Why Hagoromo Chalk Is So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider

[@KamiCorp2953]

I actively use this chalk daily for work. It does cost 5x more than many other brands, but it also: - Produces less chalk dust - Doesn't rub off onto your hands - Easily cleans off with one or two passes of a wiper, rather than most others that need to be washed off with water and stick around for ages - Has a richer, brighter colour and is easier to see. All of those reasons is why I use it and never regret paying the premium for it.

[@cracked229]

+ you can also eat it

[@andy_c]

@@cracked229 can confirm, I eat around three to four (sometimes if i'm feeling particularly hungry, five) pieces every morning. really gives me a kick to start the day

[@kamarikucheza]

​@@cracked229 💯

[@swagmastero9278]

Just curious, why not just use a whiteboard?

[@flaviosilva6102]

$4 (A box with 100 un chalk) or $ 59 (12 un Hagoromo).... easy math.

[@RonenOsden]

I love the common factor with almost every one of the "So Expensive" videos being how passionate makers and users are about the products. Really makes me want most of the items, even when I have absolutely no use for them.

[@binbashbuddy]

Heck, I was trying to think up an excuse for buying a box.

[@I_SuperHiro_I]

If it’s a good product made by passionate makers…..I want it all the more.

[@snix7613]

ikr Maybe because we were just watching 15 mins of very good scripted story commercials. The other day I imagined buying 20k$ Bonsai scissors even though I don't touch grass 😂 Some are overwhelmingly enticing like Winsor & Newton series 7 paint brush.

[@alexg3348]

🤣🤣😂😂IKR! same!

[@alexrox321]

I couldn't have summed up that feeling better myself xD

[@zelbarbero]

I remember the former owner of Hagaromo chalk talked about his passion for making these products and the sadness in his eyes are reflected when he revealed that he was closing the company, but was hoping a buyer would continue his business. Glad that a South Korean company bought it and kept the product alive.

[@bigwig2258]

Can you share the recordings if possible

[@drill_fiend1097]

The current CEO was a math tutor at a private cram school who loved the chalk so much he made an entire import company to sell this chalk in South Korea, then bought the whole company afterwards.

[@thisnewnamesystemisdumb]

I remember watching that video. Great to hear that his legacy continues!

[@martinmarkov9707]

Now imagine north Korea did it instead lol.

[@gaeranbab]

@@martinmarkov9707 that doesn't make sense since north korea wouldn't have any money at all

[@chloehennessey6813]

My aunt is a math teacher. I just ordered her a box of white and a box of multicolored Hagoromo. It’ll be her start of the new school year gift.

[@ArmaniStar]

Do update us on her reaction when it comes!

[@thecamillarose9806]

Update please 🥺

[@TheJcjonesacp]

Update

[@PeterRs21]

Updatee !!!

[@byra26]

update

[@죽은_시민의_사회]

Bonus fact: after the South Korean math teacher succeeded Hagoromo chalk, he started marketing it in Korea using product placements on online math lectures. Back in 2016 you could be watching an online lecture and have the camera cut to a close-up of Hagoromo chalk.

[@principle6261]

lmao

[@notTerabyte]

respect the grind

[@EmmaBGames]

I LOVE when ambassadors of the brand only ask for the brand's products in exchange for being an ambassador; it shows the true quality of the product and that the ambassadors are true believers in it and the company. Amazing.

[@OneOfDisease]

He would probably still be happy with lots of money instead.

[@BionicDirector117]

@@OneOfDisease He'd probably spend it all on Hagoromo chalk anyway! haha

[@OneOfDisease]

@BionicDirector117 sticks of that chalk are only less than $1 a stick on Amazon. I have no idea what youtube sponsors pay for ad reads be they got off cheap for all the free advertising they got from him.

[@nebullae]

@@BionicDirector117 he'd use the money to build his stockpile of the chalk lol

[@MikeMessiah]

Maybe Gal Gadot can learn something from that professor 🫡

[@cloudy7937]

I think it's really cool that a Korean company wanted to preserve Hagoromo's legacy when other Japanese companies just wanted to buy the brand and get the recipe for themselves. The Japanese-Korean relationship has troubled histories and memories that continue even to this day but it's oddly heartwarming to see stuff like this, even if it's over something arguably insignificant like chalk

[@kaitai5900]

The Korean educational system and compulsory education there was instituted by the Colonial Japanese government during the colonial era. From the standard architectural design of public schools (field/parade ground in front, “genkans” for removing shoes, etc…), the calendar school year starting in March with the cherry blossoms, the month of August off, compulsory through 9th grade, kindergarten and elementary school 7 years, middle school 3 years, high school 3 years, to the uniforms. All a legacy of the Japanese era. Thus, it is natural that Japanese products in education also be holdovers in the present. Pay attention beyond some of the knee-jerk love/hate, and present day South Korea culture, language, industry, education, and military have lots of reminders of the colonial era.

