Gwangju Dong-gu Women’s Hope Creation Center Startup 2nd Branch ‘Mungmong Meeting’

Dong-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 6th that it has opened the second female startup, ‘Mungmong Mannam,’ the second achievement of this year’s Dong-gu Women’s Hope Creation Center startup mentoring, following last year.

‘Mungmong Mannam’ is a zero-waste cafe located in Sansu-dong (374 Gyeongyang-ro), operated by two young people in their 20s, Minseo Kim and Gimyeong Lee.

They participated in last year’s Dong-gu Manse Flea Market as the ‘Clothing Store Saving the Earth,’ gaining sales experience and continuously receiving mentoring from the Women’s Hope Creation Center to develop their entrepreneurial capabilities.

Mungmong Mannam is expected to be recognized as a hub space practicing eco-friendly living, aiming for a daily life without disposable products in the era of the climate crisis.

Here, various eco-friendly daily necessities are available, including the ‘Earth Resource Rescue Center’ with paper packs, glass bottles, and Brita filters; a ‘Refill Station’ where customers can fill eco-friendly detergents into recycled containers; a ‘Tumbler Rental Station’; and a variety of eco-friendly lifestyle methods such as soy milk menus as alternatives to milk.

Additionally, the beverages and desserts sold here are made with healthy ingredients such as native strawberries grown directly by CEO Gimyeong Lee’s parents, unrefined raw sugar, and handmade vanilla syrup. Instead of plastic straws, glass and silicone straws are provided, and instead of tissue paper, wipes (reusable cloths) are offered, which is a unique feature of this place.

Moreover, the interior stands out with reused resources, including sales counters remodeled from discarded furniture and storage furniture made of paper.

Visitors to Mungmong Mannam can receive a 500 won discount on drinks if they bring their own tumblers. For more details, please refer to their Instagram.

CEO Minseo Kim said, “Through the Dong-gu Manse Flea Market, I was able to refine and execute my vague startup plans into concrete ideas,” adding, “I hope that through Mungmong Mannam, the perception that eco-friendly living is inconvenient will be overcome, and a consensus that anyone can enjoy and easily practice it will widely spread.”

Dong-gu Mayor Taek Lim said, “Following last year’s ‘Balloon Mama Story,’ I hope more female startup cases that realize social value and exert positive influence, such as ‘Mungmong Mannam,’ will be discovered,” and added, “We will continue to provide wholehearted support so that socially meaningful women-led enterprises can grow and take root in Dong-gu.”

Meanwhile, Dong-gu, the first in the nation to be designated as a ‘Stage 3 Women-Friendly City,’ is accelerating various projects such as startup consulting centered on the Dong-gu Women’s Hope Creation Center, empathy talk cafes, flea markets, and women’s universities, aiming for women’s employment and entrepreneurship based on the local community.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.