In a structure where people are tied to one place for months or longer, opportunities to freely exercise near home after work or near work before work are limited. Even if office workers pay a lump sum to join a gym, overtime or unexpected schedules prevent them from making it. Ultimately, even the ambitious workouts they embark on end up wasting money and time.
In 2020, Kim Soo-min, CEO of Jample, sought to solve this problem with a "flexible exercise infrastructure." This created an environment where users could exercise whenever, wherever, and however they wanted, based on their schedule and physical condition.
Don't give up on exercise because you're tied down by time and space.
His entrepreneurial story began with an extreme work life at a British investment bank.
"When I worked at a British investment bank, I was incredibly busy. I built my career, but my health suffered. I started exercising to survive, and I realized that exercise wasn't a choice, but a necessary 'survival routine' to get through my busy life."
Looking around, I realized I wasn't alone in facing these problems. The situation was particularly dire for Korean office workers.
"Most people can't get to the gym properly due to overtime or unexpected schedule changes. They desperately need an environment where they can exercise freely according to their own schedule and route, such as near home after work or near work before. However, such services are rare in Korea."
CEO Kim Soo-min was convinced that the inconveniences he experienced were directly related to a pressing need for his customers. He launched Jample to create an environment that fosters a proactive exercise lifestyle, ensuring that no one is forced to give up exercising due to time or space constraints.
Creating an environment where people can exercise freely regardless of their schedule
Jample's strength lies in its ability to perfectly accommodate users' fluid lifestyles.
"The traditional system meant that if you registered at a single gym, you were tied to that gym for months or longer. As a result, if you registered but didn't go, it was often seen as a lack of personal willpower. However, I believed that this was because the old system didn't take into account customers' irregular schedules. I was convinced that if we created an environment where customers could freely choose their workout and gym, regardless of their ever-changing schedules, anyone could continue exercising."
Exercise is all about persistence, but if you do it alone, it's easy to give up. CEO Kim Soo-min is solving this problem through the power of "togetherness."
"Exercise is all about persistence, but if you do it alone, it's easy to give up. That's why Jample actively leverages the 'power of togetherness.'"
Jample operates a variety of challenges and community programs where people set goals, support each other, and achieve them with friends and new workout buddies. The goal is to make exercise a shared, enjoyable hobby, not a tedious obligation.
“We're continuously developing devices that allow users with diverse exercise patterns to check in with each other in real time, communicate with each other, and keep them from giving up on their workouts.”
Jample began its service as a B2B rather than B2C initiative. Companies subsidize a certain percentage of the company's wellness benefits, allowing employees to visit various fitness centers near the company. Jample allows employees to exercise whenever they want, even if their work hours aren't fixed.
"Not only does it offer corporate clients a cost-effective alternative, it also empowers HR professionals to gain real-time insights into employee usage and health promotion data."
Its strength lies in its design, which allows for transparent ROI measurement to ensure welfare budgets are being used effectively. This transparency is what corporate welfare managers most appreciate.
Nationwide infrastructure and social purchasing
Jample is expanding its services around three core axes.
The first is the construction of strategic nationwide infrastructure.
"We're aggressively expanding our affiliated facilities beyond Seoul and the metropolitan area to major cities across the country. Building a robust network that allows users to continue managing their health, regardless of their location, whether they're on business or vacation, is key."
Second, social purchasing is based on acquaintances. We're strengthening the ability to share benefits by purchasing passes with family, friends, and colleagues, and to check and encourage each other's exercise routines in real time.
“Not only does it substantially reduce the financial burden, it also serves as a powerful motivator that increases the sustainability of exercise.”
Third, we're enhancing our social community. We're developing features and benefits for Jample's challenges and community to help users stay active.
From lonely exercise alone to enjoyable daily life together
CEO Kim Soo-min dreams of going beyond simply brokering exercise facilities and creating a culture where everyone can proactively manage their own health, as Korea's leading "social fitness platform."
"I want to solve the health management challenges I've faced in my career through the power of collaboration. Jample hopes to contribute to the transition from lonely exercise to a fun, collaborative daily life."
CEO Kim Soo-min explained, “I hope that exercise will not be homework or an obligation, but rather a fun social activity that enriches my life.”
He emphasized that his biggest goal is “for Jample to be remembered as a strong supporter who helps customers gain energy with loved ones at a convenient time and place.”
What CEO Kim Soo-min is ultimately creating is a social fitness platform that enhances "exercise sustainability" through "flexible exercise infrastructure" and "the power of collaboration." His experience with exercise, which he began as a means of survival while working at a British investment bank, is now transforming the health and wellness culture of our office workers. The days of registering for a gym but never getting there are over. Now, we have an era where you can exercise together, whenever you want, whenever you want.
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