As users of obesity drugs such as Mounjaro and Wegovy increase, the landscape of the gym industry is changing. Some are rolling out personal training (PT) products aimed at preventing "muscle loss," while others are teaming up with clinics and hospitals to sell bundled passes that combine gym memberships with obesity drugs.
There were concerns that as obesity drugs spread, fewer people would come to gyms to diet, but the gym industry is instead attracting users of obesity drugs as a new customer base.
◇Bundling Mounjaro with PT for sale… discounted prescription fees, too
According to industry sources on the 27th, a gym in Dongjak District, Seoul, has been selling a "Mounjaro package" in partnership with a nearby internal medicine clinic since early this year. After receiving a Mounjaro prescription at the partner hospital and presenting a gym-only coupon, customers can purchase a gym membership at the package price.
The gym is promoting weight loss that combines Mounjaro with exercise through online marketing. It added, "Losing weight with Mounjaro alone carries a high risk of rebound and pain," and noted, "A system in which hospitals and fitness centers move together is necessary."
A gym in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, has also partnered with a nearby internal medicine clinic. It is advertising that PT members who receive a prescription for Mounjaro or Wegovy at the clinic can get a 5,000 won discount on the prescription fee.
The idea is to secure gym members by encouraging users of obesity drugs to exercise in parallel.
◇"Worried about losing customers to obesity meds"… gyms respond with new products
As the number of users of obesity drugs grows, there has been a strong sense of crisis in the gym industry that it could lose dieting customers.
A person surnamed Kim (41), who runs a gym in Dongdaemun District, Seoul, said, "As more people try to lose weight with Wegovy or Mounjaro, new gym memberships have declined, and body profile photo shoots have also lost steam." Kim added, "We also ended our partnership with the body profile photo studio we worked with," noting, "These days, we only connect members to the studio when they say they need it."
In response, some gyms have gone so far as to tie their marketing strategies directly to obesity drugs. A trainer in their 30s surnamed Kim who works in Seoul said, "The latest approach is to emphasize that combining gym workouts while using obesity drugs helps not only with weight loss but also with health management."
The rapid increase in the number of gyms and the resulting fierce competition are also cited as reasons the industry is rolling out new products. According to National Tax Service statistics, as of the end of June this year there were 14,127 gyms nationwide, up 53.9% (4,950 locations) from 9,177 in June 2021. By contrast, average monthly sales were 22.78 million won in May this year, down from 23.07 million won in the same month last year.
◇Combining hospital prescriptions with PT… possible violations of the Medical Service Act
However, it is necessary to distinguish between offering exercise programs for users of obesity drugs and directly linking prescriptions from specific clinics or hospitals to gym products.
Article 27, paragraph 3 of the Medical Service Act prohibits acts such as introducing, arranging, or enticing patients to medical institutions or medical personnel for profit. If a hospital and a gym exchange economic benefits such as rebates or commissions in return for patient referrals, it could raise an issue of violating the Medical Service Act.
Even without direct monetary transactions, it is also a question whether a model that induces the use of a specific medical institution while offering economic benefits such as discounts constitutes introduction, arrangement, or enticement under the Medical Service Act.
Attorney Hong Kyung-yeol of Law Office Yulseon said, "If you refer patients to a specific medical institution while offering monetary benefits such as discounted prescription fees or membership fees, there is a potential violation of the Medical Service Act." Hong added, "If recognized as an act for profit, it could be punishable under Article 88 of the Medical Service Act by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won."