Music Service Tailored to Space and Environment — “3 Million Small Business Owners Are Potential Customers”

[Startup Story - Music Curation APLAYZ]① Unmatched Technology and Competitiveness

Used in cafes, restaurants, and various stores

Enter information such as location, business hours, and genre

AI-based music playback in a radio-style format

To participate in CES next year, unveiling connected technologies

[Korea Construction News = Reporter Kang Juhyun] What if you could play music suitable for a specific space and situation without the hassle of searching for songs or editing playlists?

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APLAYZ, a startup that provides music curation services (which means classifying and distributing specific content according to purpose or interest), was born from that idea. Using APLAYZ’s platform—available via smartphone app and other channels—users can automatically play music suitable for various environments such as time, weather, spatial characteristics, and user mood, without manual song selection.

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For example, when a café owner uses the APLAYZ platform, they enter information about the type of business, store atmosphere, and main customer base before playing music. By adding extra details such as store location, operating hours, and preferred genres, the platform automatically plays music that fits the setting. A similar method can be applied in vehicles, playing music that matches driving habits or destinations.

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The music service is provided in a “webcasting” format similar to a radio broadcast. While users cannot skip or replay songs, unlike typical streaming services, the advantage is that it can be freely used in public spaces.

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Thanks to these strengths, APLAYZ’s music curation is highly effective in spaces like cafés and restaurants. The company’s partnerships with well-known franchises such as Ashley and Kkanbu Chicken demonstrate its proven results. APLAYZ’s music service is also being used in Hyundai Motor showrooms.

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In a survey conducted at a Hyundai Motor showroom using APLAYZ’s service, 91% of visitors said they were satisfied with the music selection played in the space—an impressive figure that underscores the service’s quality.

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APLAYZ CEO Bae Jung-jin said, “Store owners often use personal streaming services to play music, but that can raise issues related to the terms of service, and it’s inconvenient because playlists must be created manually. APLAYZ, on the other hand, provides music in a radio broadcast format, which is legally and practically different from personal streaming. It automatically creates playlists optimized for each store and space, allowing visitors to enjoy music that fits the environment perfectly.”

APLAYZ was launched through Hyundai Motor Group’s in-house startup incubator program, ZERO1 Company Builder. The secret to passing its rigorous selection process lies in APLAYZ’s unparalleled technology.

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The reason APLAYZ can provide playlists tailored to different spaces and situations is due to its AI-based music classification engine. When a song is input into the engine, the AI extracts diverse information about it and matches it with appropriate spaces, contexts, and other songs. The more this process repeats, the more refined and varied the playlists become.

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CEO Bae expressed pride, saying that APLAYZ is the only company in Korea with such technology, and even globally, only a few companies possess similar capabilities.

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Another noteworthy aspect is affordability. The cost of using APLAYZ’s platform is comparable to—or even cheaper than—existing music streaming services. Providing a differentiated service at an affordable price became one of APLAYZ’s key competitive advantages, which also helped it gain recognition from Hyundai’s ZERO1 Company Builder for its business potential.

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In the future, APLAYZ plans to collaborate with Hanwha Vision to introduce a music service that utilizes CCTV data. By linking with CCTV, the system will analyze the number of customers, crowd density, age groups, and overall atmosphere in real time to curate the most suitable music. APLAYZ will present this CCTV-linked technology at CES, the world’s largest consumer electronics and IT exhibition, early next year in the United States, in collaboration with Hyundai’s ZERO1 Company Builder.

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While APLAYZ’s ultimate goal is to serve both individual and corporate clients worldwide, in the short term, the company has set its sights on Korea’s 3 million small business owners as potential customers. By leveraging its strength in providing music tailored to each store’s unique characteristics, APLAYZ aims to capture this market.

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CEO Bae said, “There are about 3 million small business owners in Korea, and we estimate that at least 2 million of them have a need for in-store music playback. Our differentiated music curation service is sure to resonate with them.”

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He added, “Although the music streaming market is considered a red ocean, APLAYZ is targeting a blue ocean by enhancing the value of spaces, not just playing music. We plan to continue accumulating data and expand our service beyond fixed locations like stores—to public transportation, parks, and other environments—to provide music that satisfies every individual listener.”

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Reporter Kang Juhyun kangju07@dnews.co.kr

[Music service tailored to spaces and environments… “3 million small business owners are potential customers”], The Korea Construction News, 2023-11-30