The Era of Enterprise-Specific Low-Code Solutions Begins
[K-SaaS Leaders] Interview with Kwon Oh-rim, Head of Business at YoungLimWon Soft-Lab Flextudio Team : A Service Tailored for Korean Companies with Ease of Use as Its Core Strength
By Reporter Hong Ju-yeon Published, IT Chosun
As the global software industry shifts toward Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), the domestic market is also gaining momentum. Traditional software companies, cloud infrastructure providers, and system integration (SI) firms are rapidly expanding their portfolios to include SaaS offerings, driving growth in the Korean SaaS market. This series explores the current state of the domestic SaaS landscape and delves into the business strategies and visions of leading companies. [Editor’s Note]
Addressing the Challenges of Digital Transformation
Digital transformation (DX) remains a hot topic, but many companies face significant challenges in its implementation. Replacing existing systems involves substantial costs, while developing only essential features can create maintenance issues. Soaring developer wages further complicate the formation of in-house development teams.
YoungLimWon Soft-Lab, a company with over 30 years of experience in enterprise resource planning (ERP), has turned to low-code platforms as a solution to these challenges.
“Korean companies can now digitize specific processes without replacing their legacy systems. I believe the low-code market, which allows even non-developers to easily create applications, is poised for significant growth.”— Kwon Oh-rim, Head of the Flextudio Team at YoungLimWon Soft-Lab.
Lessons from the Mobile Era: Adapting for Longevity
The concept of a low-code platform emerged at YoungLimWon Soft-Lab around 2015. During this time, as smartphones gained popularity, businesses rushed to develop mobile apps. However, many of these apps became obsolete within one to two years due to a lack of proper maintenance and updates.
Flextudio was developed in response to these issues. The platform not only provides a personalized user experience (UX) tailored to individual devices but also offers customization and ongoing maintenance capabilities for businesses.
Why Flextudio Stands Out
1. Tailored for Korean Companies Flextudio is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of Korean businesses.
Comprehensive Korean language support
Competitive pricing compared to international solutions
Easy integration with existing databases and customization using JavaScript
One notable example involves a manufacturing company that implemented Flextudio to automate manual processes, such as entering order details, checking inventory, and managing deliveries. By linking these processes with the ERP system in real time, the company significantly reduced labor and time costs.
Companies with dedicated IT teams are also turning to Flextudio. “Many of our clients choose us after evaluating multiple low-code solutions,” Kwon explained. “It’s encouraging to see interest from businesses outside our existing client base.”
Design Thinking: Putting Users First
Flextudio adopts a design thinking approach to prioritize user needs.”UX consultants visit clients to gather insights directly from users and understand their working environments,” said Kwon. “We create prototypes based on this feedback, which are then validated by users. Customers can also monitor development progress in real time, thanks to our transparent process.”
This approach has enabled businesses to digitize a wide range of processes, including on-site improvements, water management, facility maintenance, after-sales service, fuel cost management, and sales activity tracking.
AI as a Supportive Tool
While generative AI is making waves, Flextudio uses AI primarily as a supporting tool.”AI still faces challenges in developing fully optimized corporate programs,” Kwon explained. “We are focusing on areas like data mapping and test data generation to assist development efforts.”
Looking ahead, Flextudio plans to expand its AI capabilities in 2025, incorporating AWS’s new AI chip-based generative models to provide advanced features at a reasonable cost. “Our goal is to help clients adopt AI more actively to enhance their operations,” Kwon added.
A Promising Future for the Domestic Low-Code Market
The outlook for the low-code market is bright. Rising developer labor costs make in-house development increasingly difficult, while outsourcing often comes with risks related to cost and quality. Low-code platforms provide an efficient alternative, enabling businesses to digitize only the necessary parts of their operations without overhauling existing systems.
YoungLimWon Soft-Lab aims to position Flextudio as the leading low-code platform in Korea. “We are committed to helping companies achieve digital innovation securely and affordably in a cloud-native environment,” Kwon emphasized.
Reporter: Hong Ju-yeonjyhong@chosunbiz.com
