David Kim, the entrepreneur behind STUDIO NAMU, started his indoor atelier (the first Korean indoor studio in the Philippines) in 2013. He decided to get into this line of business after his keen observation of Filipinos who loved taking pictures. He then named his workshop Namu, which means tree in Korean, as a way to highlight a person’s important milestones in life. “We all have recollections of trees, and my childhood memories included climbing a lot of these in Korea. For me, Studio Namu is like a tree. It’s where we keep our treasured memories and our cherished moments in life like a birth, a debut, or a wedding, for example. We plan events, and reap memories,” he shared.

OF HUMBLE BEGINNINGS | Kim believes that providing good customer service is of the utmost importance. “I don’t think there is any company that doesn't operate without problems. For example, we experienced some glitches before when we were starting our business. There was a time when we weren’t able to deliver an album on a promised date because our supplier in Korea was behind schedule. So to make up for the delay, we upgraded our client’s album. Our efforts appeased them, which made them appreciate our gesture even more,” he shared.

A CONVENIENCE LIKE NO OTHER | He built Studio Namu to show how there are many advantages to taking pictures inside a studio, and one is convenience. “There is no need to go to different places. When it’s rainy, it’s no problem. All you need to do is to choose from the many backgrounds available. It’s like a one-stop-shop. You’ll get to accomplish a lot even on a limited timeframe. Another benefit is that you can also regulate or control the lighting, unlike when you take pictures outdoors. And when you compute your costs, using an indoor studio will prove to be cheaper than taking photos outside,” he shared.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS | The different themes and backgrounds in the studio were inspired by what Kim saw in his travels. Some were even suggested by his clients. Backgrounds are also regularly maintained and changed every year to give his clients new options to try.

WHAT’S IN STORE | Most of Kim’s clients avail their readily available packages. “Not only do we offer reasonable rates, but our package inclusions also help our clients to save more.” Their services include coverage for weddings, debuts, birthdays, and other events.

The 600-sqm studio is fully air-conditioned. It has three make-up rooms, twenty themed sets, forty backdrops, seven continuous lights (three big and four small), four strobes with modeling lights, five colored backdrops, as well as studio props.

Studio Namu’s photo and video coverage rates range from PHP 6,000 to PHP 59,000. A wedding package, for example, covers both the nuptial event and studio Prenup, which includes a photographer, videographer and light man. Other inclusions comprise of a 3-hour use of a fully air-conditioned studio, printed photos placed in albums and frames, a wedding video in DVD output and more.

HOW TO REACH THEM | “Ideally, Studio Namu should be experienced in person. So I suggest that potential clients make an ocular first. We can be reached at (02) 9283180. You can also find us on Facebook (Studio Namu),” Kim shared.

Studio Namu is located on the 4th Floor of Sir Thomas Square Building (#18 Matalino Street, Central Diliman, Quezon City) near Quezon City Hall.