Parenting Meets AI: "Working Moms, Don't Feel Guilty" [Power K Woman]

Operating the 'Picavy' Brand... Interview with CEO Heo Cheonga
"Not Just Simple Toys"
Integrating Platform and Advanced AI Technology
Pursuing Global Expansion Starting with the Japanese Market
"Quality Playtime Matters for Parents and Children, Even If Brief"

During the first three years of life, a child’s brain develops at a remarkably rapid pace, reaching about 80% of an adult brain’s capacity. This is why it is crucial for children to play with appropriate toys suited to each developmental stage. Ordinary Magic, founded in 2020 by child development expert Heo Cheonga, offers solutions for parents who feel overwhelmed by the fast-changing needs of their growing children. The company provides a subscription service that delivers essential developmental toys every two months for children aged 0 to 24 months, and also offers personalized play content through a smartphone application.

Heo Cheonga, CEO of Ordinary Magic, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the office in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

-You have studied child development for over a decade. What motivated you to start your own business?

▲Including my undergraduate and master’s studies, I spent 10 years focusing solely on child development, even completing doctoral coursework at Seoul National University’s Department of Child and Family Studies. Yet, when I personally experienced parenting in daily life, I realized there were countless factors that made my spouse and me anxious. We constantly wondered what and how we should do things at each stage to support our rapidly growing child. This made me think, “How much more difficult must it be for parents who haven’t studied child development?” At the time I was preparing to start my business, there were no domestic companies offering toys segmented by month for children up to 36 months old. I saw this as a golden opportunity to apply what I had studied to a business model.

-Specifically, how does the way children play change at each stage of development?

▲There is an enormous amount of data on child development, largely because national infant and toddler health checkups are mandatory. This vast data has enabled the scientific development of toys. At five to six months old, children are at a stage where they can learn about cause and effect. For example, they realize that rolling a toy with their palm makes the beads inside move and produce sound. At seven to eight months, children begin to use their fingers. I recommend toys with several wooden beads connected like a roller coaster train, as children can grasp the beads one by one and move them to the other side. By thirteen months, their finger movements become more refined, allowing them to stack rings, and by twenty months, they can play with “peg cylinders,” inserting them into the correct slots based on size. We have developed 120 different types of toys in this way. From research and development to color and design, everything is in-house, and all products have received safety certification.

Heo Cheonga, CEO of All Ordinary Magic, is explaining how to use his company's brand 'Pikabi' toys and smartphone application at the office in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

-In addition to a variety of toys, you also operate an app.

▲Through the “Picavy” app, we provide personalized services tailored to the child’s detailed developmental process. “Picavy” is a combination of “peekaboo” and “baby.” Peekaboo is a very important game for child development, as it teaches “object permanence”?the understanding that something still exists even when it is out of sight. The Picavy app offers various guidelines and content on how to use the toys. Parents can also input their child’s actions while playing with the toys to check developmental progress. Through the app, we demonstrate that we are not just a hardware toy company, but also possess global technological competitiveness. To date, we have accumulated 30,000 subscribers, with annual growth of about twofold, resulting in a profitable business structure. Last year, we reached the monthly break-even point and are now operating a stable revenue model. We recently signed an export contract with a Japanese partner and plan to launch in the Japanese market in the fourth quarter of this year.

-What efforts have you made to strengthen your software development capabilities?

▲Internally, we have a well-structured R&D team, including developers from KAIST. We have meticulously designed content to the extent that we create more than 40 play activities for a single toy. I remember during our initial IR pitching for investment, many investors asked, “Why is tech necessary?” and “Why hire such highly qualified developers?” I answered, “To optimize play experiences for parents and children and to create a practical system that supports children’s development, we need top-tier tech professionals.” Currently, with support from the government’s TIPS program, we are separately developing AI technology to analyze play between children and caregivers.

-Can you explain specifically how AI technology is used to analyze play?

▲We have conducted tests with some customers. We record videos of children and caregivers playing with toys, then analyze their interactions using AI. For example, if a child does not respond to a toy, we need to distinguish whether it is because the child is not interested or simply does not know how to play with it. AI can finely analyze the child’s behavior to make this distinction. Additionally, by analyzing the caregiver’s gaze and body angle, we can assess how engaged and involved they are in play. We avoid research for the sake of research and focus on studies that can directly contribute to our services. This approach builds trust with customers by providing research-based services, and we aim to develop a model that can be applied to global expansion and business growth.

-Despite being a small startup with 15 employees, you have a high proportion of highly qualified staff.

▲Job seekers who are only interested in financial rewards are unlikely to apply to startups. We value excellent products and services, the experience of growing together with customers, and a corporate culture that does not stagnate. Our employees feel a sense of accomplishment as they see the products and services they have created gain global competitiveness and grow step by step. The founding members who have stayed with us so far have contributed greatly to building a positive organizational culture. Moreover, 12 out of our 15 employees are women. Since many employees balance work and parenting, we have adopted a seven-hour workday and flexible working hours. Apart from the core hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the remaining two hours can be used flexibly.

Heo Cheonga, CEO of Ordinary Magic, is explaining how to use the company's brand 'Pikabi' toys. Photo by Jo Yongjun

-Do you have a guiding philosophy that you always uphold while running the company?

▲As both a management philosophy and a principle of organizational operation, I always keep the phrase “fail fast” in mind. In other words, do not be afraid of failure. When launching new products, rather than striving for perfection before release, we prefer to launch even if things are not perfect and quickly improve based on customer feedback. Recognizing the importance of communication with mothers, we actively engage with them through social networking services (SNS). In the early days of the company, I created a Naver Cafe to naturally share informative content and facilitate marketing activities that could lead to purchases. At the time, I was active under the nickname “Doctor Mom” (laughs).

-Lastly, do you have any words for working mothers?

▲I understand very well how many concerns working moms have. Most regret the opportunity cost of not being able to fully witness their precious child’s growth. However, I want to emphasize “Quality Time.” Even if the time is short, if parents and children can connect and spend quality playtime together, everyone’s satisfaction can increase. The quality of time spent together is more important than the quantity. I hope mothers do not feel guilty toward their children just because they are working.

▶About Heo Cheonga, CEO of Ordinary Magic

As a child development expert, she has conducted research in the field for over ten years. After completing the doctoral program in the Department of Child and Family Studies at Seoul National University, she founded Ordinary Magic in 2020. With a vision to “support confident parenting for all parents,” she operates the customized infant and toddler toy brand “Picavy.” The company offers a subscription-based play kit and application content for children aged 0 to 24 months. In 2021, she secured seed investment from SNU Holdings, and in 2023, she participated in the TIPS program. With expertise in child development and cutting-edge technology-based services, she is targeting the global market. Recently, she signed a turnkey export contract with a Japanese partner.