[@David-jg1vx]

Past war sentiments aside, most respected professionals on both sides don't have much vested interest in the political shenanigans. There are many Koreans who respect Japanese master craftsmen and appreciate that part of Japanese culture in preserving traditional skills and methods. One thing I've learned over the years living in France, Netherlands, US, and South Korea, is that people of all ethnicities and cultures who share similar upbringing in education have one thing in common; they think for themselves and don't hold prejudices based on any doctrine. That is largely driven by common folks who are disgruntled with their own lives and find association with other like-minded folks hell-bent on disparaging those who are different or indifferent to their cause.

[@죽은_시민의_사회]

@@kaitai5900 actually, Hagoromo chalk only started widely being used in Korean schools after the successor to the original Japanese company, Shin, started marketing it using product placements in online lectures. Back in 2016 you could be watching an online math lecture and then have the screen cut to a close-up of the Hagoromo chalk and its logos. The school year is also 6-3-3.

[@truthseeker683]

❤

[@RyogatsuMX]

There's a lot of japanese bussiness dying of old age, isnt it?

[@alvaro.lozano-robledo]

Thanks Business Insider for the chance to participate in this documentary!! 😅 😊

[@jaikanths875]

Oh look, the ambassador is here! 👏

[@ImOnlyHereForTheZipline]

Your passion is contagious, thank you

[@longiusaescius2537]

Good interview professor, very informative

[@eugenetswong]

Thanks, Alvaro, for sharing your life with us.

[@FilipeNeto616]

Hi Alvaro, I found out myself wanting to by the hangoromo chalks, but not having a board on to use it!

[@kevinschultz6091]

The thing is: I can hear the difference in how this chalk sounds (and by implication, feels), even though this video. It just 'sounds' more buttery than regular chalk does.

[@LylWren]

Yeah there's no scrapy sound

[@averyfishyfish]

Sounds like slop (in a good way!)

[@simpledj509chromo7]

Regular chalk is a terrible experience to use.

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

@@simpledj509chromo7It really is. Especially when it slips & makes that horrible, screechy noise😬

[@LeilaAMMartin]

I'm a writer, but I have a chalkboard that my grandfather rescued from a school that was being demolished, and I use it to brainstorm and explore ideas. I have a box of HAGOROMO from the original manufacturer, and two backup boxes from the new one ;) This chalk is UNMATCHED. Before discovering HAGOROMO, I was lucky enough to have a box of J.L. Hammett chalk from the 1980s that my grandfather had left over from when he was a teacher. It's almost impossible to get quality chalk anymore, so I'm ultra grateful that HAGOROMO still exists!!

[@kwaaaa]

I just love it when people geek out on the gear they use. It's appreciation of the tiniest details for the tools you use and how it impacts your art/craft.

[@liamfoxy]

Same. I feel the appreciation all the more because I learned from this to find the exact tool needed for whatever hobby I'm undertaking. When I got into sewing during the pandemic I found a vintage iron (no steam holes) and it is now one of my most prized items. It can't be bought anymore, but it's absolutely perfect for pressing ribbon and fusing seamstress tape

[@woosix7735]

TOO TRUE.

[@DBT1007]

And it's often about Japanese craftsmanship

[@laggerlaggerson4375]

tbh im not a big fan of it. It detracts from the actual art itself. The beauty of math is in the actual proofs and the people writing them, not the type of chalk. Similarly, I've seen too many software people obsess about tools or IDEs or languages but they cant solve a single problem or code a simple program. Its cool to appreciate these details for a bit but people should be aware that tools do not make an artist (or an engineer) better in the absence of actual skill.

[@caitlinpenny7412]

Its so true. Im a professional artist. I just recently was able to afford better quality tools for my art practice and it makes such a big difference

[@UnliRide]

One other benefit that's not mentioned - you can wear dark clothes while using this chalk and not worry about white dust peppering you all over.

[@CieloDehaz]

This is awesome!

[@sandormccann2546]

Well, it does appear but in much lower quantities. It really is the best chalk.

[@engleharddinglefester4285]

And you won't get White Lung Disease.

[@h8GW]

Wearing solid dark colors without any pattern to break up the monotony is the mistake in the first place

[@sandormccann2546]

@@h8GW Have you always suffered from cognitive impairment or is it just since the blunt force trauma to your cranium? Praying to TFSM for you little Buckeroo!

[@CreativismeOfficial]

Imagine studying all your life to become a math professor, only to be interviewed about chalk

[@rahulnayar1]

😂😂😂

[@alexlopez5800]

Imagine imagining

[@GYI5U]

Dudes a chalk tiktoker, chalktoker? And a social media ambassador. He probably loves this

[@RoyalTeaLegion]

That's wild. Granted only the students will remember that one teacher

[@that81life81]

Are you ASSuming that was his ONLY interview? Maybe you should exercise your imagination, this was a bonus to his endeavors.... Leave the nerd rage fuel alone!!!!

[@etienne8110]

Not just mathematicians. Our Anatomy professor was using them and it was fabulous. (He also had an art degree, dude could straight up draw any bones in 3D before adding nerves, muscles, vessels) Pr laude thank you for your teachings.

