"My Home to Live Until 100 Years Old Must Be Comfortable Starting from the 'Bathroom'"

Jung Inhwan, CEO of Saturn Bath: "The Bathroom is a Play Space and a Space for Filial Piety"
Small Portable Modular Public Bathhouse, "Goal to Install in All Elderly Facilities Nationwide"
Karim Rashid Design 'Bathroom for MZ Generation' "Coming Soon, Expect the World to Be Amazed"

"The bathroom is a space used by the whole family, but while the house grows, the bathroom remains the same."

Even as 30-40 story apartments rise and penthouses over 100 pyeong abound, the bathroom has not escaped the perception of being a 'toilet' or 'latrine,' and the idea of it as a 'space for the family to share' has yet to take root, according to Jeong In-hwan, CEO of Saturn Bath (age 74).

Jung In-hwan, CEO of Saturn Bath, is explaining the awards he received in recognition of his technology.
[Photo by Kim Jong-hwa]

CEO Jeong is a recognized bathroom expert. Since founding Saturn Enterprise, the predecessor of Saturn Bath, in 1990, he has devoted himself solely to this field. His passion for bathrooms has led to the development of Korea’s first 'Modular Bathroom' and 'Small Portable Modular Public Bath,' earning his company recognition as a leading domestic SME in bathroom technology.

In an interview with Asia Economy on the 14th, CEO Jeong said, "The bathroom is both a business and a destiny." The bathroom is a space where parents playfully wash their children and where children perform filial duties by washing their parents?a shared space within the home for family bonding. Although public bathhouses that once fulfilled this role have nearly disappeared and bathrooms have moved indoors, they have not evolved into spaces where families share special emotions together, he pointed out.

CEO Jeong stated, "When entering the bathroom, it should feel like entering a hotel, and when moving from the bedroom to the bathroom, it should feel like going to a play area. Only then will families perceive the bathroom as a shared play and relaxation space."

By doing so, the home where one lives can become an 'Aging in Place (AIP)' environment, allowing elderly residents to comfortably spend their later years without moving to a nursing facility. The prerequisite is a 'home where one can live to 100 years old.' It must be a home without thresholds (steps) so that wheelchairs and care robots can move freely throughout, and it must have elderly-friendly bathrooms.

Jung Inhwan, CEO of Saturn Bath, is demonstrating the use of a bathroom aid device for the elderly developed by his company.
[Photo by Kim Jonghwa]

This is also why the 'Small Portable Modular Public Bath' was developed. Measuring 3 meters wide and 7 meters long, with a size of 6-7 pyeong and capacity for five people, this bathhouse will be completed by the end of this year. CEO Jeong plans to first donate it to elderly facilities in his hometown of Jincheon-gun, Chungbuk, and in Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi, where Saturn Bath’s factory is located. Subsequently, he aims to register it as an excellent product with the Public Procurement Service so that this bathhouse can be installed in all elderly facilities nationwide.

This bathhouse offers luxuries typically found only in top-tier hotels, such as steam saunas, self-operated showers, whirlpool bathtubs, and air pools. It is equipped with anti-slip mats and safety bars, allowing anyone to enjoy bathing without assistance. He emphasized, "Because it is a modular public bath, it can be installed anywhere?sunny yards, campsites, and more. We will install Saturn Bath’s public bathhouses in all elderly facilities nationwide so that seniors can enjoy bathing comfortably."

Saturn Bath’s upcoming 'MZ Generation Bathroom' is also attracting attention. The design, commissioned from world-renowned British designer Karim Rashid, is expected to be completed soon. CEO Jeong said, "When I first proposed it earlier this year, Karim said it would be fun and personally selected a design concept for the MZ generation’s bathroom. It will be completed within weeks. We expect a work that will astonish the world."