Yeon Jin-guk, an intern researcher at the Funding Institute. Filled with determination and passion, Yeon Jin-guk has finally been assigned his first task.
“Hey, intern researcher, would you like to write a funding research log?”
Yeon Jin-guk, who got scolded on his first day of work for confusing "cloud" with "crowd" (
How on earth did you end up becoming a research intern?Will he actually be able to carry out the mission successfully?Here begins Yeon Jin-guk’s Funding Exploration Journal.
Seeing a fellow maker my age launch a crowdfunding campaign and succeed sent ripples through my quiet daily life. I’ve got a little dream now: I need to launch my own project before the year is out. Here’s to it!
But where do I even start? It feels overwhelming. That’s because this funding plan wasn’t born out of a specific inconvenience or need—like asking, “Can’t this be improved?” or “I wish there was something like this!” Instead, it began with a simple desire to create my own crowdfunding project. But launching a crowdfunding campaign isn’t like starting to study English; you can’t do it with willpower alone. You need a product and an idea.
I decided to look into some projects for inspiration. As a recent graduate, it would be difficult for me to take on a project that requires operating a large-scale factory or extensive research. I’d like to find a project that an individual can handle, yet one that has a unique appeal.
In Day 5 of my crowdfunding exploration journal, I’ll document a few projects with unique ideas that make me think, “Wow, even this can be a crowdfunding project!” (A Detailed Account of Yeon Jinguk's Quest to Satisfy His Desires)
First Project: Start with What You Love
Casual hanbok and modernized hanbok have been around since I was a little kid. But back then, they were hard to find anywhere. These days, however, you can often see hanbok-inspired fashion on the streets. I guess that means the colors, patterns, and lines of our traditional clothing are really popular.
When you like something, don’t you want to keep looking at it and learn more about it? You also want to show it off. That’s exactly how the creator of this first project feels. After delving deeply into beautiful traditional Korean clothing, I decided I had to share it with others and launched a crowdfunding campaigncampaign.
The crowdfunding item is a catalog featuring traditional Korean attire.
출처 : 한국의 전통의상, 그 아름다운 빛깔을 한 권으로 소장하다 <한국의 복식>
The design project team, ColorMade,ColorMade has been consistently producing design books. On one occasion, they created a book showcasing Korean design as part of a project, and that’s when they fell in love with the beauty of Korea. This marked the beginning of the team’s passion for Korean traditional clothing, patterns, and color schemes. They also developed a belief that the more people learned about it, the more they would come to appreciate it. As a result, the team began archiving Korean traditional clothing, and that project eventually led to a crowdfunding campaign.
What do I like? Is there something I love so much that I want to share it with others? If I really think about it, wouldn’t that lead to a crowdfunding project, just like a maker does?
Dangui, wonsam, norigae, durumagi, ssangji, magoja… I had no idea our traditional clothing was so diverse. I only realized this after reading the introduction to Maker Story, which explained that the book categorizes a whopping 150 types of traditional garments by color, shape, and material. Maker really is the real deal. True to its reputation as a “museum in a book,” it’s packed with detailed explanations about when each garment is worn and how it’s made. It struck me that anyone who loves traditional Korean beauty might want to make this book their constant companion.
도록 일부 / 출처 : 한국의 전통의상, 그 아름다운 빛깔을 한 권으로 소장하다 <한국의 복식>
It was clear that the creator truly loves Korean beauty. To ensure that readers could fully appreciate the colors and textures, they enlisted skilled printing experts, used high-resolution images, and selected premium paper. Furthermore, to ensure reliability, they used only museum materials managed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Cultural Heritage Administration. Isn’t it precisely because they genuinely love this art that they are able to pay such meticulous attention to detail—and share it with others in the very best possible form?
I guess I need to think about whether there’s anything I like enough to pay attention to even the smallest details.
Project Two: While Others See the Forest, Let’s See the Trees and the Ground
There’s a newsletter I’ve been enjoying lately. It takes a single ingredient as its theme and explores it in depth until there’s nothing left to say. If the topic is tomatoes, it covers everything from varieties and history to recipes.
The second installment of The Gam Magazine Projectis no exception. Gam Magazine, which returned to readers through crowdfunding after a year’s hiatus, is a single-topic magazine that introduces one material per issue. It bills itself as the “Bible of Building Materials,” and it truly lives up to that name! From the inaugural issue on wood in 2017 to the latest issue on paper, it has thoroughly explored 19 different building materials.
Past issues of Gam Magazine / Source: Lighting, Temperature, Humidity… Stories of Building Materials That Shape the Atmosphere of a Space
The crowdfunding campaign featured Issue 18 (Wood II) and Issue 19 (Paper), both centered on eco-friendliness and carbon neutrality. In addition, it included a set of 10 wood samples showcasing the colors and grains of various trees, an incense holder made from recycled newspapers, and a hanji mobile finished with stitching instead of glue. These eco-friendly goods were provided alongside the magazine. Thanks to these goods, which share the same values as the magazine’s theme, my trust in the makers seems to be growing stronger!
