MASSTIGE TIME

About 20 minutes by car from Jinbu-eup, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon province, along a dirt road even GPS can’t track, lies a vast Angelica Gigas field at an altitude of 800 meters. Covering 26,300 m² (about 8,000 pyeong), this field showcases the beautiful purple flowers of Angelica Gigas, which bloom only for 15 days each year. At the entrance, a sign reads Kolma BNH, the manufacturer of Atomy HemoHIM, a health functional food distributed by Atomy. At this farm, contracted by Kolma BNH, the roots of Angelica Gigas are harvested in the fall. After cleaning and drying, they are delivered as raw materials for HemoHIM.

The Jinbu region of Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon province is famous as the largest producer of Angelica Gigas in the country. It accounts for 70% of domestic production due to the best growing conditions. It has geographical characteristics such as large daily variation and high amount of sunshine. Angelica Gigas is a medicinal crop representing the pristine area of Pyeongchang and boasts excellent medicinal benefits.

“We're proud to produce the cleanest, safest, and most effective Angelica Gigas right here in Jinbu, a town famous for it. Given that HemoHIM is made from this very Angelica Gigas, you can use it with complete confidence.”

Ham Seung-joo, a seasoned farmer with 42 years of experience, takes great pride in producing Angelica Gigas. He followed in his father's footsteps, dedicating his life to Angelica Gigas farming since 1981. In the 1980s, farmers faced a major challenge - the 'lignification phenomenon' that caused the roots of Angelica Gigas to harden. Not one to back down, Ham Seung-joo spent over a decade researching and finally developed 'Youngheung', a new variety resistant to pests and diseases.

Since 2003, his farm has adhered to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), ensuring high-quality Angelica Gigas production without the use of herbicides or pesticides. Today, GAP-compliant Angelica Gigas farms in Pyeongchang span about 6.6 square kilometers (about 2 million pyeong), with 27 farms, including Ham Seung-joo's, producing about 200 tons of Angelica Gigas annually.

Since 2014, a food history tracking management system has been in place to ensure consumers can safely choose their food. The system transparently discloses all processes from production, distribution, to sales. Additionally, Angelica Gigas, which receives GAP certification post-harvest, undergoes another safety test before delivery. Ham Seung-joo, the man behind this diligent work , has been recognized with various awards such as the Prime Minister's Award for Agricultural Science and Technology of Korea, the Grand Award of Gangwon Province Farmer, and the Korea Industrial Service Medal. He was also honored as a New Knowledge Farmer of Korea. To this day, he continues to work tirelessly in the fields, taking pride in producing the best quality Angelica Gigas.