Healthcare appliance makers unveil small massage devices

Cuckoo’s massage device for the calves and feet [Courtesy of Cuckoo]

South Korean massage device manufacturers are scrambling to introduce handy massage devices that allow for easy health management as demand rises among young consumers.

According to multiple sources from the health appliance industry on Monday, demand for small massage devices is increasing as young people take a more active interest in their health. In response to this change, massage device companies such as Cozyma, Bodyfriend, and Cuckoo are actively launching new products.

Healthcare appliance company Cozyma saw its sales proportion of small massage devices soar 10 percent in 2023 from the previous year and is the most active among massage chair sellers in launching small massage devices.

It has released around 40 types of small massage devices, including neck and shoulder massagers, low-frequency massagers, and eye massagers, to date. Among them, the most popular product is the stool-type foot massager, Cozy Stool, which can be used as a regular stool or footrest as well as for rolling pressure and three-dimensional air massage during foot massages.

Cozyma recently released Cozy Motion, a seated massager with core features for an effective upper body massage. It has eight massage balls that move three-dimensionally from the neck to the shoulders, back, and buttocks, providing a refreshing and delicate massage via features such as hand-like kneading massage, rolling pressure, four automotive modes, and focused massage.

Cuckoo also launched a massage device for the calves and feet in October 2023, the company’s first release of a small massage device as opposed to a massage chair. As it weighs only 7 kilograms and is small, it allows single-person households who find large massage chairs burdensome to enjoy massages.

The 360-degree rotatable handle, which can be adjusted by the user, serves as a footrest and provides optimal massage according to the users’ posture.

Cuckoo said that the sales volume has increased by 20 percent every month since its release.

Bodyfriend is also shifting its focus to small massage devices and has consistently introduced small massage devices including neck and shoulder massagers, mini warm belts, and mini massage guns since 2017.

The products have shown an annual sales growth rate of more than three times compared to 2023, the company said.

The mini warm belt uses the heat-conductive material graphene, suitable for the abdominal, back, and waist areas.

The mini massage gun weighs only 414 grams, making it easy to carry, and is a high-powered product that can massage at a maximum of 3,000 revolutions per minute, with a brushless direct current electric motor (BLDC). The products are so popular that they account for more than 50 percent of Bodyfriend’s entire sales of small massage products.

Hutech also introduced a massage cushion in 2023 in collaboration with Hite Jinro. It is a small massage device that massages areas including the neck, shoulders, and waist, alongside a heating function.