Durudora: Buy & Share

Written by Harsh Kumar Mishra

Gwangju is famous for its revolutionary work done for the greater good of society, and so are many of the organizations in Gwangju. I am very happy to write about one such local organization that has been doing meaningful work for society. Durudora is a secondhand specialty store based in Gwangju, and recently I was fortunate enough to sit down with its CEO, Kim Changsik, to discuss Durudora’s inspiration, founding, and overall mission.

Regarding Durudora’s inspiration, Kim said, “One hundred years ago, a special store was founded in the United States of America. Its name was “Goodwill,” a social enterprise that sold goods donated by citizens and provided jobs for vulnerable groups in society. At the time when Goodwill was founded, there were many immigrants living in America. At Goodwill, they could purchase daily necessities at cheap prices and even find employment. Many immigrants and other vulnerable groups in society were able to find consolation and refuge at this Christian organization.”

Following the original example set by Goodwill, Durudora has successfully established itself at several locations here in Gwangju. The name Durudora comes from the Korean word duru (두루), or “everywhere,” and the Greek word dora, meaning “gift.” Loosely translated, Durudora means “gifts shared all around the world.”

“According to Deuteronomy 10:19, you are to love those who are foreigners,” Kim said. “Durudora is a place where we practice love and sharing in this way. Nowadays, Korea is blessed with great affluence, and as a result, perfectly usable, good-quality clothes are sometimes thrown into the garbage. Also, one has to pay for throwing away such garbage if it is a large amount. We started this Christian social enterprise to help solve these problems in Korea.”

Durudora started three years ago at a small underground site. Recalling those early days, Kim said, “At first, we shared clothes and daily necessities with foreign workers, refugee applicants, and immigrant families in Gwangju. New immigrants were able to get help from the store when settling in Korea. Now, they have become donors themselves to help newer immigrants.”

To make this all happen, many Koreans are volunteering to help collect and sort the donated items. With Koreans and immigrants working together, this store has created a friendly work environment for many international residents and multicultural families.

The mission of the company is to share and to love. “We do this by distributing donations made by citizens and by providing job opportunities,” Kim continues. “We invest 70 percent of our net profit to social welfare projects and plan to expand overseas. Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is to love God and to love our neighbors. If you want to practice loving your neighbors, please donate any leftover items in your house with a warm heart. What may not be necessary for you may be the most necessary thing for someone else.”

I appreciated having the chance to speak to the head of such a generous organization, one that is setting a great example for people around Gwangju. If you would like to share the love through Durudora, feel free to donate, volunteer, or spread the good news that such a service exists for people in the Gwangju community.

Photographs courtesy of Durudora

DURUDORA / 두루도라
Address: 311 Yeonsan-ro, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju
             광주 광산구 연산로 311(옥동 180-2번지)
Phone: Kim Changsik (010-4680-7767)

The Author
Harsh is a Korean language and culture enthusiast who is pursuing his PhD in Korean linguistics at Chonnam National University. He has been living in Gwangju since 2015 and calls Gwangju his second home.