No matter how good the products are, if the end result isn’t good, it can’t be called a successful project. The editorial team at Maker, also known as Gam Magazine, reportedly visited 20 locations and met with 23 brands and 54 people while preparing for the crowdfunding campaign. As a result, the two issues are packed with a total of 53 articles and 43 different materials.
Excerpt from "Wood II" / Source: Lighting, Temperature, Humidity… Stories of Building Materials That Shape the Atmosphere of a Space
There are many magazines that cover architecture in general. Maker chose to focus on the individual trees in that forest. While it’s important to see the forest as a whole, there are surely those who want to examine the bark and leaves of the trees, as well as the ground on which they stand.
Although the inaugural issue wasn’t brought to life through crowdfunding, this project is significant as an example that demonstrates the potential of tapping into a small niche. A small niche. Note to self!
Project Three: The Power of Being Completely Crazy
I think this is exactly what the positive impact of being passionate about something is all about. During my undergraduate years, I saw classmates who wrote their bachelor’s and master’s theses on the fandom culture of ARMY—the fanbase of BTS—and the BTS universe. My professor also showed great interest in the relationship between this global artist and their fanbase.
I’ve seen many instances where a deep love for someone leads to meaningful contributions to society. After all, it’s not uncommon for fans to volunteer or make donations in the name of their favorite singer or actor. But hosting an academic conference? On an international scale, no less? And launching a crowdfunding campaign for it? This is the third time I’m documenting this BTS International Academic Conference & Exhibition Tour Project.
Source: BTS International Academic Conference, Global Networking, and ARMY Exhibition Tour
The BTS International Academic Conference was not created solely for this funding. The first conference was held in London in 2020, and the second was held online in California in 2021. The reason this project caught my attention is that it demonstrates how fandom can leave a meaningful mark on history and how bringing people together can foster networking and cultural events. The saying “Do celebrities put food on the table?” no longer holds true. In today’s world, celebrities inspire people to pursue education and provide ideas that help them earn a living.
A maker giving a presentation / Source: BTS International Academic Conference and Global Networking & ARMY Exhibition Tour
Unlike previous episodes, the third episode, which was funded through crowdfunding, also featured a special art exhibition. It was planned in line with the values of BTS member RM, who enjoys art exhibitions. Works by approximately 20 artists were displayed, centered around seven keywords that BTS wanted to convey to the public.
The exhibition was planned and organized around the messages BTS conveys to society. / Source: BTS International Academic Conference and Global Networking & ARMY Exhibition Tour
Who would have thought that fandom could be the seed of cultural and artistic programming! I have great respect for this movement, which takes a love for artists and expands it into cultural and artistic programs and networking, while sharing both academic and practical insights.
I have an artist I like, too. Seeing this example makes me think maybe we fans should come together and make a meaningful impact on the world.
Digging? Focus on fundraising!
The three projects described here have something in common.
A crowdfunding project for people who are deeply passionate about a single thing—and for others like me out thereThat’s what it is.
Have you ever heard of "digging consumption"? It refers to a consumer trend in which people delve deeply into their interests, leading to the popularity of services and products that reflect those tastes.
Crowdfunding provides the ideal environment for this “digging phenomenon” to thrive. First of all, the crowdfunding world is full of “diggers”—both creators and backers. This makes it easy to find projects that perfectly match a digger’s tastes. What if there’s nothing I like? I can simply create something myself and get funding from people with similar tastes who are out there somewhere!
As I revisit the post titled “Can Even This Be Funded?”, I need to consider what I’m truly passionate about and explore the potential for creating value through that passion.
That concludes the entry for Day 5 of the Funding Exploration Journal.
View other logs 👀
Episode 1: “My First Assignment Has Been Assigned”
Episode 2: “Funding: One Name, Several Meanings”
Episode 3: “One Heartfelt Story Is Worth More Than Ten Features”
Episode 4: “We Are Gen Z, the Generation Launching Fundraising Campaigns”
Episode 6: “Did You Know There’s Crowdfunding Like This? Everyone’s Way of Thinking About the Environment”
Episode 7: “Let’s Go on a Special Trip with Crowdfunding”
Episode 8: “Workation: I’m Going on One Through Crowdfunding!”
Episode 9: “Trending Restaurants on Social Media Make Their Crowdfunding Debut!”
Episode 10: “Showcasing Delicacies from Across the Country Through Crowdfunding!”
Episode 11: “Crowdfunding: A Dash of Excitement for Your Best Life”
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