PRESS
UKIUKI on KBS1 Docu.On – Korean Pet Brand Goes Global
Sep
SUWON, South Korea — Ukiuki was featured on KBS1’s Docu.On Episode 4, a national documentary series highlighting Korean products expanding into Southeast Asian markets. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the filming experience and what it meant for our small pet brand.
Featured on KBS1: Docu.On Episode 4
The episode, titled “Take Up the Platform of Southeast Asia,” aired on KBS1 at 10:50 PM on a Friday evening. It followed several Korean brands navigating global e-commerce — and Ukiuki was one of them.
Over the years, we had received various calls from broadcasters — morning shows, paid promotions, and even requests to pay copyright fees in exchange for coverage. We always passed. So when KBS1 approached us for a full documentary feature with no cost involved, it felt almost unreal.
If you missed the broadcast, you can watch the replay on the KBS website or on YouTube.
Behind the Scenes: From Majang-dong to the Office
Filming started early in the morning at Majang-dong, one of Korea’s largest wholesale meat markets, where we source our raw materials. The crew arrived with a full-size broadcast camera — quite an experience for someone used to working alone.
The team also used a drone to capture aerial footage near Kyunghee University’s Aejiwon in Yeongtong. The overhead perspective of our neighborhood was stunning — completely different from what you see at street level. The drone completed the shot in about ten minutes.
Our Global E-Commerce Setup
The documentary showed our workspace, where we operate with a dual-monitor setup — essential for managing multiple international platforms. At the time of filming, Ukiuki was active on Amazon US, Amazon Canada, Qoo10 (Singapore), and Alibaba, in addition to our own international website.
We had previously managed Qoo10 through an agency, but took over direct management to better serve our Singapore customers. Running cross-border e-commerce means there’s no clear line between work hours and personal time — it demands constant online communication across time zones.
The Ukiuki Product Line on Camera
The crew filmed our full lineup of six Ukiuki freeze-dried cat treats. Since this was KBS, product logos were removed during broadcast, but our character designs were still visible on screen.
The documentary also captured a quote posted on our office wall, borrowed from Seong-ho Kim, CEO of Snowfox — a reminder that even the world’s biggest companies started small. We keep it visible as daily motivation.
From Offline Store to Online Focus
What didn’t make the final cut was an important chapter in our story: Ukiuki once operated a physical retail store in Bundang. The overhead costs and weekend shifts became unsustainable, especially while preparing for exhibitions. We made the decision to close the store and shift our focus entirely to e-commerce, particularly international platforms.
Learning each platform took serious effort. We attended training courses — three times for Amazon, twice for Alibaba — because each marketplace has its own rules, culture, and logistics. The gap between domestic Korean e-commerce and international platforms was one of the hardest things to bridge.
Global Customers, Real Connections
During filming, a customer from Singapore tagged us on Instagram with a positive review and sent a direct message. Although this scene was ultimately cut from the broadcast, it captured the kind of organic, cross-border connection that makes e-commerce rewarding.
We also showed the crew our WordPress website analytics, which track visitors from countries around the world. Seeing traffic from dozens of nations was a proud moment — proof that a small Korean pet brand can reach a global audience.
International Partnerships
The episode included footage of a meeting with Russian business partners who spoke impressive Korean. These kinds of international collaborations are part of what makes global e-commerce exciting and full of surprises.
Looking Ahead
Being featured on a national documentary was a milestone for Ukiuki. We’re not a perfect company — we stumble and get back up. But every step forward, from Majang-dong to Amazon to a KBS camera crew, brings us closer to our goal of becoming a trusted global pet brand.
Thank you to everyone who watched the documentary across various channels. Stay tuned — we’ll be sharing more of our story, including the successes and failures, in upcoming posts.
👉 Explore Ukiuki products | Learn more about our brand
UKIUKI’s journey from a small premium pet shop to a global e-commerce brand has been years in the making — it all started with a 2014 interview about building a premium cat brand in Korea.
