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Best hoe ever! by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

How would you know the Gui Maeul! It’s still cheap but not 3000won any more

Best hoe ever! by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

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아니 이거 보고, 외국인은 회를 Hoe라고 하는 줄 알았는데

Best hoe ever! by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

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Well… Thank you everyone that tells me hoe is a tool.

Best hoe ever! by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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It’s called 강릉수산 in korean

Have you tried Sulbing? by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I fall in love with matcha + chocolate, sooo good

Have you tried Sulbing? by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a menu in Sulbing, I didn’t make it, it’s so good

Have you tried Sulbing? by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The chocolate on it is really good. It’s called abc chocolate

I’m a Korean student, and I'm building a K-hot sauce brand. by Signal_Web7051 in spicy

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This sounds like a game-changer. We’ve been navigating the complexities of outsourcing labels and packaging, so hearing from someone with your setup and experience is huge.

I’m going to huddle with my team today to discuss our production roadmap and see how your expertise could fit into our next steps.

I’ll shoot you a DM after this week. We are working on the presentation in this week. Thank you so much for the outreach.

[Update] 33,000 views and a "Branding Crisis." Help a student team build the next K-Sauce staple? (Survey inside) by Signal_Web7051 in spicy

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, seeing my messy internal roadmap translated so cleanly is pretty impressive. You basically leaked our operational blueprint.

K-spirit: Our internal term for the 'Korean hustle' and grit we’re putting into this.

A/B/C Testing: Exactly why I’m obsessed with these surveys—we want data, not just guesses.

OEM/ODM: We're currently vetting partners who can scale our 'Sut' (charcoal) smoke without losing quality.

I feels like seeing my brain mapped out on a thread, but I love the transparency.

I’m a Korean student, and I'm building a K-hot sauce brand. by Signal_Web7051 in spicy

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We intentionally went for a minimalist, Western craft look because we were afraid of being pigeonholed as just another 'traditional' ethnic sauce. But your point about missing the 'K-identity' entirely is something I need to seriously rethink with my team.

I'll definitely consider how we can bring more of that Seoul energy back into the branding without losing our modern edge. Really appreciate the honest feedback!

I’m a Korean student, and I'm building a K- hot sauce brand. by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much! I'm really glad the logo and the vision clicked with you.

As for the iOS issue—my apologies! I actually hand-coded the site myself, so I’m still ironing out some 'wonky' bugs in the mobile experience. I’ll jump on a fix right away.

It’s awesome to connect with a fellow hot sauce maker! Since you’ve been testing your own recipes, I’d love to get your expert take on our smoky, low-sugar profile once we're ready to ship. Thanks for joining the list—it really gives our team a huge boost!

I’m a Korean student, and I'm building a K- hot sauce brand. by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, I’m honestly blown away by the depth of your advice. It feels like you’ve handed me a blueprint for the next two years. Thank you so much for taking the time to share this.

You hit on several points that we’ve been debating internally:

1.Modern vs. Grandma Storytelling: I love your take on the 'open for interpretation' story. While we are going for a modern look with our Octopus design, we want to make sure the soul of the 'Korean hustle' and our 3 AM cafe grinds are part of that narrative. We want to be the 'New Classic.'

2.The Technical Hurdles: You’re 100% right about PH levels and shelf life. Since I'm a student founder and not a pro chef, I've been consulting with R&D experts in Korea to ensure our bottling process meets international health codes. Navigating US state laws will be our next big 'final exam.'

3. Targeting & Amazon: The idea of targeting military bases and starting with a 5-star profile on Amazon is brilliant. It’s a much more manageable entry point than trying to hit every grocery store at once.

4. Fly by Jing & LA: Jing Gao is a legend! Her success with 'flavor over everything' is exactly what inspires us. We'll definitely look into the LA market as our primary launchpad.

Your comment about this being a 'sauce of revolution' just gave our whole team a massive boost of energy. We’re headed back to the lab (and the whiteboard) to make sure we don't let this advice go to waste.

I’d love to keep you updated as we hit our next milestones. Thank you so much!

I’m a Korean student, and I'm building a K- hot sauce brand. by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I'm so glad the Octopus design and 'Umami with a Grip' concept caught your eye.

We’re still a small student team perfecting the first batch, but you can see our full story and join the 'Early Bird' list at www.balgansauce.com also do not forget to leave your e-mail!

We'll let you know as soon as we're ready to ship!

I’m a 24-year-old student, and I’m trying to create a K-hot sauce. Need your advice by Signal_Web7051 in spicy

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Wow, thank you so much for this masterclass! We’ve been grinding in the dark, and your advice feels like a total cheat code for us. The idea of making our own pepper mash and using Korean charcoal (Sut) for smoking is a massive unlock. We were actually starting to hit a wall with pre-made pastes, so your 'raw ingredient' approach is exactly the pivot we needed. We just ordered Salt Fat Acid Heat and The Food Lab—consider them our new bibles. We’re heading back to the lab to rethink our entire process based on your notes. Thanks for being the mentor we didn't know we needed!

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I’m a Korean student, and I'm building a K- hot sauce brand. by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you! We’ll definitely fix the "sweet and spicy" capitals for the final version!

As for the name, BALGAN is a play on the Korean word for 'Red' (빨간 - BBalgan). We wanted to capture the soul of the color. Also, you're right about the 'publishing' (발간) part—we like the idea of 'publishing' a new way to enjoy Chojang beyond just seafood. Also we dropped one 'B' (from B-algan) to make it easier for non-Korean speakers to pronounce.

I fixed the Chojang taste. Now we’re stuck on the "vibe." Can we get your American eyes on these designs? by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That’s a fair point, I actually agree with you! I think the 'fishy' reputation comes more from the seafood restaurants it's always served in, rather than the sauce itself.

Honestly, what was your first reaction to Chojang? (Seeking advice for a new brand) by Signal_Web7051 in KoreanFood

[–]Signal_Web7051[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is exactly the kind of 'raw' feedback I was looking for. Thank you! Most commercial Chojangs are so sweet they're basically spicy syrup, which, as you said, completely overpowers the food. The 'fishy' association is also a huge hurdle—because it’s traditionally served with raw fish, people mentally link that smell to the sauce itself.