Live X

About Live X

Live X is a South Korean beauty-tech startup aiming to solve structural issues within the beauty market through digital transformation. Founded in March 2021 by CEO Song Jeong-woong, the company is headquartered in Busan. Song's insights into the industry's challenges were deepened by his wife's experience as a franchise hair salon owner, which highlighted issues such as low pay for high-intensity labor and high salon-closure rates.

The company provides a comprehensive suite of services for beauty professionals. This includes operating shared salon platforms, which reduce the initial investment burden for stylists by providing facilities, reservation and payment systems, and marketing support. Live X operates two salon brands, 'WENEED' and 'Salon A', with a total of 50 branches. Beyond physical salon spaces, the company manages the 'BOB Academy' and an online education platform called 'Hair Camp Korea' to provide professional training for stylists. This integrated model aims to move hair designers from a labor-intensive service role to brand and intellectual property (IP) creators, enhancing both their career potential and the customer experience.

Live X has demonstrated significant growth, achieving profitability within a year and a half of its launch and reporting revenues of 9.5 billion KRW with a 7% operating profit in 2023. The company has successfully raised approximately 9 billion KRW in total funding. A recent Series A round in May 2024, led by BNK Venture Investment, secured 6 billion KRW (approximately $4.45M USD) from investors including Mainstreet Investment, Series Ventures, and BNK Securities. The company plans to use this capital for service expansion, talent acquisition, product development, and international expansion into Southeast Asia.