Trost CEO Kim Dong-hyun: Mental Health Platform Evolves into Homeware
- SEOUL, South Korea (May 6, 2025) – Kim Dong-hyun, former CEO of Humat Company, the operator of the mental health platform Trost, is embarking on a new venture:...
- Kim envisions the new brand as a way to promote self-esteem and well-being through carefully designed home products.
- Humat Company, which operated Trost, was acquired by Dine in January.
Kim Dong-hyun Launches Homeware Brand After Mental Health Platform Exit
Table of Contents
- Kim Dong-hyun Launches Homeware Brand After Mental Health Platform Exit
- From mental Health to Home Aesthetics
- Trost’s Acquisition and Future Integration
- Trost: Pioneering Psychological Counseling in South Korea
- B2B Success and Employee Mental Health
- Addressing South Korea’s Mental Health Challenges
- Post-Acquisition Reflections and a New Diagnosis
- Emotional Paralysis: A Growing Concern
- Counseling as Mental Rescue training
- Kim Dong-hyun Launches Homeware Brand After Mental Health Platform Exit: Your Questions Answered
- Who is Kim Dong-hyun?
- What is Kim Dong-hyun’s new venture?
- What was the motivation behind this new brand?
- What was Trost,and what did it do?
- what is the current status of Trost?
- Why did Kim Dong-hyun sell Trost?
- How accomplished was Trost?
- What were some of the challenges South Korea faced related to mental health?
- What insights did Kim Dong-hyun gain from his work with Trost?
- What is “emotional paralysis”?
- How does counseling help?
- Key Takeaways from Kim Dong-hyun’s Transition
SEOUL, South Korea (May 6, 2025) – Kim Dong-hyun, former CEO of Humat Company, the operator of the mental health platform Trost, is embarking on a new venture: a premium homeware brand. This follows the recent acquisition of Humat Company by Nutji Healthcare subsidiary Dine.
From mental Health to Home Aesthetics
Kim envisions the new brand as a way to promote self-esteem and well-being through carefully designed home products. “Professional psychiatric treatment is crucial,” Kim said, “but I’ve long considered how people can cultivate self-esteem in their daily lives. I hope to create a small luxury brand that can restore self-esteem and design a healthy rhythm within the space of ‘home’.”
Trost’s Acquisition and Future Integration
Humat Company, which operated Trost, was acquired by Dine in January. Kim stated that the sale was a strategic move to broaden the platform’s reach. Trost’s services will be integrated into Cashwalk, a healthcare submission operated by Nuts Healthcare.
“Trost represents more than just a mental health brand to me; it embodies the pursuit of a healthy spirit for everyone,” Kim explained. “I recognized the need for a broader ecosystem and more frequent engagement,leading to a philosophical alignment with Nutji Healthcare.”
Trost: Pioneering Psychological Counseling in South Korea
Launched in 2016, Trost is recognized for establishing psychological counseling as a mainstream service in South Korea. The platform provided accessible counseling via telephone and chat, catering to individuals who found conventional face-to-face therapy challenging.
B2B Success and Employee Mental Health
Trost experienced important growth in its B2B channel, serving 150 corporate clients, notably within large corporations’ welfare systems. Over 300,000 customers have utilized Trost’s paid services. The platform’s growth reflects the increasing recognition of employee mental health as a key factor in productivity.
Addressing South Korea’s Mental Health Challenges
Kim emphasized the motivation behind launching Trost: “At the time of the service’s launch, south Korea had the highest suicide rate among OECD countries, and I wanted to contribute to lowering it. I believed it was essential to establish a social infrastructure where individuals could access psychological counselors in their daily lives before reaching a point of psychological collapse.”
Post-Acquisition Reflections and a New Diagnosis
Sence the sale of Trost, Kim has departed from the company. Reflecting on his decade-long experience with the mental health platform, he observed that “modern people are suffering from ‘lethargy’ rather than depression and ’emptiness’ rather than sadness.” He cautioned that leaders who suppress their emotions risk creating vulnerabilities within their organizations.
Emotional Paralysis: A Growing Concern
According to Trost’s counseling data, a significant number of individuals reported feeling helpless, expressing sentiments such as “I just want to do nothing” and “I’m just holding up,” rather than expressing overt suicidal thoughts. this suggests a form of emotional paralysis, which Kim believes can be more perilous than emotional outbursts.
Counseling as Mental Rescue training
“Counseling serves as a mental rescue training, helping individuals organize their emotions into interpretable language,” Kim said. “this process facilitates the restoration of emotional perception and control, fostering emotional resilience and recovery.”
Kim Dong-hyun Launches Homeware Brand After Mental Health Platform Exit: Your Questions Answered
Here’s a breakdown of Kim Dong-hyun’s new venture, answering common questions and exploring the key takeaways from his career and the mental health landscape.
Who is Kim Dong-hyun?
Kim Dong-hyun is the former CEO of Humat Company, the operator of the mental health platform Trost. He is now launching a premium homeware brand.
What is Kim Dong-hyun’s new venture?
Kim Dong-hyun is launching a premium homeware brand. He aims to promote self-esteem and well-being through carefully designed home products.
What was the motivation behind this new brand?
Kim envisions his homeware brand as a way to cultivate self-esteem and design a healthy rhythm within the “space of home.” He believes in the importance of self-care and well-being in people’s daily lives.
What was Trost,and what did it do?
Trost was a mental health platform launched in 2016 in South Korea. It provided accessible psychological counseling via telephone and chat. Trost aimed to make counseling a mainstream service, especially for those who found traditional face-to-face therapy challenging.
what is the current status of Trost?
Humat Company, which operated Trost, was acquired by Dine in January. Trost’s services will be integrated into Cashwalk, a healthcare submission operated by Nuts Healthcare.
Why did Kim Dong-hyun sell Trost?
Kim stated that the sale of Trost was a strategic move to broaden the platform’s reach and align with a broader ecosystem.
How accomplished was Trost?
Trost experienced critically important growth in its B2B channel, serving 150 corporate clients, notably within large corporations’ welfare systems. Over 300,000 customers have utilized Trost’s paid services.
At the time of Trost’s launch, South Korea had the highest suicide rate among OECD countries. A key goal for Trost was to establish a social infrastructure where individuals could access psychological counselors.
What insights did Kim Dong-hyun gain from his work with Trost?
Kim observed that “modern people are suffering from ‘lethargy’ rather than depression and ’emptiness’ rather than sadness.”
What is “emotional paralysis”?
according to Trost’s counseling data, emotional paralysis is a state where individuals report feeling helpless, expressing sentiments such as “I just want to do nothing” or “I’m just holding up.” Kim believes this state can be more perilous than emotional outbursts.
How does counseling help?
Counseling serves as a mental rescue training, helping individuals organize their emotions into interpretable language. This process facilitates the restoration of emotional perception and control, fostering emotional resilience and recovery.
Key Takeaways from Kim Dong-hyun’s Transition
| Aspect | Details |
| :——————– | :————————————————————————————————- |
| Core Concept | Shift from mental health platform to homeware emphasizing well-being. |
| Former Role | CEO of Trost, a pioneering mental health platform in South Korea. |
| Current Focus | Launching a premium homeware brand to promote self-esteem. |
| Key Insight | Recognition of “emotional paralysis” and “emptiness” as prevalent modern struggles. |
| Platform’s Impact | Established psychological counseling as a mainstream service, particularly in the B2B sector. |
| Future of Trost | Integration into Cashwalk operated by Nuts Healthcare, broadening its reach. |