WhatsUp

What WhatsUp does

WhatsUp (왓스업, WhatsUp CO.,LTD.) is a South Korean mobile marketing and advertising company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, with an operating office in Seoul (Geumcheon-gu). The company operates a multi-module platform spanning programmatic advertising (DOUBLEU CLICK, a DSP/SSP), a network-based shopping platform (Style Flow), a reward-based advertising product with BJ popularity voting (PICK ME), and a full-service mobile advertising offering (Mobile Comprehensive Advertising / 모바일종합광고). It also produces original web entertainment content — notably '다자고자' featuring K-pop groups Pentagon and Oh My Girl — distributed via Naver TV and the VODA clip platform, and has extended into beauty product manufacturing and distribution through a co-development partnership with Purelis (주식회사 퓨어리스), launching a Brightening Ampoule (브라이트닝 앰플).

WhatsUp's technology stack centers on DSP/SSP programmatic capabilities, a content filtering system that prevents ad placement on pages with negative content, per-category bid management controls, and precise user targeting via network and media data analysis. The Style Flow platform distributes image-based shopping advertisements across major social media, 54 journalism outlets, and 45 online communities, and the company maintains over 1 million daily page views. WhatsUp has integrated with 100 of 164 Naver Newsstand media outlets, providing extensive distribution reach within Korea's digital media ecosystem.

The company's revenue model is predominantly advertising-led, combining end-to-end mobile marketing campaign execution, media management, sales/operations agency services, programmatic inventory buying through DOUBLEU CLICK, and reward-based advertising through PICK ME; hardware revenue from beauty product sales represents a secondary, minor stream. In 2017, WhatsUp reported approximately 1.9 billion KRW in revenue (the highest performer among Daegu Smart Venture Campus Batch 5 graduates) and serves roughly 190 client accounts. GTM combines direct enterprise field sales with channel/reseller relationships across media partners and event-driven content production. No public pricing is disclosed; advertiser inquiries are handled directly via the company website ([email protected]).

Name

WhatsUp

Legal name

WhatsUp CO.,LTD.

Website

https://whatup.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

WhatsUp (왓스업) is a South Korean mobile marketing and advertising company offering programmatic ad buying (DOUBLEU CLICK), a network-based shopping platform (Style Flow), reward-based advertising (PICK ME), full-service mobile campaign management, and original web entertainment, serving roughly 190 advertiser clients across Korea's digital media landscape.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Advertising Services

NAICS

Media Buying Agencies (54183), Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Programmatic Display & Video (DSP/RTB) (BPAFACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Supply-Side Platforms (SSP) & Publisher Monetization (BPAMALAC), Programmatic Media Buying & Trading Desks (DV360/TTD, RTB) (MPAAABAB)

Keywords

• Mobile advertising services
• Programmatic ad buying
• Shopping network platform
• DSP SSP platform
• Digital marketing agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Seongnam

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Mobile Integrated Advertising Services: End-to-end mobile marketing services including campaign execution, media management, and sales/operations agency services for advertisers.
2. Style Flow — Shopping Network Platform: DSP/SSP-affiliated shopping network platform that connects advertisers' shopping products to users across social media and online news platforms, monetizing through ad placements.
3. DOUBLEU CLICK — Programmatic Ad Inventory: Purchase of advertising inventory matched to advertiser campaigns to maximize ad efficiency through programmatic buying.
4. PICK ME — Reward & BJ Voting Platform: Reward advertising platform combined with user participation and BJ popularity voting application, generating revenue through advertising and user engagement.
5. Manufacturing & Distribution (Beauty Products): Joint investment and development of beauty products (e.g., Brightening Ampoule) with partner company (주)퓨어리스, generating revenue through product sales and distribution.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WhatsUp is a South Korean mobile marketing and advertising company that sells programmatic advertising services through its own DSP/SSP-style platforms (DOUBLEU CLICK, Style Flow, PICK ME) and provides full-service mobile comprehensive advertising including campaign execution, media management, sales agency, and operations agency to approximately 190 advertiser clients. The company also operates a proprietary shopping network spanning 100 Naver Newsstand outlets, 54 journalism outlets, and 45 online communities, delivering over 1 million daily page views of image-based shopping ads.

