Kihya, a Korean smart alcohol ordering startup, has secured KRW 1.5 billion (approximately $1.1 million) in Series A funding, led by Strong Ventures with participation from Seoul Techno Holdings and Infobank. Notably, Seoul Techno Holdings continued its support following its Pre-Series A investment in November 2022.

Kihya operates an app of the same name, aiming to become the “most convenient alcohol shopping app.” Through smart ordering, it offers imported alcoholic beverages like wine and whiskey. Customers complete their purchase through the app and pick up their order at a designated store. Traditional liquors, direct imports, and non-alcoholic beverages are also available for delivery like standard mail orders.

This year, Kihya saw rapid growth. Wholesale partnerships increased from 6 in January to 17, securing a nationwide distribution network and expanding its product lineup to over 2,100 items. The pickup network has grown to 911 locations, now covering the country beyond Seoul and the metropolitan area. Delivery also offers high convenience, with next-day options available in select regions.

Jo Ji-yoon, Director of Strong Ventures and leader of this funding round, remarked, “CEO Park Young-wook, who has supported entrepreneurs as a venture capitalist after founding and selling Withblog, achieved his second success with Carmore. We were especially drawn to his commitment to building Kihya with his core team.” She continued, “The Kihya team, with its O2O service expertise, will drive growth in the online commerce ecosystem for mainstream markets and support small offline businesses. We’re excited for Kihya to become a leading O2O platform, creating new business opportunities.”

CEO Park Young-wook stated, “This investment is a new starting point. We plan to enhance customer value by expanding pickup locations nationwide and offering same-day delivery services.” He added, “In terms of product variety, we’ll increase direct imports, launch private label brands, and pursue diversification to transform from a simple smart order platform to a ‘mainstream cross-border’ platform.”