Intro: Tsk tsk, My Poor Friend
Yesterday, a message came in from Korea.
“Tsk tsk. Did you see the KOSPI(Korea Stock) hit 5,500? You should’ve just stayed here and run a shop. Why jump into the ‘blogging’ market? It’s a red ocean. And You lost money on Bitcoin and Apple. What are you doing in a foreign land where you don’t even speak the language?”
I needed a cigarette. 🚬 (But I did not smoke anyway 🤣) The cold night wind dug into my throat. Maybe he’s right. “But first, let’s smash this ‘Red Ocean’ logic to pieces.”
1. The Red Ocean Logic is a Rigged Game
(1) The Consultant’s Scam
Business scholars and strategy consultants always sing the same tune.
- If you bring a unique idea: “Sir, there’s no reference for this. It’s too risky. The market isn’t formed yet.”
- If you bring a trendy idea (like Dubai Chocolate Cookies): “Sir, that market is already saturated. Even the big conglomerates are in.”
By this logic, there isn’t a single business on Earth you can start. Do something new: “No market” (Too early). Do what others do: “Too much competition” (Too late). So what the hell are we supposed to do?
Everything is judged by the result. If you succeed, you found a Blue Ocean. If you fail, well, it was a Red Ocean after all. (The best option is to acquire an already successful business. It’s a strategy I’ve discussed many times on my blog.)
The concepts of Red and Blue Oceans are just tools to drag a subconscious desire to reject investment into the conscious realm. They are weapons used to slaughter early-stage creators and entrepreneurs. They offer zero guidance for actual decision-making.
(2) Consultants Don’t Bleed
What is a consultant? Someone who finds reasons to say “No” without taking any risk. That is the core of their profession. That’s how they survive long-term in that racket. Conversely, if I had stayed in Korea and invested in the KOSPI, would I have succeeded? That’s debatable too. Skyrocketing labor costs, currency issues, domestic recession—that road is paved with hell, too.
Let me share my consulting experience. An Education Team once asked strategy: “We don’t know our department’s future. Please plan a strategy for us.” The answer was obvious. The Education Team should be dissolved. Just give the budget to the field managers. But We couldn’t say:
Your team is useless. How do humanities majors decide what training engineers need and how to allocate budgets for it?Just cut your salaries and give the employees time for self-development.
So, what did I answer? I gathered data from other companies and interviewed the client.
“Here is what others do.”, “Here are the pros and cons. The choice is yours.”
That was the conclusion. A 100-page report ending with “Please review carefully.” Total bullshit. That was 10 years ago, and nothing has changed. I will speak my subjective truth, based on my experience, even if I’m wrong.
2. The Truth: The Market is Born Red
Let’s admit it. In 2026 Korea, there is no “Empty Land.” Blogs, YouTube, whatever you pick—the market is originally Red. Every job is threatened by AI. People are already fed, sleeping in warm beds, and watching Netflix. All desires are satisfied, and every market is swarming with competitors. Searching for a “competition-free honeypot” is like hunting for a unicorn. It doesn’t exist. The market is Red by default. It always was, and it always will be.
So, change the question. (X) “Which market is a Red Ocean?” (O) “How do I survive in it?”
3. The Paradox of the Red Ocean: There is Demand
(1) The Blue Ocean Trap: The Pioneer Dies, the Settler Eats
Flip the concept of the Red Ocean. What do you see?
“There are a hell of a lot of people there, and money is already flowing.”
If you do it just 1% differently, just 1% more efficiently than your competitor, customers will come. Blue Ocean strategy tells you to avoid competition. Find a market with no one in it. But “no competitors” usually means “no customers.” It sounds nice in theory, but reality is brutal. Humans cannot combine things in total abstraction. We always need a concrete anchor, a sensation of reality.
Think about it. Karl Popper’s ‘Falsifiability’, Hegel’s ‘Dialectics’, Phenomenology’s ‘Reduction’— all innovative logics. They all base their arguments on concrete things. They attack something existing to prove their point. That’s why they are persuasive.
The same applies here. To make money in a Blue Ocean, you have to educate the customer on “Why do you need this?” You pour your budget into marketing and then go bankrupt. It is difficult to persuade others without a specific point of reference regarding what makes it different. Samsung’s foldable phone is a prime example. It was form-factor innovation. A true Blue Ocean. A brave decision. But people asked: “Why should I buy that?” Samsung poured astronomical amounts of money into ads to create that need. They emphasized video editing, multitasking, trying to replace the tablet. The market grew a bit.
And then Apple entered. When Apple releases its foldable phone in the second half of 2026, they will instantly devour 40% of the market share. Without spending a dime on education, they will simply eat the market.
