Women’s Health in South Korea with SAIB & Co - Episode 223

FemTech Focus

In this episode, we talk to Jiwon Park, Founder of the SAIB & Co. We discuss the past, present and future of women’s health in South Korea, how Korean culture has impacted the birth rate there, and unique challenges for femtech founders in Korea.

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Guest bio

Jiwon Park is an award-winning designer, serial entrepreneur, and educator. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design(RISD), was a Fulbright Scholar, and has over 15 years of experience in design.

In 2018, Jiwon founded the sexual wellness company SAIB & Co. in Korea, after witnessing persistent misrepresentation and patriarchal stances towards women's sexual activities. Since then, she has dedicated herself fully to challenging these stereotypes and empowering women to embrace a positive attitude toward their own sexual health.

Before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey of founding SAIB, she served as an Assistant Professor at UT Austin in Texas.

Organization bio

SAIB & Co. is a Korea-born FemTech company providing women with safe-to-use contraceptives and intimate hygiene products helping them to maintain their sexual wellness. The brand name SAIB flips the word BIAS, signaling the company's mission to overturn negative and patriarchal biases toward women exercising sexual agency.

Our female-friendly brand provides a safe space for women and delivers high-quality sexual wellness products using only healthy and natural ingredients.

With our discreet yet stylish design and shame-free experience, SAIB aims to normalize the perception of sexual wellness, redefining them as a natural and healthy part of life.

Episode Sponsor

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FemTech Focus Podcast bio

The FemTech Focus Podcast is brought to you by FemHealth Insights, the leader in Women’s Health market research and consulting. In this show, Dr. Brittany Barreto hosts meaningfully provocative conversations that bring FemTech experts - including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders - on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as FemTech) that are improving women's health and wellness. Though many leaders in FemTech are women, this podcast is not specifically about female founders, nor is it geared toward a specifically female audience. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.

FemHealth Insights bio

Led by a team of analysts and advisors who specialize in female health, FemHealth Insights is a female health-specific market research and analysis firm, offering businesses in diverse industries unparalleled access to the comprehensive data and insights needed to illuminate areas of untapped potential in the nuanced women’s health market.

Time Stamps

[05:52] Jiwon’s background

[08:20] Differences between US and Korean culture towards sex

[11:22] SAIB & Co.

[16:00] Response to the product in Korea

[19:56] Unique challenges as a femtech founder in South Korea

[25:30] History of women’s health in South Korea

[32:40] Women’s attitudes

[33:26] Changing attitudes in society

[34:38] What would you change if you had a magic wand?

[36:36] Fertility rates in South Korea

[43:23] The future of SAIB

Episode Contributors

Jiwon Park

LinkedIn: @Jiwon Park

SAIB & Co.

Website: https://www.saib.co/

LinkedIn: @SAIB & Co.

Instagram: @saib.global, @saib.official

Twitter: @SAIBnCo

Dr. Brittany Barreto

LinkedIn: @Brittany Barreto, Ph.D.

Twitter: @DrBrittB

Instagram: @drbrittanybarreto

FemTech Focus Podcast

Website: https://femtechfocus.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femtechfocus

Twitter: @FemTech_Focus

Instagram: @femtechfocus

FemHealth Insights

Website: https://www.femhealthinsights.com/

LinkedIn: @FemHealth Insights