Last November, 7-Eleven's Strawberry Ade won the grand prize in the general food and beverage category at the 2023 Korea Food & Food Tech Awards. The award-winning product, '7-SELECT Master Strawberry Ade', features strawberries grown by Master Ryu Ji-bong of Bong Farm in Geochang. The leading domestic strawberry variety is Seolhyang, and these strawberries were recently grown under the seasoned expertise of Bong Farm, dedicated to strawberry farming for 27 years. The products include Seolhyang and Jukhyang varieties. In addition, Bong Farm produces strawberry jam using only homegrown strawberries and organic sugar, including a variety of fermented strawberry jam. These strawberries are grown in the Geochang region of South Gyeongsang Province, near Mt. Jiri, using environmentally friendly methods to ensure high quality in both sweetness and firmness. Ryu is recognized as a "New Intellectual Farmer," a strawberry master, and Korea's leading agricultural technology expert.

The Ryu Ji-bong Master Strawberry Crispy Roll is a strawberry snack made with master strawberries and 21 kinds of grains. Bong Farm Strawberry Jam, made exclusively with Bong Farm strawberries and organic sugar, has a spot-on sweetness level suitable for all ages. Another product, Bong Farm Fermented Strawberry Jam, has a reduced sugar content, making it appealing to children while retaining its sweetness. The fermentation process imparts antioxidant benefits, promotes beauty, and aids in weight loss by adding saccharified liquid with anti-obesity effects. The farm has filed a patent application for a "low-sugar berry jam and its production method." The method makes it possible to consume complex sugars that increase calorie burning and help people lose weight. The addition of a saccharifying liquid lowers the sugar content while maintaining the flavor. The reduced sugar content allows for a higher intake of anthocyanins, a sulfur oxide found in berries.

In 1988, at the age of 20, Ryu Ji-bong took the plunge into farming, as he foresaw the future value of strawberry farming, which is prized by children and women. Starting with a modest 300 square meters in 1997, he faced repeated setbacks. Challenges arose primarily due to unsuitable sunlight and soil conditions in his parents' mountain valley apple orchard. Despite a decade of dedication to strawberry farming, he saw no significant harvest. The decision to lease land presented similar challenges. Ryu Ji-bong became a pioneer in Geochang by adopting hydroponics, a factory-like production method. He then developed his unique cultivation techniques, which included seedlings, culture medium, and nutrient solution composition. To achieve this, he actively visited domestic strawberry farmers and drew inspiration from strawberry farmers using advanced technology in the Netherlands, Japan and Taiwan. His commitment to improvement is evident in the fact that he has devoted an average of 500 hours a year to training. In 2007, he delivered the first strawberries to a U.S. military base in Korea, and in 2008, he distributed strawberry farming technology to North Korea.

He used waste wood from three years of shiitake mushroom cultivation to make compost enriched with beneficial bacteria to manage the soil on the strawberry farm. Finely chopped rice straw, known for its soil-enriching properties, was also incorporated. Various bacteria were cultured and applied directly to the soil using a microbial incubator. Ryu implemented a unique technique by mixing mano maple tree water and periodically feeding it to the strawberry roots to facilitate optimal nutrient absorption. He also introduced electrical conductivity (EC) and moisture control methods to increase sugar content. Technological advances made it possible to analyze the composition of groundwater, which allowed the electrical conductivity to be adjusted below average when formulating nutrient solutions. The incorporation of rice bran into the strawberry medium proved beneficial, improving root establishment and physical properties. To increase the sugar content, he ends hydration 1-2 hours earlier than other growers, around 2 pm. In winter, he reduces hydration by 50-70% compared to fall. In this way he increases the sugar content of his strawberries.