[@cheyennemorrison4107]

It erases even better with the hagoromo eraser, like it’s magnetized to stick to the chalkboard with just the right amount of pressure so you just slide it along and can leave it up in a corner, each one comes with two microfiber erasing things so you can take one off and wash it but immediately have a clean one to use, it’s my second favorite hagoromo product. Also like, because the chalk goes on so smooth without dust and breaks, it lasts a lot longer than standard chalk, and it’s less brittle so you don’t get sharp edges making weird lines, and it doesn’t make irritating sounds like chalk that’s too hard, and the coating means you can like handle your possessions right after teaching without getting chalk on them, like I know math people seem overexcited about this stuff but it’s actually just so excellent, my old math department used some of the department funding on it lol

[@Fractal227]

this is a perfect example of a premium product being sold at a premium price, and both sides are happy.

[@lolkthnxbai]

Fountain pen users completely understand the pleasure of finding something that is a joy to write with to the point where it makes you want to write with it more.

[@theKashConnoisseur]

And we also understand the value of paying a premium price for an item that usually costs a couple of cents per unit. Sure, I could buy 5 ballpoints for $3 but it's never going to make me as excited to use as my Pilot Vanishing Point.

[@knpark2025]

I have two Lamys, a Pelikan, and a Platinum. When I take notes in English or equations, I use one of three German pens. When I write Hangul, in contrast, the pen I pick up the most often is, you guessed it, the Japanese Platinum. Their tips are better for writing letters with finer strokes because they're made with Japanese kanji in mind. I'm a grad student, and I have to write a lot, so just like what you described about using fountain pens I needed to feel joy from something. Three years later I found myself not only having a few too many fountain pens to call it a practical choice but also using a keyboard with Cherry MX silent red mechanical switches.😅

[@TheJcjonesacp]

I feel that

[@scottrackley4457]

The perfect calligraphy nib. I own like 50, 30 that I use. One day, I will find it.

[@snix7613]

13:16 "even though chalk may disappear, the best product should disappear last." Damn, now I'm being emotional for chalks. 😂

[@jedediahjehoshaphat]

It's like some emotional scene in a Japanese manga or anime 😂

[@pauldwalker]

with that one sentence, he showed the president that he understood what that making the product was about quality and the tradition of making a quality product.

[@Brascofarian]

that sure as hell didn't happen with cassette players.

[@chriscoffey6209]

bro, my exact same response to that statement. I hate dry erase boards and it seems like chalk is more sustainable in the long run.

[@publicanimal]

@@Brascofarian The Sony Walkman stayed in production until 2010!

[@hiepdoshin7846]

I remember watching another documentary long ago with all these math professor who were so addicted to this chalk, but was so sad that the business was going away. So glad that it is alive now!

[@NeoNovastar]

i love this story so much. I'll never tire of it. So very glad things turned out for the absolute best. I wish nothing but success for Hyeong-seok and Hagoromo. It's truly the best stuff you can get!

[@Talik13]

Oh man. I'm only 1 minute in, and just listening to it hit the chalkboard a few times I can tell why it's so expensive. I bet it never squeaks either. Look how VIBRANT that color is!!

[@NeoNovastar]

it NEVER squeaks!! it's so buttery smooth, truly a peak writing chalk. it's really lovely for doodling as well

[@leoncampagna6933]

@@NeoNovastar "buttery smooth" That was my thought... Fat. Could the secret liquid ingredient be milk?

[@croissant_A9]

@@leoncampagna6933I mean, if it’s edible…only one way to find out!

[@rowanokepaul8513]

@@leoncampagna6933 i was thinking the same thing, maybe coconut milk?

[@luluraeven]

I went to a Japanese elementary school. All my teachers used Hagoromo. I fondly remember the privilege of writing on the board and being tasked to clean the dusters. I can say from experience, the writing experience is far superior. It feels buttery as the pigment clings to the blackboard and glides, the color payoff is far greater than any other brand, and cleaning the board is so much easier. Japan has a long standing love of stationery and innovation, but I'm glad the new South Korean owner has kept the authentic methods and kept the legacy going!

[@blehbleh9283]

Some of my math profs had this chalk. I used it a bit, and you can feel the difference between it and cheap chalk. It's really really good and makes writing with chalk not a horrible festival of the worst sensory experiences

[@gabrieldinix]

That’s what I was wondering, to me what I hate most about chalk is the sensory feel of it, literally gives me shivers (not good ones)

[@ーワッフル]

@@gabrieldinix the math and physics department at my uni all use hagaromo, and have accused the humanities departments of swiping chalk lmao But yea they’re not lying when they claim it’s buttery smooth. You don’t feel that grittiness of normal chalk nor the weird high pitched screech that sounds like you’re scratching a piece of ceramic on the board. And that thock of the chalk hitting the board when you write? Pure asmr. It’s something to look forward to when you do problems on the board

[@warhammerfaction]

@@ーワッフルwow

[@ThingsYouDontLike]

@@ーワッフル My computer science professor I had for my algorithms and computational theory classes used this chalk, she loved it so much and she taught using it every class. Was so easy to read and there was never a screeching sound!

[@SoulTouchMusic93]

to be honest you can see even through the vid how smooth it looks and i suppose it doesn't even have those random chunks in it either.

[@CollinKeegan]

I think Hagoromo chalk is one of the few 'luxury' items that I've never heard of or met anyone who had buyer's remorse over it, and I know quite a few people who use it.

