There are times when everything is bothersome; not only cooking rice but also making Ramen (noodles) at home. These days during the rainy season, people usually don’t want to go outside for a meal so they find food that can be delivered to their home. If you try to find delivered food by checking all the flyers, you might fall behind in this smart world. “The Delivery Race” application heated up into a hot issue among the delivery world. I met Kim, Bong-jin(Design graduate school ‘10) who is CEO of WoowahanBrothers. Let’s hear his story

Q. Please introduce your “The Delivery Race” app which has beendownloaded by 4 million users.

A. The Delivery Race is a simple application where users can easily find delivery services near them.
I was thinking of an economic way to use the smart-phone and then came up with the delivery industry. There was already an application related to delivery, so I think this idea is not that fresh.

Q. Your company’s name –Woowahan Brothers- is really interesting. How did you make it?

A. I thought people use delivery services to have a good time with their loved ones, not just for a simple way to eat. Therefore, I wanted to make the service enjoyable and not so rigid. So I utilized ‘Brave Brothers’ in a kitsch and paradoxical way for our company naming. It is kind of appropriate because I started this with my brother and really close friends who are like brothers.Ko, Dae-hyun, the leader of our service planning team, is one of my Kookmin graduate school colleagues and I have known him for more than 10 years.

Q. I imagine it was difficult to communicate with delivery companies.

A. Of course, I had to get flyers myself at first because the owners of the delivery companies didn’t provide their information. But nowadays, they contact us first as our users are growing. I patented ‘Call ment’where if people call through the app, the message is introduced like “This is a call through The Delivery Race.” Companies can receive advertising through this.

Q. I saw in an article that sales reached 1 hundred million won within only 15 days after you started your business. I wonder if there were any difficulties because this was a successful business story. What was the hardest thing you faced and how did you overcome it?

A. Actually, I put up such a good show 15 days after I started business ‘sales’. I had gone through a period without any sales before starting into business sales. Last month’s saleswere only 1 million won (is this correct?). I am not a student, so I had a hard time as the breadwinner. But I encouraged my team and myself by making a vision. There is no place where each person’s future is assured whether you get a job at major company or start your own business. If you think your career and effort will decide your future, then you will shine the brightest wherever you go.

Q. I thought you studied computer engineering because you are an application developer, but it is outstanding that your major was design. Which part of your major affected your business?

A. I studied interior design at university. I had many times to think about my life after going to graduate school. I was concerned about my future as a designer while taking professor Jung, Si-hwa’s course. There are a lot of advantages as well as disadvantages in participating in app developing as a designer, and I think it is up to each person to make them all into advantages. It is good that The Delivery Race received good reviews in marketing and design. I was working while going to graduate school, but I am now taking time off from school because of work. Someday I still want to complete a master’s degree.    

Q. I think you need to have competitiveness because new many applications appear overnight. Are there any things you need to be aware of as application developer?

A. I’m always thinking about what the most important part in service is. You cannot lose focus on the essentials while seeking after something special. The Delivery Race got great reviews in design and marketing and the amount of shop information is the largest and most precise. We’re trying hard to make this even more precise. User reviewsare important to accomplish this. There was no communication between the owners and consumers in flyers, so I think change has started in delivery industry. The business we are doing changes this industry.

Q. There are many youth who want to start their ownbusiness. Could you give them advice?

A. As a former office worker, I don’t want to say that everyone has to start their own business. General workers at companies and people who start their own businesses are both needed, but jobs are concentrated mostly in major companies in Korea. If you start your own business, you have to experience many things in a short time, and your life might have ups and downs. However, it is worthwhile to accept the risk and make something special. So take the challenge and make your own way.

Q. ‘Woowahan Brothers’ has a goal to endure success, right? What’s next for you?

A. These days, images and words are important in business and service. I want to concentrate on having people come across The Delivery Race first when they check for delivery in places like Naver Search. It means I am going to make service better to satisfy consumers opening a delivery ordering service, and diversify devices without putting an effort into marketing or promotion.

is more like a book caférather than a company. There is music being played in the background like a café and the work environment with 50 workers iscomparable to their company’s service concept- soft. I was impressed that there was bucket list poster hanging on the wall with every employee’s hope on it. I envy this in that the company did not require something from their employees but pay attention to their needs. As strong envy gives motivation, if you have ever dreamed about having your own business how about making your dreamscome true?