1~2 Person Households in 2022 Reach 13.7 Million
'The Plender' Online Mall Continues Strong Performance
Focus on Design
“We felt that mini home appliances were something we could excel at.” Yang Jeong-ho, CEO of AtHome, saw an opportunity in the increasing number of single- and two-person households and the shrinking size of their homes. They reduced the size of home appliances and took a bold step with designs that appeal to the younger generation and reasonable prices. As Yang confidently predicted, the results are coming in. Since its founding in 2018 and entry into the mini home appliance market, the company has experienced continuous growth every year. Their goal is now to become a unicorn (a privately held company valued at over 1 trillion KRW) within five years.
On the 26th, CEO Yang said, “As a home appliance startup, AtHome’s greatest competitive edge is quickly understanding market trends and releasing products that consumers want.”
AtHome, established in 2018, focuses primarily on its mini home appliance brand ‘Minix.’ It offers the same functions as traditional large appliances but enhances efficiency for use in smaller spaces. Considering that there were 13.7 million single- and two-person households as of 2022, the market potential for mini home appliances is highly regarded.
CEO Yang started the business by selling massage devices and vacuum cleaners. Growth accelerated when LED masks sold like hotcakes. However, a problem arose a year later when the LED mask manufacturer decided to sell directly and cut off supply. That was when Yang realized the necessity of having his own brand.
The choice of mini home appliances as the main item was based on memories of his childhood, when his entire family lived uncomfortably in a small house. He began with a mini dryer. By analyzing single-person households, he identified the inconvenience of laundry developing odors and mold when simply air-dried. Yang explained, “With a top-loading washing machine, you can’t place a dryer on top, so even if you want to buy a dryer, space is often insufficient. Moreover, many people don’t want to dry all their clothes in the dryer but only underwear, socks, and towels, so the mini dryer market seemed very attractive.” Since its launch in 2021, the mini dryer has become Minix’s flagship product, gaining popularity online and entering offline stores such as Hi-Mart and Electron Land. The lineup later expanded to include mini beam projectors and mini dishwashers.
The food waste disposer ‘The Blender,’ introduced last year, sold 1,077 units in one hour during a recent Naver Shopping live broadcast and recorded the highest sales as a single item on Kakao Shopping. Even when products are stocked online, they quickly sell out, prompting many inquiries about “restock plans.” CEO Yang attributes the popularity to maximizing space efficiency, attractive design, and reasonable pricing. He explained, “I realized that when we focus on solving customers’ problems and inconveniences, sales naturally follow.”
AtHome places particular emphasis on design. They employ industrial and brand designers who continuously exchange ideas throughout the product development process. Among AtHome’s 104 employees, 16 are designers and 5 are involved in home appliance product planning and development, meaning one-fifth of the workforce is dedicated to design and development. Yang said, “The term ‘home appliance interior’ has emerged because appliances have become an important element of interior design, so consumers look at design beyond just performance. I believe that without design competitiveness, a home appliance company has no future.”
Based on this growth, this year’s sales are planned to exceed 100 billion KRW, more than double last year’s. Ultimately, the goal is to become a unicorn company within five years. CEO Yang said, “While unicorns have emerged in platforms and IT companies, no home appliance manufacturer has become a unicorn yet. If AtHome becomes a unicorn, it could contribute to the development of the manufacturing industry market.”
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