[@Berumira]

Art professor here, and I absolutely LOVE this chalk.

[@xxfloppypillowxx]

I mean I'm normally the "is the price really worth it?" kind of person but you cannot deny the quality of lines it produces. Like I didn't know that a chalk line could look so good nor have I ever seen a chalkboard that is that clean that wasn't brand new.

[@oienu]

I remember that in my elementary school, only 50% was left on the board, that thing always was falling, this is super clear and defined.

[@astupidlylongnamethatstoolong]

If you factor in how long 1 of the hagoromo usually lasts it actually comes out cheaper than a bunch of cheapo chalks combined. It's just how good that thing is, and its highly unlikely the cost of materials are that much more expensive either.

[@AlphaetusPrime]

If you've ever held a stick of Hagoromo you know that it's more than worth it

[@lasskinn474]

about the bit at the start. why is it being wiped off like whiteboard erasable ink and not with a wet sponge?

[@johntitor4287]

Probably the first Business Insider video where I felt that the premium price was worth the interview's claims that it's indeed worth that much.

[@freeman4755]

I love how this is sort of a sequel to the episode by Great Big Story showing how the Korean company is running the place after the original owner sold them the recipe and machinery

[@michellaneous3364]

yes! i clicked this video because i remembered the name hagoromo chalk from that video

[@davewolf7510]

I had a math professor in college who was a HUGE fan and always kept a stash of at least a dozen boxes at any given time. She was an old school, been there forever tenured prof. and would have us come to the board to show how we solved problems; it was the first time I’d ever written with chalk on a blackboard and not had an instant shiver shoot down my spine, more akin to drawing with a crayon. It also sounded smoother and less irritating. I could absolutely see the appeal for folks whose careers revolve around a blackboard and just can’t stand the scratch-scratch-scratching and that smelly dust of the “lesser” brands.

[@matasa7463]

That and they're paid well enough that they could ask for that sort of quality. Teachers from public schools in America can't even afford to live on just their regular teaching jobs...

[@Aqnde]

@@matasa7463 It's not like premium chalk will break the bank either. Probably more than worth it to make your work more pleasant.

[@theKashConnoisseur]

I mean, sure the chalk looks great. But what university professor is using blackboards? Every professor I've had either has a dry erase whiteboard, an ELMO document camera/projector, or both.

[@shiningyrlife]

@@theKashConnoisseur many still use blackboard.

[@theKashConnoisseur]

@@shiningyrlife Every lecture hall I've been in with a chalkboard has a big projector screen in front of the chalkboard that the professors use instead.

[@VanadiumVoxel]

My teacher literally brought one of these to class today and I tried one. Unless you regularly write with chalk, you don't notice a massive difference, though it is noticeably smoother.

[@samsaraatiger]

If you hate your professor, you should buy this chalk. They'll never be able to switch back and will drain all their money on this, it's that great quality!

[@tomwhite7983]

Given the history between Japan and Korea, it's genuinely fantastic to see a business from one nation being continued with the same passion in the other.

[@sailingadventurer]

Japanese companies have helped Korea in industrializing. Korean memory chip industry, shipbuilding, Hyundai ( got help from Suzuki and Mitsubishi) got massive tech transfer and investment from Japanese companies

[@mheekkim2901]

@@sailingadventurer Have helped is a stretch, they cooperated but everything Korea got s prob paid in price. If anything they prob lost more due to Japan

[@qdlbp]

@@sailingadventurer Anyway Korea is far ahead of Japan on those fields expt Hyundai. Now matters, not past. Don’t even try to justify Colonization.

[@MoonLitChild]

When they did the episode on Blackwing pencils, I'd been gifted one by a friend who didn't know there was a following behind them, but I went on to buy a whole box, 36$ for 12 pencils. I'm a seamstress, so when I design new things, I'm always drawing and erasing, drawing and erasing, and nothing erased cleaner than a Blackwing, so I 100% get the following Hagoromo has garnered. There are some things that once you use them, nothing else will do, even if you have to save up to buy them.

[@crh18]

imma go check out the Blackwing episode now.. haha

[@NeoNovastar]

Ahhh I love blackwing. they write and draw like butter.

[@MoonLitChild]

@@NeoNovastar You barely need to apply any pressure to them to get a good line too. Before finding Blackwing my family's go-to were Ticonderoga-- which are fine for writing but suck for drawing. Blackwing write almost like a really high quality gel pen.

[@zeniktorres4320]

I just bought a blackwing last week, first time.

[@robertharris1748]

I was literally thinking about Blackwings after I watched this!

[@eldibs]

I mean, I pay extra for good pens because the cheap ones don't perform as well. I bought a nice mouse for my PC for the same reason. If you spend a lot of time using a chalkboard, paying extra for nice chalk just makes sense.

[@kalkhalinzhui1753]

Call me clumsy, but I used to own a cheap mouse with a design that constantly slipped by my fingers, falling to the floor before it eventually broke. The more expensive Logitech mouse that I bought has a better feel and it never slips by my fingers.

[@eldibs]

@@kalkhalinzhui1753 Nah dude/dudette, I bought a case for my phone just because I would've dropped and broken it if I didn't have the case to thicken it up. I get it. Also, you get extra buttons, extra accuracy, and more features with a nicer mouse! Buying a better mouse that fits you just right is honestly the number one thing you can do to personalize your computer, make it truly yours.

