CEO Alex Hwang. Former Leader at a Major International IT Corporation, Recipient of the 2022 Innovative Korean Power Korea Award.
Our ultimate goal is to make SHYMAN as easily
accessible as convenience stores for adult products
nationwide, so that it can be comfortably
used in our daily lives, thereby
creating a happy sexual culture.
Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Alex Hwang, the CEO
Shyman is the first unmanned adult toy franchise in Korea. It was founded with the goal of creating a healthy sexual culture and, paradoxically, aims to alleviate the embarrassment associated with sex so that even those who feel shy can use the brand. Shyman is committed to the ideals of healthy sex, happy sex, and satisfying sex. It has been my long-standing dream for everyone in South Korea to enjoy a fulfilling sexual life through Shyman.
What motivated you to start SHYMAN?
I spent about 16 years working in solution and IT development businesses at IBM and France's Dassault, traveling extensively abroad. During this time, I realized that the perception of sexual culture in Europe is very different from that in Korea. Due to our country's Confucian cultural background, there is a conservative and closed-off attitude towards sex and sexuality education. This made me feel that there is a need to shift the societal perceptions and prejudices about sex. I believe that sex should not be something shameful or embarrassing, but rather something that is happy and satisfying. Therefore, I wanted to change the still closed and dark sexual culture in line with the idea that sexual culture is proportional to happiness. Additionally, as a father raising two children, I thought it might be possible to explore different methods of sex education, which led me to take an interest and dive into this field.
You must be very busy these day, right?
I am currently managing 126 stores nationwide, which keeps me quite busy. Among these, many people operate two or three stores each, and there are also many female entrepreneurs and those who are managing their businesses as a second job. Shyman is a popular choice for those who can confidently manage multiple locations or juggle other responsibilities because our store management does not require much time. We also promote our brand through new events each quarter and consistent marketing on social media. Now, more and more people are becoming aware of the Shyman brand, and our franchisees are actively participating in promotions. Many of our franchisees share the same goals as Shyman, which is to contribute to establishing a healthy sexual culture and to share profits. It feels great to grow together with our partners in this endeavor
description)CEO Alex Hwang presenting SHYMAN vision at the Q1 2023 meeting.
Sex education content business?
Before starting Shyman, I spent 16 years working in IT-based solution and program development. VR technologies are already commonly used in industries such as automotive, aviation, and construction. Particularly in car maintenance and education, VR-based training is actively being implemented. As Shyman continues to grow, I am confident that we can apply these technologies to sex education to make learning about sexuality more accessible and easier. By discovering and developing quality content and transforming it into VR solutions for educational materials, I am sure we can conduct much higher quality and diverse sex education than currently available. Especially, VR technology allows even educators, who may feel uncomfortable with traditional methods, to conduct very personal and natural sex education. Since not many people are familiar with VR technology and its applications, this idea might not be readily considered by the general public and most people. Moreover, the adult industry is quite insular, and not many people work in this field. Therefore, as someone who has experienced both sectors, just as the IoT industry emerged from the convergence of objects and IT in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, I aim to pioneer new fields using innovation and creative thinking.
What activities are being done to establish a positive sexual culture?
We are making many efforts and engaging in various activities to establish a bright sexual culture. We communicate with our customers through our YouTube channel and social media, and during the COVID-19 mask shortage, we launched a "Kind Mask Campaign" to distribute masks for free. Additionally, we have organized various events and social activities, such as promotions for March 1st Independence Movement Day, August 15th Liberation Day, summer vacation promotions, and donations of condoms and educational materials to the Suwon Youth Sex Education Center. Though these efforts may be small, by sharing the profits Shyman has earned, we hope to bring happiness to our headquarters, franchisees, and everyone in South Korea.
description)CEO Alex Hwang communicating with franchise owners.
What are your goals for the year 2023?
This year's goal is to increase the number of franchise stores to 200. Another long-term objective is to lay the foundation for the development of adult education content. One of the short-term goals includes exporting Shyman's private label product, ShyToy, globally. The ultimate goal is to make Shyman as accessible as convenience stores are nationwide, integrating it comfortably into our daily lives to create a happy sexual culture.
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