Less Plastic, We Are Fantastic
Fantastic Crew is Amorepacific’s plastic reduction campaign, dedicated to fostering a culture of long-term use and proper collection rather than disposal, by reducing plastic consumption. In Season 1, we connected various urban hobbies with plastic reduction practices, suggesting eco-friendly habits that anyone can integrate into their daily lives. For Season 2, we are taking these practices into nature.
Under the concept of ‘FANTASTIC CREW in NATURE,’ a total of six action crews are directly collecting plastic across various locations nationwide, including oceans, mountains, and urban areas. Through the activities and stories of each crew, we aim to widely promote a culture of plastic reduction. Here is the fourth story.
Please introduce the ‘SSJ Morning Club,’ which opens Seoul Forest’s mornings with plogging.
The SSJ Morning Club is a community-based plogging group where people who love Seongsu-dong and Seoul Forest gather every Sunday morning in Seoul Forest for ‘plogging (picking up trash)’ and coffee chats. By participating without pressure, walking together, picking up trash, and naturally sharing conversations, we are building loose connections within the community.
Q1. When did you first become interested in plastic reduction?
While walking through Seoul Forest, we discovered that there was surprisingly a lot of trash discarded in various spots. As it was a place we frequently visited and cherished, we felt a desire to clean it up ourselves rather than just passing by. From then on, we didn’t just walk through Seoul Forest; we started picking up visible trash. This small act of caring for a familiar space ourselves led to the activities of the SSJ Morning Club, where we plog together every week.
Q2. Why did you decide to join FANTASTIC CREW with Amorepacific?
We had always been interested in empty bottle collection through using Amorepacific products and resonated with the purpose of the ‘Green Cycle Campaign,’ which seeks new uses for resources. We felt that this interest naturally aligned with the SSJ Morning Club’s plogging activities.
Fantastic Crew Season 2 felt like an opportunity to expand the plogging we had consistently pursued with our crew members into a larger environmental campaign. We decided to participate, wanting to extend our familiar activities in a new way.
Q3. If there’s a moment from your time with FANTASTIC CREW that stands out most, tell us about it.
The most memorable moment was encountering Amorepacific’s supportive coffee truck during our plogging activity. It felt particularly special to know that someone was watching and cheering on the activities we had consistently maintained. Sharing coffee and comfortably discussing our activities with the crew members is also a cherished memory. It was a moment where we not only acted for the environment but also experienced the joy of doing it together.
Q4. Were there any changes within the SSJ Morning Club
due to the Fantastic Crew activities?
Through Fantastic Crew Season 2, we began to view environmental practices from a broader perspective. Previously, we focused on directly picking up trash in Seoul Forest, but now we also consider collection and resource circulation after using products.
In particular, by closely engaging with Amorepacific’s cosmetic empty bottle collection activities, we realized that resource circulation can be practiced not only at plogging sites but also in daily life. The biggest change was the expansion of our environmental efforts from specific activities to our overall lifestyle.
Q5. What are some ways to reduce plastic in everyday life?
We believe that maintaining the most basic habits is more important than grand gestures. We strive to use tumblers, dispose of trash in designated areas, and properly separate recyclable plastics. The handkerchief we received through the Fantastic Crew activities was also used more often than expected. Previously, we rarely thought of using a handkerchief, but by using it instead of tissues, we discovered a new way to reduce disposable items consumed in our daily lives.
Q6. What efforts are needed to bring about
social change?
To reduce plastic, it’s important to examine not only the moment of use but also the purchasing and delivery processes. We can reuse cushioning materials from packages instead of discarding them, and when ordering multiple products online, choosing bundled delivery can reduce unnecessary packaging.
Changing the form and containers of the products we use is also a method. We believe that small changes, such as using solid soap or solid shampoo instead of liquid products, and choosing refill products instead of buying new containers, lead to consistent plastic reduction.
Q7. Were there areas where working with Amorepacific created extra synergy?
Through our collaboration with Amorepacific, the SSJ Morning Club was able to share the activities we’ve been conducting in Seoul Forest with other environmental crews. The greatest synergy came from meeting crews active in different natural environments and exchanging experiences and ideas.
Observing each crew’s methods gave us new ideas and revealed possibilities for future collaborations. It was a meaningful experience, showing how our community-based plogging could connect with broader environmental initiatives.
Q8. Is there anything you’d like to leave us with as a member of FANTASTIC CREW?
The plastic we discard today can eventually return to us.
While the plastic problem may seem overwhelming and difficult, we believe it doesn’t necessarily require starting with grand actions. We hope to create change that can protect our planet and ecosystems for a long time by collectively continuing small, everyday practices.
Q9. Lastly, how would you describe the SSJ Morning Club's journey
with Amorepacific in one word?
The Seoul Forest plogging with Amorepacific was, quite literally, fantastic.
The small act of ‘plogging (picking up trash)’ that began on a Sunday morning in Seoul Forest led to new environmental practices and encounters with various crews. The SSJ Morning Club will continue to pursue plogging, making it an activity that anyone can easily join.
Next Crew
FANTASTIC CREW in NATURE. The activities of the Fantastic Crew for nature continue. From Seoul Forest and urban areas to mountains, Jeju’s sea, and even beneath the surface. Discover the stories of six crews, each reducing plastic in their own way in different environments. In the next installment, we will hear the story of ‘Ploving Korea,’ people who protect Jeju’s sea by combining freediving and plogging.
Learn More
Curious about previous stories from Fantastic Crew Season 2?
To use less, collect properly, and ensure plastic is used without being discarded.
To no longer leave plastic meaninglessly on Earth.
With AmorePacific and everyone together, the world can become more fantastic.
Now, reduce plastic and move toward a beautiful world. LESS PLASTIC. WE ARE FANTASTIC!
Discover more on AMOREPACIFIC STORIES.
