[Incheon Center for Creative Economy & Innovation Startup CEOs of 2025 Youth Global Launchpad Program] Sewook Hur CEO of Lemonbox

Lemonbox, Designing a Healthy Life with Just One Pill a Day

-Launch of ‘INSENG’ A daily nutritional supplement designed entirely from the actual consumer's perspective

-Optimized Design Developed to provide exactly what is needed in a small, easy-to-swallow format with minimized odors

Lemonbox is a company founded on a critical awareness of the industry, the market is saturated with poorly formulated nutritional supplements. Established in 2022 by CEO Sewook Hur, the company develops health functional foods designed strictly from the consumer’s perspective. This approach goes beyond mere ingredients and dosage, meticulously considering pill size, taste, scent, ease of swallowing, and the overall long-term consumption experience. Currently, their flagship INSENG vitamin line has reached cumulative sales of 300,000 packs, maintains a repurchase rate of over 60%, and continues to grow based on a community of 100,000 customers.

The company's premier brand, INSENG, is more than just another supplement, it is a product engineered for the person who actually takes it. CEO Sewook Hur explains, “A significant number of supplements on the market today are designed with a focus on packaging, marketing, and price competition. However, the actual concerns of consumers when choosing a supplement are different. They worry about whether the pill is too large, the scent too strong, or if it causes digestive discomfort. They look for products the whole family—from children to parents—can take together, ensuring the dosage is neither excessive nor insufficient, and most importantly, something they can consume consistently. We have placed our standard for product development on the ‘consumer’ rather than the seller.”

The competitive advantage of Lemonbox can be summarized in three key pillars. First, the products are designed for optimal dosage, avoiding the potential side effects of over-supplementation and the ineffectiveness of under-supplementation. This is achieved through a rigorous design process involving a research team of doctors, pharmacists, and nutritionists. Second, the company prioritizes a user-friendly experience. Recognizing that many consumers find large tablets burdensome, Lemonbox develops all products to be small, easy to swallow, and with minimized odors. Third, the brand offers premium ingredients at reasonable prices. By utilizing global premium raw materials, such as those from DSM, and manufacturing through top-tier domestic facilities like Kolmar B&H, Lemonbox maximizes value for money by narrowing its own margins.

Strategically, Lemonbox is built on a foundation of performance marketing, customer-centric experience design, and a retention-focused structure. The company has implemented a growth strategy driven by social media advertising across Instagram, TikTok, and Kakao, supported by a community where customers share authentic reviews and recommendations. Furthermore, it has established an AI-driven personalized recommendation engine and a retention system featuring 30-day routine challenges and 100% payback rewards. Their ultimate mission is to create supplements that are consistently consumed rather than bought and forgotten.

Since its seed stage, Lemonbox has achieved self-sustained organic growth. However, to facilitate global market expansion, the company is considering a Series A investment round starting in the first half of 2026. Reflecting on his motivation for founding the company, Hur notes, “Before starting this business, I saw even those close to me buying products based solely on marketing slogans, only to stop taking them because they felt no effect or found them difficult to consume. I began with a simple question, ‘Why are supplements made for the manufacturer’s convenience instead of the customer’s?’ I initially bootstrapped the company using personal capital and revenue-driven growth.”

Hur finds the most fulfillment when customer reviews rather than advertisements validate the product’s value. He believes feedback such as “I can really feel the difference”, “This is the first time I’ve finished a whole bottle” or “I share this with my parents and children” serves as evidence that the company is moving in the right direction. The Lemonbox team consists of approximately 10 professionals, including experts in R&D, quality control, and nutrition, as well as marketing specialists, commerce experts, and data engineers. The company operates under a 100% in-house management system covering everything from product planning and manufacturing to packaging and customer experience (CX).

Looking toward the future, Hur aims to evolve Lemonbox into a global healthcare platform that fundamentally changes people’s health habits. In 2026, the company will focus on three primary objectives, expanding its footprint in Southeast Asian markets including Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia; researching AI-based personalized routines; and perfecting a routine-based platform that integrates intake reminders, rewards, and seamless repurchasing.

Established: February 2022
Core Business: Manufacturing of health functional foods, brand management, and AI-driven personalized health routine services
Performance: Over 100,000 cumulative customers, 300,000+ packs sold, 98% repurchase rate (within core segments), and successful initial entry into the Vietnamese market

reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com