'Anyman' Who Rushes at the Word "Help"... Everyday Troubleshooter

Interview with Yoon Chu-hwang, CEO of ASN
Thorough Identity Verification Process for 'Helper' Registration
"Customers and Helpers Are Equal" "Overseas Expansion Planned"

"There are bugs under my kitchen sink. Is there anyone who can help right now!"

Ms. Yang, a woman in her 30s living in Seoul, was startled when she saw a cockroach about two finger joints long while going to the kitchen to drink water around 2 a.m. a few days ago. Suffering from entomophobia and unable to do anything, the first thing that came to her mind was the real-time help request application 'Anyman.' She turned on her smartphone and asked for help on Anyman. Within 5 minutes of posting, a helper (nickname KindGuy) living 3 km away from Ms. Yang's house responded. Thanks to 'KindGuy,' who quickly completed the mission by car, the incident was resolved within 20 minutes. Ms. Yang was able to sleep comfortably that night, and the helper earned 25,000 KRW in a short time.

As single-person households increase and the substitute labor market grows, errand services are gaining popularity again. This is especially true now, when the number of new COVID-19 cases has exceeded 200,000. With more people in self-quarantine and restrictions on movement, many are looking for someone who can work on their behalf. Yoon Chu-hwang, CEO of ASN, said in an interview with Asia Economy, "In the past, you would ask your parents or siblings, but now you can request help from Anyman helpers," adding, "Helpers can earn rewards proportional to their efforts."

On Anyman, users can request medicine delivery when they have a high fever and cannot go outside, or ask for help moving furniture that is difficult to move alone. Missions range from simple errands to caregiving, childcare, luxury store opening runs, and even bug catching. About 80,000 helpers are registered nationwide, and Anyman has 600,000 users. ASN, which operates Anyman, started as an offline business in 2008 and launched the online platform in 2016. It achieved a 500 million KRW profit last year.

Yoon Chu-hwang, CEO of ASN, operating Animan

The way to use Anyman is as follows. First, the user posts the mission details, including requests, location, and time, on the bulletin board, which is then sent to helpers in the nearby area. Helpers who can perform the mission submit their price quotes, and the user compares their information, history, and reviews before making a selection. Communication with helpers is possible via the in-app messenger, and payment is finalized once the mission is completed. During an interview with CEO Yoon while reviewing the Anyman management page, real-time mission requests were seen coming in from all over the country, reaching about 1,000 cases per day.

CEO Yoon emphasized that "customers and helpers are equal partners." He explained, "Helpers can manage their records and increase their 'value,' and if their service is worth it, they can propose higher prices." Anyman administrators do not instruct helpers on how to treat customers or what prices to charge. Helpers with many completed missions and high ratings tend to win bids even with higher prices. The platform operates according to market logic. The commission Anyman takes is relatively low, about 6% of the helper's earnings. CEO Yoon said, "We want helpers to feel that they are earning money through the platform, not being exploited for their labor," adding, "Ultimately, we aim to raise social solidarity and create a platform where people are respected."

More than 100 people register as new helpers daily. They include office workers seeking side jobs, job seekers, housewives, and students. CEO Yoon said, "We thoroughly verify identity through ID cards, bank accounts, and facial recognition," adding, "Our goal is to attract 3 million trustworthy helpers." Trust between customers and helpers is essential. This is why helpers' photos, the number of missions completed, and reviews are disclosed. CEO Yoon said, "Customers can predict which helper will come, so they can have trust in advance." If mission requests involving illegal or inappropriate content are posted, the post is automatically deleted and the member is expelled if five or more helpers report it.

CEO Yoon is planning to establish a U.S. corporation for overseas expansion. He said, "We are currently communicating with Korean associations in the U.S. to promote Anyman," adding, "We want to alleviate the difficulties of Korean residents who find it hard to return to Korea due to COVID-19." In the future, the business plans to expand so that Korean association members abroad can work as helpers directly. He said, "My dream is to grow into a big data company by utilizing helpers' activity records and ratings," and "We plan to expand services to provide talented personnel needed by companies."

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