Home tech fitness gains traction among young people in Korea

Sono Season Play Bike [Image source: Sonoseason homepage]

South Korean consumers, especially young people, are using technologies in at-home workouts as they make it easy and convenient to take care of health at home.

The so-called home techness, a combination of home, technology, and fitness, reflects the latest technologies such as metaverse and three-dimensional (3D) vibration. It allows people to enjoy the realism and joy of outdoor exercise at home.

Sono Season Play Bike, a product of Daemyung Sonoseason Co., is an example.

The product has a sensor that connects with the Sono Season Play app, which automatically adjusts the load based on the global positioning system (GPS) data as the terrain changes.

If a real riding map is selected, nine popular riding courses appear on screen in full high-definition (HD) quality, while the virtual riding map leads to overseas attractions and riding pilgrimage tours in 3D mode like a video game.

“The nine local courses are visualized in directly filmed full HD videos, so you can ride your bike as if you are really there,” said an official from Daemyung Sonoseason.

According to Daemyung Sonoseason, the Sono Season Play app was released in August last year and the bike in June this year. As of this month, Sono Season Play has accumulated more than 10,000 users.

“From this month, we are expanding our sales network to online retail channels such as live commerce to expand contact with young consumers,” the official said.

Healthcare brand COZYMA also introduced VITO, an exercise machine that has already gone viral among young people in Korea that enjoy working out at home.

When the user stands on both feet, the device provides a full-body workout with 3D vibration, and the user can adjust the intensity by changing the operating mode with a wireless remote control worn on his or her wrist.

In the first half of this year alone, sales of VITO increased by over 56 percent from the same period a year ago.

In June, sales were up about 71 percent on year as an increasing number of people go on a diet for the summer season.

COZYMA recently launched an enhanced product that comes with a forward and backward movement feature.

Large companies are also joining the at-home workout market.

Last month, LG Electronics Inc. introduced brid.zzz, a mind wellness solution for customers suffering from stress or insomnia. It stabilizes the mind and body by measuring the user’s brain waves in real time and inducing adjustments.

The device consists of an ear set that fits the shape of the ear to measure brainwaves and an app that provides content to induce brainwave regulation. It measures the user’s condition by monitoring brain waves in real time and then connects with life data recorded on the smartphone to induce mind and body relaxation and sleep.

With the rise of home techness, the global at-home tech fitness equipment market is also expanding.

According to U.S. market research firm Allied Market Research, the home tech fitness equipment market is projected to more than double to $11.5 billion in 2027 from $5.5 billion in 2019.