[@timr6492]

Exactly. "Buy once, cry once." Why buy cheaper (and inferior) products when we'll end up replacing them much sooner and potentially spending more over time? Not to mention what we lose in utility with said cheaper products. I learned to stay away from anything manufactured in China that relies on specific material compositions. Chances are that we save money up front, but that's because it's all pot metal that'll fail.

[@eldibs]

@@timr6492 Your use of the term "pot metal" awakens old memories. Do you play guitar?

[@ufinc]

Must be nice having money

[@kelly2631]

I bought a box of hagoromo chalk back when I was a sophomore because we were able to use classrooms as study rooms and they all had blackboards instead of whiteboards, and it is truly better than any other chalk. It doesn't produce any dust, it doesn't produce a scratching noise or feel when you write with it, it writes super bold lines, and it erases super cleanly. Best of all, I would give a piece to my professor when I went to office hours and it always left them in a good mood lmao

[@kim98677]

Theres no better feeling than finding the perfect get up/gear for your passion/hobby.

[@goatmeal5241]

The new owner really gave the founder a version of Aragorn's "A day may come... but it is not this day" speech. Amazing.

[@kae5717]

I'd never heard of this brand before (I'm an English literature/writing grad and librarian), but now I'm deeply invested in it somehow. Cheap wasteful brands might be accessible, but ones like this that put time, care, and love into their craft, they're the ones worth preserving. After watching the whole video, this could nearly be on your Still Standing series instead. What an awesome story.

[@Toksyuryel]

This brand actually works out to be less expensive overall despite the high up front cost because each stick lasts _substantially_ longer than the cheap brands. So you are really getting the best of both worlds here.

[@GenRN]

I have zero need for chalk but now I want some. 😂

[@JacekPachnik]

when you buy chalk would you like another chocolate for half price.

[@BN22955]

Tell me about it 🤣 I just ordered a box… no idea what for but I can’t wait haha

[@1Yooter]

They said it's edible and it does look mighty tasty, so...

[@GenRN]

@@BN22955 I was seriously thinking about it. It has also crossed my mind that Business Insider is a cleverly disguised infomercial. 😂 And I am a total sucker.

[@GenRN]

@@1Yooter I’m thinking that with all that calcium carbonate I can just replace the Tums with a piece of chalk. 😂 Definitely white flavor.

[@andrewglick6279]

2:46: Making a stick of Hagomoro Chalk starts out with the main ingredient: Chalk. Thank you, I have learned so much.

[@thedarkmage1004]

1:39 I could listen to this woman speak for hours. Ms. Qayyah Moynihan has a wonderful voice.

[@q_ayyah]

Thank you so much 🤗

[@thesamuraix881]

Finally, the follow up to Great Big Story's video on Hagoromo chalk

[@Vyzard]

Ah, so that's where I might have heard about this chalk first

[@starrimoss7377]

yesss i knew i remembered watching a video about this chalk a while ago

[@kmbbmj5857]

When our daughter was in college, this was something she asked for one year for Christmas. So much of her time was spent working equations on the board, she loved using this chalk.

[@nurulabidahnajihahjaini9317]

I heard about that hagoromo chalk-craze in 2015 because the only factory will be close. Glad that it came back. These chalk really is good!

[@Avantime]

Hagoromo should sell chalk subscriptions, like those razor subscriptions. A teacher knows how much chalk he/she uses in a month, and a subscription would be great (and potentially cheaper) for the teacher, and it gives Hagoromo a stable source of recurring income.

[@ShadowDaPk]

They're already struggling to produce enough to meet current demand, a legal obligation to meet production quotas due to subscriptions might be non - viable.

[@SpencerMedici]

By far the best chalk I’ve ever used. Worth every penny. I actually prefer to use chalk over any other writing option because of this chalk.

[@I_SuperHiro_I]

I bought a box last year. It’s worth it for design engineers. It’s so smooth. No squeaks.

[@DonaldMeyers-v8c]

How much did you pay for a box? For how many pieces?

[@I_SuperHiro_I]

@@DonaldMeyers-v8c it’s a box of 30 pieces. Think it was $25 back then.

[@I_SuperHiro_I]

@@DonaldMeyers-v8c maybe $35. 72 pieces

[@sarayusarayu832]

I’m a mathematician in training and this writing utensil DOES make me emotional!!! ❤

[@jake9854]

but gurIs think these chalks r useless, n $1 chalks on amazon r better tho

[@inoob26]

these math lecturers passion for chalk is lowkey making me want to get a blackboard and put it in my room just to use these chalk

[@markvwood2007]

I remember the mathematicians' panic when the Japanese company announced they were quitting. Always wondered what happened. Thank you. Happy ending!

[@ReneeStravhey]

The happiness that is genuinely satisfying is accompanied by the fullest exercise of our faculties and the fullest realization of the world in which we live.

