Ted Kim From Co-living to Building a Housing App

Wander with Monica Lim

In this episode of Let's Get Practical, Monica Lim interviews Ted Kim, the founder of Dev d, a tech startup that helps young people in South Korea find suitable housing. The discussion covers a wide range of topics, including Ted's own experiences living in co-living spaces, the importance of atmosphere as a filter when choosing where to live, and the challenges of collecting and analyzing the right data to make accurate recommendations for users. When you go somewhere, you can feel the place and see if it is for you. Dev.D wants to do the feeling on your behalf, through their rich data driven algorithm.

Ted shares his insights on how living in a co-living space can be a great way to meet new people and find a sense of community. He stresses the importance of atmosphere in choosing where to live, and how co-living spaces can provide a supportive and collaborative environment for young people. Ted also talks about the challenges his team faces in gathering data from various sources and the difficulties in making accurate recommendations for users.

One interesting point that Ted mentions is that he met his colleagues at his co-living places. He talks about how people you work with and have chemistry can be around you, attracted by similar things. Finding like-minded people in co-living places can be a great way to build a team and create a supportive community.

The conversation also delved into Ted's background, including his experiences living in England and Germany. He talked about his daily newsletter on industry jargon and his love for traveling and meeting new people. Monica and Ted also discussed the importance of asking for help and advice when starting a new venture, as well as the importance of being optimistic and taking risks.

Towards the end of the episode, Ted shares that he is reading a Japanese book on making sea turtle soup, which is a delicacy. He sees it as a metaphor for creating your best work, whatever that means. This ties into the larger theme of the episode, which emphasizes the importance of community, optimism, discipline, and risk-taking in the world of tech startups.

Overall, this episode provides valuable insights for young entrepreneurs looking to start their own businesses, as well as for anyone interested in the housing market in South Korea. Ted's experiences and advice offer an inspiring and practical perspective on the importance of community, data analysis, and risk-taking in the world of tech startups.

Learn more about Ted: https://www.instagram.com/yeminhan.gomsaeki/
Check out his new app Zip Up (where zip, actually means home in Korean): https://www.zipup.co.kr/app
Check out his newsletter (great if you want to learn more Korean): https://maily.so/trendaword