[Power K-Women] Park Ji-won "Even if I fail, I grow through the process... I'm introverted but I take on challenges"

Park Ji-won, CEO of Save&Co

From Design Professor to 'Femtech' Entrepreneur
Branding and Packaging Condoms from a Female Perspective
Aiming to Contribute to Active Consumer Experiences

Introverted but Unafraid of New Challenges
Goal: A Brand That Breaks Women's Prejudices and Concerns

"Even if you fail, you grow through the process. There was definitely something to learn. It is important to try little by little, even small attempts."

On the 22nd, the voice of Park Ji-won, CEO of Save&Co, whom I met in Mapo-gu, Seoul, was calm throughout, but every word carried determination. Although she has an introverted personality and does not enjoy being in front of people, she is not afraid of challenges. Park recalled that when she first started Save&Co, she wondered, "Can I do this? Is it okay to try?" It was not an unfounded concern. Park was preparing a company that makes condoms and hygiene products for women.

The reason Park did not give up on her business despite facing prejudice while challenging the taboo of female sexuality was her strong desire to change the existing sexual culture that considered "women's ignorance about sex as a virtue." The company name Save was created by reversing the English word "BIAS," meaning prejudice. It carries the meaning of overturning negative prejudices about women's sexual lives.

This year, Park was selected as the first-place winner of the "Cartier Women’s Initiative" East Asia Award. The Cartier Award is a program that discovers and supports influential female entrepreneurs. This is the first time a winner has been selected for a sexual wellness item. Park’s passion and courage were greatly supported by her previous experience of starting a business and failing. Gaining confidence, Park plans to enter the U.S. market in the second half of this year. Save is preparing to launch product sales in October.

- What motivated you to start Save&Co?

△ Korea has a culture where sex is not actively discussed at home or in schools. Like everyone else, I grew up as a typical Korean woman in an atmosphere where people do not talk about or try to learn about sex. Then, in my twenties, I went to the U.S. and started teaching. I realized then that my students knew more about sex than I did and had a mature attitude. I used to think that women’s ignorance about sex was a great virtue, but for the first time, I felt ashamed. I was embarrassed to not know much about my own body. From then on, I became interested, observed, and eventually started a business.

- You were a professor majoring in design and then started making products. How did that change happen?

△ I was very interested in using design as a means to solve social problems. While teaching, I thought conservative sexual culture, lack of sex education, and passive attitudes toward contraception were problems. At first, I did not think design could solve these issues. Then, when I went to buy condoms at a pharmacy convenience store in the U.S., the experience itself was very uncomfortable and difficult. Most products targeted men, with black backgrounds, gold foil, graphic prints, and words. Even though I went to buy condoms, it was hard to pick one up and pay. I was unnecessarily conscious of others’ eyes and even embarrassed. I realized that branding and packaging were making the process of buying condoms difficult, even though I was the one buying them. I thought maybe I could provide a better experience and contribute in some way.

- You have started several businesses before. Did that help you run your current company?

△ The first company I started was a design consulting firm called "Dares." I started it right after graduating from university, working as a design agency taking client projects. The second was a social enterprise called "One-Tenth," based on a donation campaign. The concept was that if you buy a 2,000 won coffee, you drink half and share the other half by donating 1,000 won. I co-founded it with Kim Sung-jun, CEO of Lendit. We won international awards and received much attention. However, we ultimately could not sustain the business and had to close it. We had good intentions and thought it would succeed, but neither of us had much experience. To have a ripple effect in the business structure, we needed to collaborate with more consumer goods companies, but the process was very difficult. We lacked overall business understanding and could not persuade them. Of course, the experiences and people I met then still help me a lot in running my company now.

Park Ji-won, CEO of Save & Co (SAIB & Co), is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the company's office in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Younghan Heo younghan@

- It is said that it is difficult for ‘Femtech (female healthcare business)’ companies to attract investment. How is the situation these days? Has anything changed since winning the Cartier Award?

△ Femtech is difficult, but female entrepreneurs face twice the difficulty, and consumer goods are also challenging. It is a niche field among startups. Although Femtech is receiving attention now, women's health itself has developed late and has a small share even in the healthcare market. Most startups focus heavily on IT and technology, so startups producing consumer goods and operating brands have fewer opportunities to receive investment. Since sex itself is considered taboo, some investors hesitated. However, after winning the Cartier Award, we gained something to defend ourselves against critics. A major brand recognized the impact of what we do.

- Did your personality formed during school days or family relationships influence who you are today?

△ My mother worked continuously from when I was young. She built an impressive career. Both my parents were busy, so I grew up independently and had to manage on my own. Seeing my mother work very hard seemed natural to me, and I grew up believing that being a woman does not mean you cannot do something. I was also less afraid of having to do things alone.

- Is your independent personality innate?

△ I find it very interesting that my personality is shy, not extroverted, truly introverted and reserved. At first, I found meeting people difficult and was always nervous inside. But when working, I tend not to hesitate to take on new challenges and start new things. I find that surprising myself. Even when I was a professor, I was always nervous and trembling at the start of a new semester. People might think that being a business owner and CEO means I am a natural presenter who enjoys meeting and talking to people, but I believe you can do all that even if you are not extroverted.

- You seem to have a personality that quickly forgets failures.

△ One of my greatest strengths is that I forget things well. I am the type to remember what I need to, but even if I experience stress or very difficult situations, after a good night's sleep, I don’t dwell on those thoughts the next day. I proudly say that my "resilience" is my strength. While some people are affected for a long time by setbacks, I think I am lucky to be able to shake it off quickly and think about what’s next.

- What was the hardest thing you faced and how did you overcome it?

△ I struggled a lot when starting this business. I received baseless criticism. I had lived a relatively smooth life, and being a professor is socially respected. But when I became the CEO of a startup selling sexual wellness items, I was often attacked. The difference was dramatic. At first, malicious comments like sexual harassment were severe. Feminists called us "Pink Coin" as an insult. Women who sympathized with our business purpose and viewed us positively defended us. They reported bad comments and argued that we are a good company. Seeing those people gave me great comfort.

Park Ji-won, CEO of Save & Co (SAIB & Co), posed before an interview in the company's pink interior office in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

- What is Save&Co’s goal?

△ The Save brand will grow older together with our customers, and we want to become a brand that resolves various concerns and prejudices women experience. We want to create various products that can address concerns arising at different stages, transforming prejudices related to the changing body from pregnancy and childbirth to menopause into positive images.

- What would you like to say to female colleagues and juniors who are about to take on challenges?

△ I am the type who does not hesitate to take on challenges. I think, "If it doesn’t work out, so be it." Because even if you fail, you definitely grow and learn a lot through the process. Running Save, I have learned and grown by dealing with concerns and tasks I had never faced before. That is truly wonderful. Of course, fear of failure is big. In Korea, there is a lot of worry about failure, but I think a culture where failure is more accepted should be created. Even if you fail, you grow and learn through the process. You have to try little by little, even small attempts.

CEO Park Ji-won

has accumulated diverse experiences as a designer, social entrepreneur, and educator. She studied graphic design at Rhode Island School of Design as a U.S. Department of State Fulbright Scholar and visual information design at Ewha Womans University. She has won over 30 international design awards and was selected as a young cultural innovator at the 2015 Salzburg Forum in Austria. In 2018, while serving as an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Design, she founded Save.