The definition of success is changing every single day, just as everything else. However, no one will object to saying that one is living a successful life when he/she never settles for reality, continues to challenge themselves, and maintain their own agenda rather than social belief. Jung hyeon Yoo , who runs the traditional market online platform ‘Modoo Market’, is one of them. He left a stable career behind to create his own path.
‘Modoo’, which provides a marketplace app based on the Motgol Market in Suwon, is a startup that has entered its second year this year. Modoo, which is also a social venture, is striving to bring the traditional market online with ideas, technology, and passion. Jung hyeon Yoo , who is also a programmer, decided to start a business because he believed it could be possible to revitalize the traditional market through IT technology.
His mother is the reason that Yoo focused on traditional markets. “My mother has been doing business in traditional markets for a long time. I naturally grew up watching merchants in traditional markets. The hard work and passion of the merchants are no less than that of large companies or the young generation. However, there are many people who cannot keep up with rapidly changing trends and the latest technology. Modoo Market is a partner and pacemaker for traditional market merchants. We help maintain and increase sales in the online marketplace.”
As Modoo Market is the partner of traditional market merchants, the Kia Motors K7 Premier (hereinafter referred to as K7) is the partner of Yoo. A car is a necessity for him, who travels every day for commuting from Seoul to Suwon, not to mention frequent meetings with business partners. He needs a comfortable, safe, and smart car.
Yoo says that cars are necessary for him; “it takes about an hour from home to Suwon. It’s not that far, but it’s never close. I have to sit in the car for at least 2 hours every day. Besides, there are many business meetings with merchants and others all over the place; so you need a comfortable car. The K7 feels comfortable when sitting, as well as during long rides. It boasts stable driving comfort, lane maintenance assistance, and smart cruise control, to reduce fatigue.”
There is another reason for choosing K7; its bold design. CEO Yoo says that the most important aspect when running a startup is to keep a challenging attitude, which is, the willingness to take action. Literally, anything can happen during the early stages of a business, so it is important to make quick decisions and take action.
“Sometimes, things happen that I’ve never experienced; and I don’t think I can achieve success by avoiding it. It’s difficult to take action, but it’s essentially important at first. Furthermore, the attitude of the CEO is directly linked to the performance of the business and of the company. I guess this is why I was attracted to K7; its bold and powerful design gives me the inspiration to do anything.”
The bold charm of the K7 design can also stand out from the rear, thanks to the connected lighting design that runs across the body and both ends reaching the rear lamps. Lamps in the shape of the letter Z make the rear look more energetic.
CEO Yoo says he also feels energized when he looks at his K7. “Sometimes I feel there is too much burden with a lot of responsibility for the success of the business, the employees we work with, and the merchants who rely on the marketplace. But, at the same time, it also feels so much rewarding. The results are much obvious than those I used to make when I was in a big company.”
Yoo also has to wait for a long time often; meetings with busy merchants are never on schedule. When necessary, he looks for a place where he can watch the market and carefully thinks about how the meeting should go in his car. This is the moment when the K7’s cabin turns into a waiting room and a conference room.
“When I worked for a large company as a programmer, I didn’t have to attend a lot of meetings. So, meeting with merchants and corporate executives felt so hard at the beginning. Whenever there was a meeting, I practiced reading the scripts aloud in the car before the meeting. The sounds of nature as one of the K7 infotainment features can help you relax. Moreover, the K7 is very helpful in this situation as it blocks out outside noise well.”
Sometimes he delivers products himself for quality control; it is when he needs to demonstrate a delivery or product planning. He has to carry not only delivery boxes but also multiple kinds of products. However, he doesn’t worry about cargo space; the K7 has plenty of trunk space deep inside.
K7’s Car To Home, which was applied for the first time in its segment, is in line with the identity of a marketplace in that it connects offline and online through IT technology. You can control the lighting, heating, and IoT appliances at your home from anywhere, anytime. Conversely, you can also make the engine start or control the air conditioning of the K7 at home.
“I often work outdoors, so I often want to set the room temperature before I get home. In this case, the K7’s Car To Home function is very useful. I can control IoT home appliances, and I always check to see if the gas valve or power outlet is off; I can control them even after I leave my house.”
It is not easy to successfully lead a new business or startup, because there are so many outside variables and issues that can affect the business. Nevertheless, many people never stop challenging themselves to live their own lives passionately. It goes the same with Yoo. About his business and K7, he says, “we are developing step by step, through a lot of struggles such as sales and marketing problems that I have not previously thought of. I think all of this is possible because there is a smart and friendly car like K7. I am very grateful for that.”
Photography by Jinho Choi
Model. Jung hyeon Yoo