Last year, South Korea welcomed over 10 million foreign tourists, many of whom noted the scarcity of apps tailored to help them navigate the country. While popular local apps like Naver Maps and Kakao Maps offer information on nearby dining and attractions, discerning which are foreigner-friendly can take time and effort. Even Google Maps, with its global user base 1 billion, offers only public transportation directions in Korea, lacking the comprehensive guidance, keywords, and recommendations available in other countries.
Motivated by similar frustrations, Ukrainian-born Sophie Chivanova launched a new app for foreign tourists in Korea last December named SPOT. This travel information service platform is designed to guide tourists to ‘hot spots’ such as cafes, restaurants, bars, and exhibitions. Within a month of its launch, SPOT’s user base surpassed 1,500.
“SPOT is akin to a customizable Spotify playlist, but for the best eateries, bars, clubs, and other unique venues,” Chivanova said.
Chivanova arrived in Korea in 2017 to work as a concert organizer, focusing on exporting K-pop concerts to European and CIS markets. Chivanova, captivated by Korea’s vibrant culture, decided to stay despite the global upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the “flavor” of Korea particularly captured her interest.
“Korea is bustling with activity, food, and drink. It’s one of the most welcoming countries, with some of the most delightful dining experiences, reminiscent of cozy, grandma-style restaurants,” she remarked.
Before moving to Korea, Chivanova was a serial entrepreneur in Moscow, launching two startups in the concert planning sector, Talent Buyer and Promoter and Brightside Concerts, after graduating with a degree in data science in 2012. Her passion for music led her to these ventures.
Her career then took her to MyMusicTaste, a Korean startup in the K-pop concert area, where she spent three years forging strategic partnerships and expanding the K-pop concert footprint to over 15 countries, including Russia, the UK, France, Spain, and other European nations.
Reflecting on the genesis of SPOT, Chivanova shared, “Along with my colleague Asya Guseva, who worked as Head of A&R at Universal Music Group Russia, we started brainstorming ideas. We were young women with big dreams, eager to create something useful, leveraging our background in entertainment and hospitality.” The SPOT team also includes Tony Min, a Korean native and former colleague of Chivanova at MyMusicTaste.
Currently offering their service for free, they plan to explore monetization through a B2B model and partnerships with recommended venues.
Chivanova envisions SPOT becoming Korea’s must-have travel app within five years, boasting 10 million users and expanding into Southeast Asian markets like Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. “Our goal is to help travelers spend smartly and avoid the usual tourist traps, thereby ensuring they experience the best of Korea,” she concluded.
