Few people get the chance to redefine their lives when faced with death. But Oh Jun-ho, CEO of Mayacrew, a next-generation social commerce company, seized that opportunity and embraced it. He turned a life-changing accident into the seed of his startup—Mayacrew, a social commerce platform powered by influencer marketing. With its innovative Supermembers and Superchart features, the company has consistently more than doubled its sales each year. In May 2024, Mayacrew entered the U.S. market, marking the beginning of its global journey.

From the Brink of Death to the Spark of a New Life

Oh began our conversation by sharing the deeply personal story behind his company’s inception. A serious car accident left him bedridden, forcing him into a period of deep reflection.
“I had a major car accident during my military leave and was confined to bed for two months. Lying there, I was forced to confront my life. I remembered a childhood game where you could buy back your life with a 100-won coin. It made me ask myself, ‘If this is my final chance at life—the last coin I have—how should I spend it? What is my true purpose?’ That’s when I decided to start a business. With my parents’ permission, I used the insurance payout from the accident as my startup capital.”

As a child, Oh dreamed of running a restaurant. However, his life-altering accident sparked a broader vision—to build a social commerce enterprise. The influential network he developed at Insiders, a collaborative entrepreneurship club run by Korea University and Yonsei University, played a crucial role in his growth.
“Lee Byeong-hyeon, CEO of Stage, inspired me during an Insiders presentation, and Kim Jin-woo, CEO of Liner, gave me a comprehensive education in startups and entrepreneurship. I also stay in close contact with Park Noh-jun (Physical Education, ‘10), CEO of BBODEK, who was building his business around the same time. We’ve shared many of the same challenges along the way. Since 2019, I’ve lived in Gwangin Hall, a startup community of ambitious young entrepreneurs, many of them Insiders alumni. Being there allowed me to interact with my mentor, Kim Jin-woo, every day—an experience I found invaluable.”

Dreaming of a Social Commerce Revolution

In 2016, Oh founded Mayacrew to address the significant limitations of first-generation social commerce businesses. At that time, most social commerce platforms relied on discount coupons, which rarely led to repeat purchases, resulting in minimal sales growth. As a result, many companies pivoted to direct-to-consumer e-commerce models. To tackle this issue head-on, Oh devised the strategy of offering discount coupons exclusively to influencers in exchange for reviews. He envisioned a novel platform that would forge a direct connection between influencers and small business owners, confident that this approach would result in significantly higher repurchase rates.

Realizing this vision, however, proved to be a significant undertaking. As they prepared to launch their inaugural service, Supermembers, Oh and his team canvassed Seoul to secure their initial clientele.
“At first, we were visiting up to 400 restaurants a day—one of us covering the right side of a street, the other the left, and so on. I think we’ve been to almost every restaurant in Seoul’s main shopping districts (laughs). Before the app’s launch, we had about 20 restaurants on board, and soon after, that number surged to 1,500.”

Just as Mayacrew was gaining momentum, it was hit by an unforeseen crisis—the COVID-19 pandemic. With small business sales plummeting and the company’s future uncertain, Oh found himself at a critical juncture. Rather than succumbing to adversity, he transformed the crisis into an opportunity, using his expertise to attract new clientele through innovative strategies.
“I was on the verge of insolvency, even borrowing from friends to cover employee salaries. Since I couldn’t be certain of external circumstances, I thought, ‘Let’s focus on building something I can control.’ That’s when I decided to expand our customer base to include general enterprises by leveraging our existing technology. And so, our new platform, Super Chart, was born.”

A Bold Voyage onto the Global Stage

Mayacrew overcame the crisis by expanding its services and leveraging its influencer analysis technology to drive rapid growth. The company generated KRW 0.5 billion in revenue in 2022, KRW 2.1 billion in 2023, and KRW 4.5 billion in 2024—all without external investment. Once the business stabilized, Oh turned his focus to the U.S. market, particularly in the field of K-beauty, which has seen explosive global demand.
“I drew inspiration from France, which has the highest number of companies in the top 100 global market capitalization list—importantly, all five French companies on that list are in beauty and fashion. Seeing the growing traction of K-beauty in the U.S., I thought, ‘Let’s leverage our strengths—connecting with influencers and automating the platform.’ Now, we collaborate with TikTok creators in the U.S. who review beauty products.”

Oh envisions Mayacrew as the next Amazon. To that end, he has launched COSDUCK, a “seeding” platform in the U.S. that facilitates product sponsorships for influencers in exchange for reviews, and is preparing to launch an e-commerce platform soon. Mayacrew’s steady progress is fueled by Oh’s unwavering determination and persistence.
“I am fearless. When I first announced my plan to create Supermembers, all the investors around me tried to dissuade me. But I remained steadfast because I believe in the future. I see the second generation of e-commerce evolving into a platform where consumers can seamlessly engage with content and purchase products. If our platform becomes the next global e-commerce giant, I believe we could reach a valuation of KRW 2,000 trillion, mirroring Amazon’s success.”

Despite the company’s continued expansion, Oh still considers himself a ‘novice executive.’ Even with his growing responsibilities, he sees himself as a student of the business world—always learning and staying self-aware.
“Even after nine years, I still feel like a college student preparing to launch a startup. When my team members ask me for direction, I say, ‘I don’t know—let’s figure it out together.’ When I’m struggling, I write in my journal and go for a run. If I find myself sprinting and thinking, ‘I’d rather just keep running,’ I know I’m going through a particularly tough period. But if I’m out of breath and want to stop, I take it as a sign that I’m in a phase of equilibrium (laughs).”

Advice for prospective entrepreneurs

To young people exploring various careers and considering the path of entrepreneurship, Oh emphasizes the importance of introspection before making a commitment. He believes that the motivation for starting a business should be deeply rooted in one’s true aspirations, beyond just financial gain.
“If you’re willing to take the risk, even knowing you might face hardship or financial insecurity, then go for it. But if your only motivation is to make money, then it’s best not to pursue it. My accident forced me to pause and reflect for an entire day, but if you’re serious about starting a business, take a week—or even a month—to deeply consider what truly excites you and aligns with your goals.”

Throughout the interview, Oh’s optimism and adventurous spirit were strikingly reminiscent of his favorite anime character, Luffy, the Pirate King from One Piece. Much like Luffy setting out on a grand journey with his crew in pursuit of the world’s greatest treasure, Oh continues to chart his own course, leading Mayacrew alongside his co-workers as they sail toward the goal of establishing the world’s leading social commerce platform.