Many young Koreans seem to release stress by staring off into space. They call this ‘mung’ in Korean and the word is frequently appearing on social media and quoted by culture reporters. There are many mungs. It is mul mung if you stare off into water and it is soop mung if you stare off into forest. 

Recently, one more kind of mung is spreading fast: hyang mung in which you stare off into burning incense. Smelling good incense can make our feel better. This is because the smell is linked to the limbic system through which we feel good or bad. 

Historically, incense were a luxury enjoyed by nobles and royals many and many years ago. Also, it was used in many rituals to remove distracting thoughts and to pay respect to ancestors.

Korea has a long history of making and using incense. Japanese learned technique and brought it into their land 400 years ago. Sadly, while the Japanese passed down the culture, Korea was left behind. Many Koreans have used incense from Japan or India up until Incense World opened the door to the market.

Incense World is a South Korean incense maker and seller. CEO Sunghyun Son was determined to bring back the rich incense culture of our ancestors and traveled to Japan frequently to give in-depth study. Incense World has the largest incense factory in the nation as well as the best techniques. When the market taking its wings thanks to Hyori Lee’s using Indian incense on TV, Song took the opportunity and pushed forward the business up ahead. As a result, Incense World has become the nation’s number one OEM incense provider today.

Incense makers never release secrets outside because the making process and technique involves complicated processes and ultimate mix ratio. For this reason, the secrets are passed down from an old master to a young master. Son’s father also was a master and the technique has been passed down to his son. This also is the reason that many incense sellers or brands depend on OEM. 

▲ Incense World / CEO Sunghyun Son

Alongside OEM, Incense World runs a number of its own brands: Korea Incense Sticks 10 Collection, Japan Incense Sticks 10 Collection, and Little Home Garden Incense Sticks 5 Collection. The last one achieved 8000% of the target fund at Wadiz. Also, lately released Chungsol achieved 2600% at the same funding and it was sold out within a short time at Kakao Makers while a product supplied through Amorepacific early this year was sold out like speed of light. 

Recognized for its initiative and pioneering in the field, Incense World received the 2021 Korea Culture Management Awards followed by the Wadiz Awards and the 2022 Green Maker. In a move to pioneer markets in South East Asia, CEO Son recently signed a MOU with Kangwon National University Department of Commerce and Trade while building the second factory at the moment to meet the increasing market demand. <PowerKorea>