KOSDAQ-listed SONOKONG(066910) will move to expand into the AI wellness field.
SONOKONG said on the 21st that it signed an exclusive distribution agreement for the Korean market on the 17th with Chinese AI healthcare startup EasyFuture for the massage robot "R2E."
EasyFuture is a company invested in by Chinese internet giant NetEase, Inc. and is developing AI healthcare systems. EasyFuture's AI massage robot R2E is a robot-type massage system that can implement AI-based traditional East Asian medicine acupoint massage technology and massage, shockwave therapy, heat therapy, cupping, and moxibustion in a single device. It aims to be a comprehensive wellness device based on traditional East Asian medicine, going beyond simple massage.
Under the exclusive distribution agreement, SONOKONG holds exclusive rights over sales, marketing, and after-sales service (A/S) for R2E in the Korean market. It secured not only product distribution rights but also its own branding rights. The company plans to roll out an independent brand strategy and marketing tailored to the characteristics of the Korean market.
SONOKONG will first target B2B channels such as corporate welfare facilities and premium hotels and resorts, then expand its business scope to direct-to-consumer channels. After that, it plans to move beyond R2E distribution to an AI wellness platform business. It will develop a subscription-based AI healthcare service model based on collected user data.
SONOKONG Chairman Kim Deuk-myeong said, "We are in a situation where we must redraw a fundamental survival strategy amid the structural decline of the toy market," adding, "The conclusion was mobility and AI, and going forward it will be robots."