[@aidanmoretz7971]

When I was doing my math master's I got some Hagoromo and all my classmates made fun of me for how expensive it was. One time writing with it and they instantly got why I raved about it so much. Buttery smooth and the sound is unmatched

[@lucas839]

Imagine buying a ferrari your friends will make fun of you, you let them drive and they won't laugh anymore say "is good" but let time pass they still will laugh for buying expensive things lol

[@thecamillarose9806]

I'm glad you told them off... Well the chalk spoke for itself lol

[@Rathurue]

I've used these before, and for the liquid ingredient I my guess is between two things: tapioca starch or rice starch mix. There's a subtle sweetness to the chalk (and yes, I tried to eat it before) that you can taste if you kept a small piece inside your mouth, which might be because those starches gets broken down into sugar by amylase enzyme in your saliva.

[@David-jg1vx]

Bruh 😂😅🎉👋👍

[@ClaireMorgenthau]

Okay, now I just HAVE to buy some white Hagoromo chalk to t̶a̶s̶t̶e̶ test them out !!

[@robertharris1748]

There are quite a few starch derived chemicals (e.g. Pro-bond) that they can add to clay to make them more plastic during manufacturing. So I too was thinking that if not starch specifically, it's some sort of starch-derived plasticizer.

[@AnticipatedHedgehog]

I'm glad I found this! I was wondering if it was some kind of oil or animal fat, but that would be a nightmare to remove from the chalkboard.

[@someguy9778]

They have started adding flavoring so you can taste the different colors. My personal favorite is the cotton candy.

[@fableagain]

I like how the cutting machine leaves traces on the end of each stick of chalk and squishes them a little. It really gives it a more artisenal feel.

[@SuperMyacc]

Great job Shin Hyeong-seok! Staying true to traditional way of making this chalk really paid off!

[@lindamarsh6711]

I just ordered some of this chalk. I’m hoping my great grand daughter will love it when she visits.

[@mykelbrinkerhoff7550]

This is the best chalk and is the only thing I use when teaching my students linguistics. It is the smoothest and doesn’t get as dusty as others

[@Reanimator999]

Need more comments from non-mathematics teachers.

[@shizuxo]

the story of the chalk being passed is indeed special, I hope they do well

[@NanashiCAST]

this chalk is literally the only reason you would use a blackboard over a whiteboard now seeing so many hagoromo chalk in one place activates my neurons and put me in happy place

[@feIipeed]

hey now, even without angel chalk, the dustboard is still better than a white board (at least for math)

[@NanashiCAST]

@@feIipeed Even if hagoromo chalk stops existing for the blackboard, Pilot V board master exists for the Whiteboard. It's my second choice after hagoromo chalk, but it's still far ahead of any other chalk brand i've been forced to try over the years. Pilot v board master's are also purchasable in stores in Japan so no need to jump through weird import hoops unlike some of the other fancy semi-decent chalk brands.

[@TeaBurn]

Always hated when my old high school replaced the blackboards with whiteboards. The markers never lasted long, always dried out, and left stains that were virtually impossible to completely erase. It was only marginally better than the cheap crayola chalk sticks on blackboards. If they used Hagoromo chalk back then, I bet my old school would be singing a different tune about wanting to replace the blackboards.

[@KeramatZMode]

Whiteboard sucks. Chalks are much better when writing, larger lines, and doesnt smudge. It's also slightly textured, as if its slightly "soft" made it more pleasing to look at than ugly black rough lines. Also when different staffs use whiteboards, they use different markers and eventally it creates permanent pigment spots on it and the boards look ugly forever. Especially when they opted to use cheaper whiteboard materials, but I don't think an expensive one would fix anything. The blend of whiteboard marker ink is simply the worse, and you can't use bright colors on white background. Students are more attentive to blackboard than whiteboards. And they both outperform than using powerpoint slides.

[@kuronoch.1441]

​@@NanashiCASTFortunately that brand is quite common here in the Philippines. My brother who is a math professor uses that brand exclusively if not using chalk. It had a lot of pros compared to regular whiteboard markers.

[@kajsdhflkaSE]

Honestly they were smart enough to give the important information freely, so the recipe will never be lost, but kept the part that makes the chalk *their* chalk. The binding agent isn't too important for the recipe since there are a lot to choose from, but it does help determine the final texture, physical qualities and character of the chalk. That is, the binder you use is personal taste.

[@azzamfs]

Mr. Shin is a legend for taking over the Hagoromo brand, even though chalk usage is declining!

[@daedalus-N7]

I remember when the original company announced it would be discontinuing it. And how everybody was rushing to stock up on it. It's pretty cool that another company is making it now

[@OneDollarWilliam]

"You can eat it." And for good measure it contains both the primary ingredients of Tums and Kaopectate so if you came to class with an upset tummy you can take care of that without stepping away from the board.

[@johnnyxmusic]

Not to mention that there is a disorder in which people actually eat chalk. Maybe they could get this by prescription. No I mean that sounds terrible but if you’re gonna eat chalk, I guess this is the chalk to eat.

[@felixyasnopolski8571]

@@johnnyxmusic I gonna doubt it. The best chalk (in form of "writing" chalk) you can eat is a pure calcium carbonate with gypsum. All the additional things like plastificators (that secret liquid) and oyster shells doesn't make it better for the consumption.