Product overview

WhatsUp operates a multi-module mobile marketing and content platform. The core offering is 모바일종합광고 (Mobile Comprehensive Advertising), a full-service advertising suite covering campaign execution, media management, and sales/distribution operations. This is supported by two programmatic advertising products — DOUBLEU CLICK (a DSP/SSP ad-buying platform that maximizes efficiency through inventory matching, content filtering, and audience targeting) and Style Flow (Korea's first network-based shopping platform connecting brands with users across social media, press, and community networks, delivering over 1M daily PV). PICK ME adds a reward-advertising layer with a BJ popularity-voting app. The company also runs a Manufacturing & Distribution (BEAUTY) line, co-developing and distributing beauty products like a brightening ampoule with partner Purelis. A content production division produces web entertainment such as '다짜고짜' for NaverTV and VODA. WhatsUp manages ~190 client accounts and operates a media network covering 100 of 164 Naver Newsstand channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DOUBLEU CLICK: Advertising inventory purchasing platform that maximizes ad efficiency through content filtering system, competitive bidding operations, and precise targeting settings.
• Style Flow
• PICK ME
• 모바일종합광고 (Mobile Total Advertising)
• 제조 및 유통 (Manufacturing and Distribution)

Quantifiable outcome

• 19 billion KRW revenue (2017) — highest among Daegu Smart Venture Campus Batch 5 graduates
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Donga.com / VODA (동아닷컴)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2018WhatsUp entered a content collaboration agreement with Donga.com (SMR) to distribute its original web entertainment content '다짜고짜' through VODA's clip video distribution platform and Naver TV. This partnership enables WhatsUp to reach broader audiences via premium media distribution channels.
• Daegu Smart Venture Campus (대구스마트벤처캠퍼스)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2018WhatsUp graduated from Batch 5 of the Daegu Smart Venture Campus startup support program, having been selected through a 6-to-1 competitive application process. The 8-month program provided funding, management consulting, startup space, PR strategy, investor introductions, and dormitory facilities.
• Naver Newsstand Media Partners (100 media outlets)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWhatsUp operates advertising on 100 out of 164 Naver Newsstand media outlets, providing the company with premium mobile display inventory across Korea's largest news aggregation platform.
• Journalism & Community Media Network (54 journalism outlets + 45 online communities)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWhatsUp maintains affiliate relationships with 54 journalism media outlets and 45 online communities, forming a broad shopping network for distributing advertiser content to diverse user demographics.
• (주)퓨어리스 (Pureeth Co., Ltd.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhatsUp entered a joint investment and co-development arrangement with (주)퓨어리스 to launch a beauty product — the Brightening Ampoule (브라이트닝 앰플) — under a 'balsam Baek-ok-ju-sa' (바르는 백옥주사) concept, expanding WhatsUp into manufacturing and distribution.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Criteo: Global commerce-media and programmatic DSP platform. Comparable to WhatsUp's DOUBLEU CLICK and Style Flow as a broader programmatic display and shopping-network competitor, with overlapping ad-tech capabilities across display and retail-media formats.
• Kakao Corp. (Kakao Ads): Korean internet conglomerate operating KakaoTalk, Daum, and an integrated advertising business. Comparable as a Korea-based broad incumbent overlapping with WhatsUp's mobile advertising and DSP/SSP business, with privileged access to massive first-party user data.
• The Trade Desk: Leading global independent DSP with category-level bidding, brand-safety controls, and audience targeting. Direct overlap with WhatsUp's DOUBLEU CLICK feature set (content filtering, category bidding, precise targeting) at global scale versus WhatsUp's Korea-focused footprint.
• Naver Corporation (Naver Ads / SA): Korea's largest search and content platform, operating the Naver Newsstand ecosystem that WhatsUp distributes across. Comparable as the dominant Korea incumbent whose walled-garden ad stack competes with — and partially enables — WhatsUp's distribution-led model.

Direct peers

• Appier (Taiwan/Asia): Asia-based AI-driven marketing and programmatic platform serving advertisers with cross-screen targeting and DSP capabilities. Comparable to WhatsUp as a regional programmatic/DSP competitor focused on APAC mobile advertisers.
• IGAWorks: Korean mobile ad-tech and DSP/SSP platform offering programmatic buying, audience targeting, and integrated ad operations. Directly comparable to WhatsUp's DOUBLEU CLICK DSP and end-to-end mobile advertising services in the Korean market.
• Inbrain (formerly Cauly): Korean SSP/Ad exchange operator providing mobile inventory supply to programmatic buyers. Comparable to WhatsUp's SSP/affiliate network functions across Naver Newsstand journalism and community publishers in Korea.
• Mobwith (모브윅): Korean mobile-only ad network and DSP specializing in performance mobile advertising and shopping/commerce ad formats. Directly competes with WhatsUp's mobile full-service advertising and Style Flow shopping-network offerings in Korea.

Emerging players

• DoubleVerify: Ad verification and brand-safety analytics provider. Comparable to WhatsUp's 'content filtering system' differentiator on DOUBLEU CLICK, which prevents ads from appearing on negative-content pages — both align around brand-safety and ad-quality controls.

Regional players

• CJ OliveNetworks / CJ ENM (Ad Sales): Korean media/tech conglomerate with digital advertising and content production arms. Comparable to WhatsUp as a Korea-based media network with both content production (다자고자-like web entertainment) and ad-distribution capabilities across publishing partners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WhatsUp