Gamsa Farm is located at an altitude of 1,300 meters. It benefits from excellent drainage and significant temperature variations between day and night. This environment helps the farm produce persimmons with a firm texture, crisp flavor, high sweetness and vibrant color. However, farming on steep mountain slopes presents challenges. The farm avoids herbicides entirely; grass is mowed by hand and turned into compost to enrich the soil. Fertilizers made from beneficial microorganisms, seaweed powder, and fish meal are fermented to nourish the soil, allowing roots to decompose organically and enrich the soil as the grass decomposes in the fall, facilitating aeration. This practice encourages thriving worm populations, which create natural airways and increase microbial activity, resulting in healthier soil. The limited use of chemical fertilizers results in “DanGam4U” persimmons. The persimmon trees at Gamsa Farm produce approximately 90% male flowers and 10% female flowers. The abundant pollen from the male flowers helps fertilize the female flowers, increasing fruit production. Even under adverse weather conditions, Gamsa Farm experienced significantly less natural flower drop than non-pollinated persimmon orchards. This innovative cultivation method was introduced by Seo Min-ho, the head of Gamsa Farm. The origin of the farm dates back to the mid-1950s under the leadership of Seo Gi-jo. After he passed away 25 years ago, the farm was left to his youngest son, Seo Min-ho. Persimmon trees can bear fruit for more than a century, and the average age of the 800 trees at Gamsa Farm is about 40 years. Of these, 300 trees were planted by Seo Gi-jo, while 500 were added by Seo Min-ho in 1986, shortly after completing his military service. This year, Gamsa Farm faced challenges due to high temperatures in August and September, which stunted persimmon growth and delayed ripening by 10 to 15 days compared to last year. The first harvest attempt on October 25 was postponed due to unripe fruit, and the full harvest began on November 17. Harvesting typically takes 15 to 20 days. About 4,000 crates of persimmons, each weighing 10 kilograms, are collected from the farm’s 7,000 pyeong (about 23,000 square meters) of land. The persimmons are stored in the farm’s cold storage facilities from mid-December to the end of February. Gamsa Farm’s single variety “Buyu” persimmons can remain on the tree for about one month after ripening and can be stored for up to five months. This year’s expected yield of 40 tons will be distributed to Hyundai Department Store Apgujeong in Seoul and the well-known Korean vegetable retail chain “Chonggakne Vegetable Store”, which has been a major outlet for the farm for the past decade. “DanGam4U” persimmons are recognized as Korea’s finest, ensuring consistent demand. A 10-kilogram box of premium persimmons sells for KRW 60,000. Including smaller fruits, the average price per box is around KRW 30,000, resulting in an expected revenue of KRW 120 million. Seo Min-ho was named one of Korea’s Top 100 Star Farmers by the National Quality Management Institute for his exemplary farming practices and superior yields. His methods and results distinguish him as a leader in agriculture. Gamsa Farm’s persimmons won top honors in a national produce competition organized by the Quality Management Institute. The Rural Development Administration also recognized its fruit as one of the best in the “Top Fruit” program.

Omija, celebrated for its unique balance of five distinct flavors, has been a highly cherished product for centuries, with Mungyeong recognized as the primary producer. Mungyeong contributes approximately 45% of Korea’s total output. It is also home to various facilities related to omija production and distribution, including the Omija Theme Park and Mungyeong Brewery, which produces traditional omija-based makgeolli. Named for its unique blend of sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and spicy flavors, omija blooms with red and white flowers between May and June, bearing red berries that ripen by late September. The harvesting of omija continues through the end of October. It is renowned for its health benefits, which include aiding digestion, alleviating fatigue, preventing aging, and reducing the risk of diabetes and anemia. As a result, it has been widely used in health foods, beverages, and traditional herbal medicine for many years. JL Co., Ltd. is a company that specializes in producing wine and distilled spirits from locally grown omija, with a focus on both domestic and international markets. The company was founded by Dr. Lee Jong-ki, a master of Korean whiskey with over four decades of brewing experience. In 2008, Dr. Lee established JL Co., Ltd., an agricultural corporation that operates the Ominara winery, using Mungyeong’s omija as the primary ingredient. JL Co., Ltd. sources 100% of its omija from local farms, including its own. The company has increased its omija purchases on a consistent basis, from 5.2 tons in 2019 to 20.2 tons in 2022. Ominara’s wine range includes “Sparkling Wine Omiroje Kyul,” “Sparkling Wine Omiroje Yeon,” “Omiroje Premier,” and “Omiroje Together.” The company’s distilled spirits line includes Gowoon Dar Oak 52%, Gowoon Dar Baekja 52%, and Gowoon Dar 43 Oak. Omiroje Kyul, the world’s first omija sparkling wine, is produced using traditional methods and has an alcohol content of 12% with a medium-dry sweetness. During President Biden’s visit to Korea in 2022, Omiroje Kyul was selected as the toast wine for a banquet. In 2023, the Korean Night banquet at the Davos Forum in Switzerland chose Omiroje Yeon, produced using the Charmat method. The Omiroje Premier and Omiroje Together are still wines, each with an alcohol content of 12%, made through traditional fermentation and oak barrel aging. The Gowoon Dar series is premium spirits crafted with meticulous attention to detail over a five-year period. The product range includes the “Gowoon Dar Oak 52%,” which is distilled twice from omija wine using atmospheric stills and aged in European oak barrels. The company also offers the “Gowoon Dar Baekja 52%,” a premium option aged in traditional baekja (white porcelain) jars rather than oak barrels. In 2019, Ominara’s omija products generated sales of KRW 265 million in wine, KRW 140 million in sparkling wine, and KRW 182 million in distilled spirits. By 2022, these figures had surged to KRW 477 million in wine, KRW 981 million in sparkling wine, and KRW 770 million in distilled spirits, representing a remarkable 380% growth over four years. In 2023, Ominara achieved total sales of KRW 2.7 billion and expanded its exports to markets including the U.S., Singapore, China, and more.