[@johnnyxmusic]

@@felixyasnopolski8571 Good to know! When I get the urge… I get a roll of Necco Wafers. 😉

[@jpdemer5]

@@felixyasnopolski8571 Oyster shell is also calcium carbonate, so that's fine. The plasticizer/binder is what gives me pause, if only because it's an unknown -- although I suspect that it's a natural hard wax, like carnauba or rice bran wax.

[@theKashConnoisseur]

@@jpdemer5 Another commenter said they taste-tested the chalk and detected a slight sweetness. This led them to conclude that the binder was tapioca or rice starch solution.

[@kavinbala8885]

I'm a university physics student. the hype is beyond understandable. there's nothing like it

[@bdhale34]

"you paid "What" for a 3/4" snapon ratchet?" "use it" "oh...." "yup"

[@matasa7463]

@@bdhale34 Never cheap out on tools!

[@theKashConnoisseur]

@@matasa7463 Buy once cry once!

[@jonfer381]

As an academic who uses chalkboards every day for work, these really are that much better. The difference is truly night and day compared to the even the nicest stock chalk in any uni classroom I've been in. Every day I get new converts just by leaving the stubs in the trays when they get low and waiting for grad students and professors to use them - they notice the difference immediately. And that's just how much better it feels to write with, not even mentioning the other upsides like richness and cleanliness

[@kenzolr9373]

Best sequel to the Great Big Story video and Takayasu are sure to be happy that the recipe and the manufacturing is loyal to the original. Using existing equipment, but also adding modified machines that were making noodles and teok, was fascinating.

[@vsznry]

I recall seeing a similar video a while back. About professors "smuggling" this stuff for ressle. LOL

[@ferretyluv]

Same! I remember when the Korean company had just bought it and was working on bringing it back. There was a black market among mathematicians.

[@DonaldMeyers-v8c]

Ha. I remember that video too

[@anastasyawidya5885]

Whats the title of the video?

[@1805movie]

Another clientele to focus on when it comes to chalk: Artists. At every parade/festival, there's always one artist that uses chalk to draw on sidewalks.

[@h8GW]

Don't know of the same chalk qualities apply when drawing on pavement, though

[@Toksyuryel]

@@h8GW Nah you need a different kind of chalk for pavement. Might make for an interesting market for them to expand into though.

[@Bob-nc5hz]

@@Toksyuryel They already can't keep up with demands, so that's probably not necessary.

[@mwater_moon2865]

Pavement chalks tend to be wider and more porous, since the pavement is uneven and not smooth like slate, in order to leave color in the grooves and not just on high points it NEEDS to crumble, dust and flake a bit.

[@rohithparashivamurthy3268]

It is to be compulsorily acknowledged that the narrator's voice is really sweet. Period.

[@q_ayyah]

Thank you!

[@elylioney6390]

Classrooms in Australia switched from blackboards to whiteboards while I was in school. I didn't like the whiteboards because there was glare from the sunlight 😕. Teachers preferred it because less chalk dust. They're just using the wrong chalk.

[@jaapspruitenburg6625]

'Facing difficulty for shipment to a lot of countries, because of the low production volume.' is how capitalism narrates. Maybe we should honor the fact the demand is high due to the low production volume and high quality. To my believe it is an honorable story of how quality is still able to survive. Mostly what touches this is how the former owner almost gave the machinery for free to let the brand survive. It shows the greatness of the founder. Hopefully it will survive generations.

[@edheldude]

Somebody could reverse engineer it and produce it more efficiently so everyone could enjoy it.

[@Greenitthe]

@@edheldude over production would collapse demand - not sustainable. besides, the constant pursuit of efficiency ultimately leads you to eliminating or reducing processes and ingredients that contribute to the quality. maybe the first generation of leadership doesn't take that step, but i couldn't say with any confidence that the next owner definitely wouldn't cut corners for a bit more profit in the short term. anything that staves off that growth-mindset death-spiral is a win in my book.

[@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922]

@@edheldude Crayola already did that...

[@SkyWKing]

@@edheldude Pretty sure in a few years' time some Chinese chalk maker will steal the recipe and pump out millions of them a day and put Sejong Mall out of business. It's been an ongoing theme in any business in the past 20 years.

[@RichTapestry]

@@SkyWKing But then, as Greenitthe pointed out, overproduction for a niche and diminishing market would make both manufacturer's businesses unviable.

[@erl161]

The thing that moved me about this story is that Korea and Japan usually have this rift or a historical tension, but passion and staying true to the tradition in making chalk led them to connect with each other.

[@veduci22]

Only handful of autistic men in academia know about this chalk...

[@ClaireMorgenthau]

Indeed! That is so heartwarming. I'm so glad that the Japanese person behind the original Hagoromo dared to transcend beyond the trivia of nationalism and, together with the Korean person, they decided to keep the Hagoromo legacy alive and well.

[@JunxCKm]

This will bring korea and japan even closer together.

[@chrismoore6359]

This is-hands down-the best chalk I have ever used and will never use another. It's a perfect product. Thanks for the video/insight.

[@kloonst]

I'm just glad they kept the brand and its quality alive. I remember back then, when the news that the original company was closing broke out and there will be no more new stocks, that professors started hoarding boxes to last them years.

