CultureHero
CultureHero is a South Korean media commerce company that combines food-based premium content, lifestyle commerce, and proprietary premium food product development for general consumers, delivered through its wtable mobile app and a network of major Korean brand partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersPangyo, South Korea
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What CultureHero does
CultureHero (주식회사 컬쳐히어로) is a South Korea-based media commerce company founded in 2015 and headquartered in Seongnam's Pangyo Seven Venture Valley. The company builds and operates a content-driven food and lifestyle platform through three integrated business lines: premium content (recipes, kitchen guides, and styling content), lifestyle commerce (introduction of partner and own merchandise through lifestyle content), and premium food product development (in-house manufactured food products). Its core technology is a mobile application (branded "wtable") distributed via Apple App Store and Google Play, layered with a multi-channel content distribution stack spanning YouTube, Instagram, Naver Blog, Kakao Story, Naver Band, and Facebook.
The company's content engine is anchored by CultureHero Studio, a multi-concept production facility comprising five themed spaces — Asian Kitchen, Live Studio, Living Room, Modern Kitchen, and Rustic Kitchen — used to produce high-quality visual content. CultureHero generates revenue through a mix of recurring premium content subscriptions, transaction fees from lifestyle commerce directed to partner products and own merchandise, and hardware/product sales of self-produced premium food items. Distribution occurs through mobile app stores, direct website commerce (culturehero.net), and offline retail via Lotte Super, while brand and co-marketing relationships are maintained with Naver, Samsung, LG, CJ, Pulmuone, Nongshim, and Posco.
The company targets general consumers seeking to elevate everyday dining through approachable recipes using everyday ingredients, kitchen styling guidance, and access to quality food products. It is a private company with 51–100 employees, led by representative director Yang Jun-gyu, and has raised approximately $16 million across six funding rounds between 2015 and 2021, with the most recent $11 million Series A led by Stonebridge Ventures in December 2021.
CultureHero firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CultureHero
- Legal name
- (주) 컬쳐히어로
- Website
- https://culturehero.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- CultureHero is a South Korean media commerce company that combines food-based premium content, lifestyle commerce, and proprietary premium food product development for general consumers, delivered through its wtable mobile app and a network of major Korean brand partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CultureHero industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food & Lifestyle Media Commerce
- NAICS
- Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International & Ethnic Packaged Foods (CRADAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Ethnic & International Online Food Marketplaces (AFAIAMAH)
Keywords
Where CultureHero is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pangyo
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
CultureHero business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Premium Content Subscriptions: Provides premium food content including curated recipes, kitchen guides, and styling content accessible through the mobile platform
- Lifestyle Commerce: Introduces lifestyle-related products to customers through content-based marketing, directing traffic to partner products and own merchandise
- Premium Food Products: Develops and sells proprietary food products made with quality ingredients based on customer needs analysis
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
CultureHero product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CultureHero is a South Korean media commerce company that produces premium food-based content, including recipes, kitchen guides, and store product content. The company introduces lifestyle products to consumers through curated content, develops and sells its own premium food products using quality ingredients, and operates multi-concept production studios (Asian Kitchen, Live Studio, Living Room, Modern Kitchen, Rustic Kitchen) for visual content creation. Distribution occurs through a mobile app (iOS/Android) and major Korean social media platforms.
Product overview
CultureHero operates as a media commerce company focused on food-based content. The company offers three core service pillars: Premium Content (recipes, kitchen guides, and store product content), Lifestyle Commerce (product introductions through lifestyle content), and Premium Food Product Development (in-house produced food products). The company also operates CultureHero Studio, a multi-concept production facility with five themed spaces (Asian Kitchen, Live Studio, Living Room, Modern Kitchen, and Rustic Kitchen) used for creating visual content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Premium Content (프리미엄 콘텐츠)
Companies that use CultureHero
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
CultureHero technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CultureHero partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- NavercoreMajor Korean internet platform and search engine partner for content distribution and marketing activities
- SamsungcoreMajor Korean conglomerate partner for lifestyle and food content collaborations
- LGcoreKorean electronics company partner for lifestyle content and product integrations
- CJcoreKorean food and entertainment conglomerate partner for food content and product development
- PulmuonecoreKorean food company partner for healthy lifestyle food content and product collaborations
- NongshimcoreKorean food manufacturer partner for noodle and snack-related content partnerships
- PoscocoreMajor Korean conglomerate partner for lifestyle content collaborations
- Lotte SupercoreKorean retail chain partner for food product distribution and commerce
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CultureHero competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Delish: Food media brand producing recipes, video, and social-first content with commerce and product extensions. Comparable as a content-led food brand that monetizes beyond advertising through retail and brand partnerships.
- Yummly: Digital recipe and meal-planning platform with smart-kitchen integrations and ingredient-shopping partnerships. Comparable as an app-led food content brand extending into commerce and adjacent product ecosystems.
- Food52: Food media and curated marketplace combining editorial content, a vetted product marketplace, and an own-brand product line. Mirrors CultureHero's three-pillar model of premium content, lifestyle commerce, and in-house product development.
- Cookpad: Japan-headquartered recipe and cooking platform combining user-generated recipes, premium content, and commerce features. Closest direct peer in model — app-based recipe content with monetization through partnerships and premium services, much like CultureHero's premium content + lifestyle commerce stack.
- Sidechef: Recipe and guided-cooking app with grocery integration and partner commerce features. Comparable mobile-first recipe experience with commerce overlays and partner-driven monetization.
- Tasty (BuzzFeed): Global food video and recipe brand that has extended into cookbooks, branded products, and commerce integrations. Closely comparable on content-led brand building and product extension through partnerships.
- 10000recipe (Naver): Korea's largest recipe platform, owned by Naver — CultureHero's GTM/content partner. Directly comparable Korean recipe content destination competing for the same Korean cooking and lifestyle audience.
Emerging players
- Paprika Recipe Manager: Recipe organization and cooking app primarily serving enthusiast home cooks. Overlaps CultureHero's app-based recipe and kitchen-guide use case, though at a narrower utility-focused scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CultureHero social profiles
Digital presenceCultureHero financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CultureHero leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CultureHero funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors11 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CultureHero M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CultureHero
What does CultureHero do?
CultureHero is a South Korean media commerce company that produces premium food-based content, including recipes, kitchen guides, and store product content. The company introduces lifestyle products to consumers through curated content, develops and sells its own premium food products using quality ingredients, and operates multi-concept production studios (Asian Kitchen, Live Studio, Living Room, Modern Kitchen, Rustic Kitchen) for visual content creation. Distribution occurs through a mobile app (iOS/Android) and major Korean social media platforms.
Is CultureHero a public or private company?
CultureHero is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was CultureHero founded?
CultureHero was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is CultureHero based?
CultureHero is headquartered in Pangyo, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does CultureHero make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Premium Content Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are lifestyle Commerce and premium Food Products.
Who are CultureHero's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Delish, Yummly, Food52, Cookpad, Sidechef, Tasty (BuzzFeed) and 10000recipe (Naver). Paprika Recipe Manager is listed as an emerging player.
Does CultureHero have an API?
No public API is recorded for CultureHero.
What industry is CultureHero in?
CultureHero's product category is Food & Lifestyle Media Commerce. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAAAG, International & Ethnic Packaged Foods, with a secondary code of AFAIAMAH, Ethnic & International Online Food Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 44529 and its SIC code is 2090.