school lunches, a teacher asked Master Ko Hwa-sun whether she trimmed the greens herself.

She answered matter-of-factly that the owner should naturally do it personally. But the teacher, seeing the traces of greens on her hands, was moved and said she would order only from her from then on. Experiences like this, where customers recognized her sincerity, became an important driving force for expanding the business.

In 2021, Master Ko Hwa-sun was designated the first wild-greens master, and the following year she received a national decoration for contributing to increased farm income and job creation.

Her business, which started with nothing but bare hands, has grown beyond school lunch supply to franchises and export markets. It now processes about 2,000 tons of greens a year, achieving annual sales of 25 billion won, and targets 30 billion won.

To create a hygienic environment, Master Ko Hwa-sun replaced the dark sorting tables with bright lighting and white surfaces, making it easier to remove foreign matter.

She also developed a special process that uses foam to gently loosen tightly packed gondre leaves, improving the efficiency of large-volume processing. For trimming platycodon, she developed automated machines tailored to each use, such as 0.5 cm slices for frying, to boost productivity.

Every week, a 5-ton truckload of platycodon arrives at Master Ko Hwa-sun's factory.

Because platycodon spoils easily, she carefully controls the workshop temperature and uses chilled water instead of tap water, paying close attention to hygiene and freshness.

This large-scale platycodon processing technology is the result of long know-how built through countless trial and error and ongoing investment, and it has become a competitive edge that sets her apart from ordinary greens factories.

Master Ko Hwa-sun stresses that the foundation of bibimbap, a flagship of K-food, is greens, and she emphasizes the importance of Korean greens.

Drawing on the business skills she developed starting with school lunch supply, she expressed her ambition to introduce greens to people around the world and make them a central part of K-food and a globally recognized ingredient.