[@Ratatouille2705]

2:22 Can’t be the only one who thought he was gonna eat a piece out of this drawer

[@blacksnow7106]

flammablemath did taste test it lmao

[@OneDollarWilliam]

​@@blacksnow7106flammable mathS, it's UK style

[@epicviewerJJ]

Relieved to find out this chalk will still be around (and I don’t even need chalk lol), shoutout to hyeongsuk for caring and being willing to take over 🙏

[@SidneyLaurie]

Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible.

[@rogerparada4995]

As a math teacher, I am enthusiastic about this chalk. I used it all throughout my first year teaching and have zealously advocated for it with other teachers. This school year, I have sadly been moved to a classroom with no chalkboards, and I am saddened by it. Still I will always remain a fan of this chalk. I'm grateful for the company in South Korea still keeping the tradition alive.

[@CrayonGlutton]

I saw the first video and bought every teacher that had a chalkboard these so I could sit in the back and still see what was written on the board. (and for big brownie points.)

[@crh18]

all it takes is just the 1st taste and now most are hooked I bet 🤣

[@secretscarlet8249]

What’s their reactions?

[@AshitakaYakul]

I remember when this chalk was in crazy demand after the closure announcement. Glad to see it's still made and going strong. Thanks for the video.

[@k.bart.parkinglot]

I'm actually able to listen to this video without shriveling up and dying so it must be very smooth chalk

[@PageEzekiel]

Passion creates the desire for more and action fuelled by passion creates a future.

[@gadgettrendsarkar2050]

Man, I never knew about this chalk before even after finishing my school life. But after I saw this video I'm more interested about the Hagoromo chalks. They just look so clean and vibrant to look at and looks like it's smoother than a pen indeed.

[@Haya12234]

it is so expensive because it is named after the sage of 6 paths

[@KuroiSenko23]

Damn straight!😤

[@Milo_Estobar]

Konoha gonna eat those calk for cakra

[@spankyjeffro5320]

This weeb crap is why it's expensive. Because they know you crayon-eaters will pay any price to be cringe.

[@antsvensk]

The licensing fees must be immense

[@greywolf9783]

And it's quality

[@alrivas1477]

Magnificent story. So glad Mr Watanabe understood the importance of passing this legacy to the current makers.

[@rishapkumar5509]

I've used this chalk before it's like putting a butter stick on a hot pan ! It's that smooth

[@martinmarkov9707]

Correction. It's even smoother than that. Imagine: putting high quality butter on a cast iron pan is like writing with Hagoromo chalk.

[@37Kilo2]

I can tell how it feels just by watching someone write with it. There's something satisfying about how cleanly, and smoothly it transfers with virtually no dust or chunks breaking off.

[@DiamondhandsForever]

this chalk looks so smooth on the board. i remember the chalk i had in school never had fully solid lines like this. this chalk writes like a marker.

[@MelvisVelour]

Having been a math major, I remember very happy hours up at the chalkboard with my professors and mentors and quickly realized almost all of them spent (or somehow got the department) on top of the line chalks which were like silk flowing across the boards and the numbers/equations would literally blossom like the designs on Persian Carpets.

[@shelbyheaser8804]

I’m surprised they aren’t bombarded with chalk artists wanting to use their items 😂 it’s beautiful!

[@feIipeed]

this would be way too expensive for chalk art

[@Ardeact]

Who else watched the Chalk hoarders video first? Seriously what a nice followup

[@Lindsay-q8g]

People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

[@dave131]

Watching a video on expensive chalk while eating a bowl of cereal. Living my best life.

[@Yangin12]

the sheer PASSION that is felt from producer to user is fire.

[@edantas]

Damn the narrator has the pronunciation of these foreign words on point

[@souravjaiswal-jr4bj]

She is a weeb, only explanation. 😅

[@therivertothesea]

@@souravjaiswal-jr4bj not exactly, she does research

[@TheRealPenguinator]

@@souravjaiswal-jr4bj because being able to pronounce Japanese words is connected to being a weeb. Like what? 😂

[@souravjaiswal-jr4bj]

@@therivertothesea I was joking dude.

[@bartlett2335]

Japanese is basic to pronounce since there are only a handful of syllables and you can always pronounce letters the same way in any word they appear

[@SRMkay]

Wish we had this in school when I was a kid. One of my teachers in kindergarten or 1st grade made an off-hand comment to another teacher about chalk dust being linked to cancer in one study, and ever since then I've absolutely loathed handling chalk and writing on blackboards. Maybe if we'd used decent, smooth, dustless chalk instead of the cheap stuff I wouldn't be so averse.

[@lenny108]

Hagoromo is smoother than other chalks because each stick has a waxy coating - it doesn't stain your hands when you write.

[@chance20m]

I'd love to see an episode of "How It's Actually Made" on this.

[@veryunusual126]

I'm really glad that hagoromo chalk is still being produced, bought myself a box, too😊

[@RunsWithKniefs]

i remember the 2015 frenzy for these sticks of chalk and thinking it was just some crap news fluff overexaggeration Found out one of my professors was one of the people who scrambled around to find the last few remaining so I knew it had to be important