"A Busking Singer Who Lost His Stage Makes 700 Million Won in Sales from Dried Fish," said Kang Da-yoon, CEO of Jagalchi Ojimae.

“With the concert halls closed, the brand of ‘Kang Da-yoon’, the singer, disappeared along with it.”

When the pandemic hit, there was no stage to stand on. For him, who had been living his dream for four years through street busking, wedding singing, and local festival performances, the closure of performance halls meant the simultaneous collapse of both his income and his daily life.

"Let's create a brand that's like a stage that never disappears."

After a few months, he changed his mind.

Launched in 2021, Jagalchi Ojimae grew from annual sales of 33 million won in 2023 to approximately 700 million won in 2025. It attracted 100 million won in seed investment in 2024, was selected for the LIPS program in 2025, and exported 20,000 units to Canada in November of the same year. This transformation was driven by a busking singer who grew up in a Busan household receiving basic livelihood security, reinventing dried fish as a premium snack.

I've been working since I was 17, so I have no fear.

Kang Da-yoon grew up in a family receiving basic livelihood security. Her mother raised her two children alone, and life was always tight. She worked part-time on weekends and during school breaks. Through hard work and earning money, she learned who she was as a person. "Those times were crucial experiences that helped me develop my self-confidence and made me who I am," she recalls. "Looking back, I think I became someone who fearlessly took on anything from then on." She chose dental hygiene to pursue a stable career and contribute to her family. Around the time she graduated from college, her mother's success in the insurance industry freed her family from their basic livelihood security status.

Having dreamed of becoming a singer since he was eight, he decided to forgo his major and instead started working in sales right after graduating from college. Working in various industries, including cosmetics, furniture, insurance, and lighting, he developed a knack for meeting people, persuading them, and understanding their needs. Next came music. He made street busking, singing at weddings, and performing at local festivals his full-time job. He enjoyed four happy years living his dream. But the pandemic took it all away. His income and daily life were shattered. A few months later, he began gathering information and studying. Locked in a bookstore, he devoured books on planning, branding, youth entrepreneurship, and local communities.

Five Jagalchi Market ladies become characters.

He chose "dried fish" as his startup idea. Busan has a long history of dried fish processing and distribution. Yet, the dried fish market still felt old and burdensome. He wanted to present it in a new way, with a youthful sensibility. He had no connections or network. All he could do was diligently visit Jagalchi Market.

“As a young girl wandered through the market alleys, bothering the merchants every day, she gradually began to build trust with them.”

I gave the Jagalchi Ojimae character personas based on the five most memorable merchants I met at the time. The woman who fills fish with a serious expression every day, yet is actually warm-hearted; the woman who busily prepares fish, constantly chewing on something; and the woman who wanders around the store with a hearty laugh.

“I completed the character based on people who caught my interest.”

He had no idea how the product was made, so the market vendors explained everything from start to finish: the criteria for selecting raw dried fish, how they purchase it, and where the processing facilities were located.

"I was a beginner with nothing but passion. That's how I was able to start making products."

The retro logo with a black and white mood, the characters of five ladies walking cheerfully with their arms linked and holding gardening nets, and the name 'Jagalchi Ojimae' which is a combination of Jagalchi Ajimae and the number 5 were completed.

"The packaging design was unique and fun, without being overly cheesy. It's designed to make people think, 'Is this dried fish? It's pretty and fun.'"

Premium strategy that rejects dumping and low-price competition

CEO Kang Da-yoon cited packaging and distribution strategies as key factors for growth.

"We've refined and repurposed traditional market ingredients into premium products in a clean, reliable way. 'Premium Snack Brand – Jagalchi Ojimae' is the brand I want to highlight."

Because we were aiming for luxury, we rejected distributors who tried to sell at low prices or through dumping methods.

"We've made it a rule to sell with a precise price policy. That's why we only sell through distribution channels that don't require discounts, such as duty-free shops, premium hotels, department stores, and souvenir shops."

He emphasized, “No matter how difficult the company is or how financially challenging it is, we have made it a principle to never damage our brand value.”

“For more than half of the past five years, we had virtually no sales, but we have achieved our current results thanks to our consistent efforts to develop products and build a premium distribution network.”

Initially targeting the online market, the company now generates over 80% of its sales through offline delivery. The company reached a turning point in January 2024 when it received a seed investment of 100 million won.

"Before attracting investment, I was a solo player. With the investment, I could create new products and hire employees."

Being a company that received investment also gave it an advantage in receiving government support and loans.

“That was also highly valued when I met with distributors and industry insiders.”

After being selected for the 2025 LIPS program, it was recognized as a ‘potential snack startup.’

Exports to Canada, reaching $20,000, expand globally with character IP

In November 2025, $20,000 worth of products were exported to Canada. Test quantities were shipped to Indonesia and China in June and September.

“I’ve been dreaming of exporting for a long time, so I think now is the beginning.”
The most difficult part of obtaining HACCP and Halal certification, preparing documents, and modifying recipes was coordination with the factory.

“Finding partners who can align with our vision and roadmap and aligning our systems is a crucial step.”
Overseas buyers are interested in the packaging design, quality, traditional market concept, and taste. Many participants expressed interest in the Jagalchi Ojimae character at the Singapore Content Expo in December 2025.

While the company currently sells merchandise like stickers, keychains, and memo pads, it plans to actively create content and videos utilizing character IP. He stated, "Starting in January 2026, we plan to publish cartoons featuring our characters to connect with consumers and build a fan base."

CEO Kang Da-yoon clearly explained why he maintains his Busan base.

"Busan is a place I'm grateful for. As a child, when I was receiving basic livelihood security, I received monthly stipends like rice, nutritious milk, and restaurant meal coupons. During the four years I spent singing, I sang without regrets on the beaches of Gwangalli, Haeundae, and Songjeong, passionately pursuing my dreams."

All boxes, promotional materials, packaging envelopes, and raw materials used are sourced and produced in Busan.

"When we work hard to sell our products, we benefit all the businesses and workers who contribute to the product sales process. It creates work for seniors who package our products, delivery drivers, and even processing plants."

They started making their first donation in early 2025 and donated approximately 30 million won over the past year.
"I believe the social responsibility of a local startup is to ensure stable growth, generate revenue, hire local people, pay local businesses on time, pay taxes, and give back to the underprivileged."

"Five years from now, a delicious, cute, and fun brand."

Our vision for the next three years is to create snack products that connect regions.

"We want to develop and manufacture products with local players, like those in Busan-Jangseong and Busan-Iksan, areas where it's difficult to connect normally. This goes beyond simple product expansion and is a fusion of local and regional experiences."

We plan to open an offline flagship store in the future. Starting with Busan, we plan to expand to regional locations like Jeonju and Gwangju before moving on to the metropolitan area. We have specific goals in mind: We plan to introduce a new health product line, increase exports to 50% of total sales, form a dedicated overseas team comprised of Busan students, and collaborate with local manufacturers to develop products and expand our offline stores. We are also preparing for our next round of investments.

CEO Kang said he hopes Jagalchi Ojimae will be remembered as a "delicious, cute, and fun snack brand" in five years. The company name "Nosh" literally means "meal," "snack," or "one meal."

The stage created by a busking singer who lost his stage due to the pandemic is now expanding beyond Busan to Canada, from local to global.