(2) Small Business Owners Must Choose the Red Ocean
A small business owner’s niche must be found inside the Red Ocean. Why? Because that is where the Needs are already confirmed. We must use that as a concrete anchor to showcase our own unique style, distinct from others. The idea is to find a blue ocean within a red ocean.
The question is: “In this sea of blood, do you have a style that only you can offer?”
Let’s say you entered a new market where there are no existing suppliers at all. While you struggle to create consumer needs in a niche, others are watching. Once the need is confirmed, they will crush your positioning with better prices or quality. They will use influencers and local media to spread rumors and dilute your brand value.
4. The Core of Differentiation: Not ‘What’, But ‘Who’
Ultimately, it is optimal for small business producers to differentiate themselves through the founder’s lifestyle. People recognize such authenticity. Those who chase “What’s trending these days?” are destined to fail. Trends change every six months. Last year it was Tanghulu(Chinese candy). This year? Who knows. And by the time you know, it’s already too late. Look at the successful businesses. Did they succeed because their item was special?
- Starbucks: Was coffee a new item? No. They sold coffee culture.
- Supreme: They stamp a logo on a brick, and it sells. Is a brick a hot item? No. They sold the philosophy of Supreme.
The item doesn’t matter. Who is selling to whom matters more than the item itself. That’s why lifestyle is matter. I write a blog. Yes, it’s a Red Ocean. But a blog that studies Phenomenological Management and Producer Sovereignty? I believe there is only one in the world. I am building a consistent archive to imprint the existence of ‘Me’ onto the world. I write the stories I wish I had known while running a shop and writing. There is no stronger branding moat than ‘Me.’
5. The Real Question: Do It Like Me
When choosing an item, don’t ask, “What’s popular these days?” Instead, look in the mirror and ask myself:
- My Rage: What part of the world pisses me off so much I can’t stand it? That feeling of “This is messed up” is unique. That is my market.
- My Obsession: What do I dig into all night, even when others call you crazy? That is my weapon.
- My Message: What do I want to say to the world through my product? That is my brand.
Without these three, even the best item will fold in three months. The guy who starts because “They say this makes money” runs away when sales drop or he meets a rude customer. But the guy who starts with “I will solve my frustration” or “I will deliver my message”? He gets back up even if he fails. Because he doesn’t give up. It’s not over until I give up on myself. This is self-proof.
6. Why I Chose independent Blogging
I chose independent blogging. Not because market research said “Blogging is a rising business.” The biggest reason is that there is less ideological censorship by the platform & country. I’ve wandered overseas since I was young. So I know. Korea is a country with severe ideological censorship by the masses. Worse than Vietnam.
How do I know? Just look at the conversations over drinks. Koreans are always obsessed with “What are others doing?” Koreans are suffering from anxiety, fear, and anger. To relieve those emotions, they constantly try to offer up a conspicuous individual as a sacrificial goat. Democracy is not supposed to allow sacrificing individuals, but this country is an exception.
Politicians quietly encourage this. They don’t mind bringing conspiracy theories straight out of internet communities to the National Assembly audit, as long as they can slander their opponents. In Korea, it is far too common for the public to put famous or successful individuals on moral trial and destroy them — despite the fact that the public itself is hardly a paragon of virtue. Democratic politicians actively stoke this envy and resentment, positioning themselves as righteous judges correcting evil in order to gain popularity.
The public is deeply susceptible to good-versus-evil thinking. I find this culture repugnant. I intend to explore and document how moral populism, wielded by the majority, crushes exceptional individuals, small business owners, and producers — and how one might survive under such conditions. That is why I run an independent blog in English, bypassing the censorship of Korean platforms like Google Korea and Naver, which remain captured by the democratic thought-police. Global platforms are no exception. Because Government can request Substack or Medium to shut down my writing at any time.
7. Conclusion: I Do What I Want to Do
I know it’s anxious to walk a path different from the trend. I understand fully that it’s because somtiems I lack conviction in my ‘Narrative.’ But this is my narrative: “What am I dissatisfied with? What do I want to be good at? What do I want to say to the world?”
If these three are clear, the item comes naturally. And it doesn’t matter if that item is in a Red Ocean or a Blue Ocean. Talk about what I want to fight for and change. That is subjective utility. Because myself is already the differentiation. I will not peek at someone else’s sea, and dig my own well. This may sound like I’m speaking to you. But in truth, I’m speaking to myself — and making a promise.
Of course, I don’t know when the day will come that my blog takes off or I publish a book. Bitcoin might crash, and making a living might get hard. Even if I have to drive a truck, I will keep writing. This stress is a risk associated with the consequences of my choices. KOSPI going from 3,000 to 5,500. That’s a great thing. But it has nothing to do with me. I will make the stock price of Saltnfire go from 0 to 100.
– From Gori, an Anarchist enjoying the Red Ocean.
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