By Honorary Reporter Foteini Chatzoudi from Greece
Photos = Sophie Chivanova

When traveling, like many tourists, I often use apps to find top spots conveniently, rather than relying on guidebooks or website searches. These apps offer real-time updates, enhancing the experience. Recently, I came across Spot's TikTok account showcasing engaging videos about Korea, which caught my attention.

Spot, an app developed by a small Russian startup, showcases Korea's best spots for international visitors. The prototype was launched in the middle of last year and the app was officially launched that December. Within a month, the user for SPOT surpassed 1,500. 

The startup has three core members: co-founders Asya Guseva and Sophie Chivanova and business partner and adviser Tony Min. With a background in the live music industry, Chivanova until 2020 focused on MyMusicTaste, a one-stop K-pop platform allowing fans worldwide to watch online the concerts of their favorite acts.

The followings are excerpts from a Feb. 13-15 email interview with Chivanova.

Sophie Chivanova (left), CEO and co-founder of Spot, poses for a photo with co-founder Asya Guseva.

What sparked the idea of an app for Korea's top spots for foreign visitors?

First, we love Korea. During my first visits as a tourist, I had friends and colleagues sharing their favorite spots like cozy cafes and hidden eateries known only to locals. Returning to Korea after the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself exploring alone and struggled to find exceptional places. 

So we started compiling a list of favorites, initially in Excel. We faced challenges in effectively using this database, but a pivotal moment was when we decided to create an app for travelers like us. When Asya visited Seoul, we struggled to find a good cocktail bar and went to a disappointing place. This motivated us to ensure others wouldn't repeat our mistake. We aim to be a knowledgeable friend in Korea through our app.

What criteria do you use to select the best spots?
We focus on food quality and hospitality for restaurants and exceptional cocktails and a welcoming atmosphere for bars. We pick only the finest establishments given tourists' time and budget constraints, as efficient use of both is crucial.

The Spot app presents the best of Korea for foreign tourists.

What places do you feature and what sets your app apart from its competitors?
We cover a variety of places like restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, updating the database weekly with spots checked for quality. Suggestions mainly come from our diverse network of friends including DJs, artists, creators and quality-conscious people.

With our music industry background and love for travel, we brainstormed to create our unique "playlist" feature. It enables easy grouping of places (personal playlists) or seeing pre-made curated playlists to simplify discovery without excessive time investment.

We're dreaming big. Our plan is to expand starting with Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. Ultimately, we envision Spot being everywhere. This year, we plan to add five to seven cities in Korea to our platform, offering tourists more choices to explore and enjoy this beautiful country.

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.