Massage Chairs with Enhanced Performance and Design Become Essential Items for Homebodies

Market Estimated at 1 Trillion Won Last Year
Nearly Tripled in 6 Years
Bodyfriend Specializes in Healthcare with Biometric Data Analysis for Massage
SK Magic Competes with Design

Reporter Donghyun Choi from Asia Economy] Massage chairs have become essential items among homebodies and the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z). As the market rapidly grows every year, massage chair companies are focusing on expanding their customer base with their own unique strategies.

According to the industry on the 28th, the domestic massage market size is estimated to have exceeded 1 trillion won last year. The market, which was worth 350 billion won in 2015, has nearly tripled in six years. Industry leader Bodyfriend is solidifying its market share with products specialized in 'healthcare.' The nine innovative products, including the Phantom Medical Heart showcased at the world's largest IT and home appliance exhibition 'CES 2022' last month, demonstrate this direction. These massage chairs are equipped with technology that measures and analyzes biometric data such as body composition, blood pressure, and electrocardiograms to provide health management tips and massage recommendations. Bodyfriend is currently undergoing medical device approval procedures for these products. The 'Phantom Medical Heart' and 'Elizabeth Medical' are expected to be released within this year.

The massage chair that Bodyfriend sold the most last year was also the medical device-registered 'Phantom Medical Care.' Released in June last year, this product has achieved sales exceeding 100 billion won to date. Bodyfriend's sales last year are expected to approach 600 billion won, surpassing the 555.6 billion won recorded in 2020. A Bodyfriend representative said, "Doctors are directly developing massage programs called 'Doctor's Coding,'" adding, "We plan to introduce various products this year with differentiated technology."

Currently, the domestic massage market is dominated by Bodyfriend, Cozyma, and HuTech, which hold about 80% of the market share. As the market growth accelerates, other companies are also actively entering the competition.

SK Magic announced that it exceeded 10,000 massage chair sales for the first time last year, a 250% increase compared to 2020. An SK Magic representative analyzed, "The 69-month long-term rental service introduced for the first time in the industry last October was effective," adding, "The longer the rental period, the lower the price burden, which expanded the customer base."

Designs targeting the MZ generation also stimulate purchasing desires. SK Magic's 'sofa-type premium massage chair' (MMC-145), launched in April last year, emphasized interior aspects by applying fabric materials. According to the company, this product sold more than 1,000 units per month, mainly among young consumers.

Spine and medical home appliance company Ceragem is also rapidly expanding its influence in the massage chair market recently. Ceragem is focusing on miniaturizing massage chairs. Its representative product is the 'Pause M2.' This product is designed with curves like a recliner sofa (an adjustable angle comfortable chair) and has a smaller size. Ceragem's sales last year are estimated to be about 650 billion won, more than double the previous year's 300.2 billion won. Domestic sales are expected to have grown even more, from 180 billion won last year to 490 billion won. Massage chairs account for about 20% of Ceragem's sales. A Ceragem representative emphasized, "We operate more than 120 Wellcafe direct brand experience spaces nationwide to strengthen customer experience," adding, "Until last year, we have fully brought services such as AS, delivery and installation, and customer consultation in-house, striving to improve service quality."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.