Cuchen Unveils "123 Rice Cooker" with Korea's Highest Pressure, Excelling in Both Health and Taste

Premium New Product with Enhanced Ultra-High Pressure and Low-Sugar Features
Targeting the Stagnant Market with a Mixed Grain-Focused Strategy
"A Product at the Pinnacle of Cuchen's Technological Expertise"

Cuchen has launched its new "123 Rice Cooker," featuring specialized technology for cooking mixed grains, as it seeks to invigorate the stagnant rice cooker market.

On August 21, Cuchen held a product presentation at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas Hotel in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, unveiling the "123 Rice Cooker," which boasts the highest domestic pressure of 2.2 bar. The event drew attention as former figure skater Yuna Kim, the brand’s advertising model, attended and premiered the new TV commercial for the first time.

Park Jaesoon, CEO of Cuchen, stated, "Continuous technological development that grows the market and offers consumers better choices is Cuchen’s true competitive edge," adding, "Our goal is for the new 123 Rice Cooker to achieve at least 1.5 times the sales of the previous 121 Rice Cooker."

Cuchen 123 Rice Cooker. Photo by Sungmin Lee

The new product incorporates ultra-high-pressure cooking, a health- and personalization-focused rice taste algorithm, and a stainless steel inner pot. The cooking time for mixed grains (excluding beans) has been reduced from 27 minutes to 19 minutes, and white rice can be cooked in just 10 minutes using the quick mode. Grains such as chickpeas, black soybeans, and oats are cooked up to 40% softer compared to previous models.

Cuchen has especially enhanced its health features. In line with the "slow aging" concept, which helps lower blood sugar and increase satiety, the company has significantly expanded its low-sugar rice menu and grain algorithms. Lim Jongmin, Head of Cuchen’s R&D Center, explained, "While previous low-sugar rice cookers used a simple tray structure, this time, we have greatly improved performance with differentiated technology," adding, "This rice cooker satisfies both mixed grain and low-sugar needs."

Park Jaesoon, CEO of Cuchen, is speaking at the 123 Rice Cooker Presentation held on the 21st at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas Hotel in Samseong-dong, Seoul. Photo by Lee Sungmin

Since launching the "121 Rice Cooker" in 2021, Cuchen has actively expanded its category of rice cookers specialized for grains. The company has since released the "Triple Rice Cooker," "Brain Rice Cooker," and "Grain Rice Cooker," broadening its lineup. The new 123 Rice Cooker is introduced as the pinnacle of Cuchen’s accumulated technological expertise.

The product also excels in hygiene and durability. By applying a premium stainless steel inner pot (STS 316Ti), which is used for medical purposes, Cuchen has enhanced safety and sustainability, while its "Non-Stick technology" minimizes rice sticking to the pot. In the first quarter of this year, 62% of Cuchen’s rice cooker sales came from the stainless steel line.

Seo Eunyeong, Executive Director at Cuchen, commented, "The domestic rice cooker market is stagnant," and explained, "Rather than trying to increase the market share as a latecomer in a two-horse race, we aim to expand our share through a strategy focused on mixed grains."

Regarding the business outlook, CEO Park said, "Cuchen has been in the red for the past five years, but last year we posted a small profit. If the new product performs well this year, we expect to maintain profitability." He added, "Developing new products every year places a heavy burden on development and advertising costs, but we continue to invest to build brand trust."

Yuna Kim and JaeSun Park, CEO of Cuchen, are speaking at the 123 Rice Cooker Presentation held on the 21st at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas Hotel in Samseong-dong, Seoul. Photo by Sungmin Lee

Yuna Kim, who attended the event, said, "After working with Cuchen for three years, my understanding of grains and rice has deepened significantly. As the 123 Rice Cooker is Cuchen’s ambitious new product, I hope it receives a lot of love."

CEO Park concluded, "With this new product that embodies Cuchen’s technological prowess and extensive market experience, we aim to once again broaden the base of the rice cooker market and drive Cuchen’s growth, following the success of the 121 Rice Cooker."