Tenfingers of 'Datepop' Achieves First Turnaround to Profitability Along with Escape from 'Capital Impairment'

Tenfingers, the startup operating 'Datepop,' Korea's No. 1 dating course recommendation app for couples in their 20s and 30s, achieved its first operating profit surplus since its founding, breaking its all-time highest revenue. Although it experienced a painful financial crisis of capital impairment due to accumulated deficits in the past, it is evaluated to have finally realized 'economies of scale' as the settlement of a new business model and bone-crushing cost efficiency intertwined. While it had been somewhat out of the media spotlight, it is showing an aggressive move recently, such as partnering with global companies, breaking away from the chronic deficit structure, greatly improving financial soundness, and facing a new period of leap forward.

Explosive 10-Fold Revenue Growth in 4 Years... The 'Pop Deal' Effect

Looking at the profit and loss of Tenfingers, the company's revenue surged nearly tenfold in just four years, from approximately 1.11 billion won in 2021 to about 10.59 billion won in 2025. In particular, the revenue growth in 2025 compared to 2024 (about 6.74 billion won) is explosive.

Behind this steep external growth is the power of a solidly built platform. 'Datepop,' officially launched in 2014 when CEO Shin Dong-hae was a college student, currently curates over 5,000 date spots nationwide, and after surpassing 2,000 cumulative partner stores in 2020, it exceeded 6 million cumulative downloads in 2024. The 'Pop Deal (first-come, first-served discounts for popular date spots)' model, which reduces the burden of marketing costs for partner stores, gained great popularity among self-employed business owners and became a solid profit base.

[Source: Datepop Homepage]

Blocked Labor and SG&A Expenses... Achieved 'Economies of Scale'

The quantum jump in revenue naturally led to a dramatic improvement in the profit structure. Tenfingers could not avoid operating losses ranging from 100 million to 600 million won every year from 2021 to 2024. However, it finally broke the chain of deficits by recording an operating profit of about 610 million won and a net profit of about 760 million won in 2025.

What is notable is its successful cost control. Usually, when a platform startup's external size grows, labor costs and selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses also tend to soar, but Tenfingers was different. In 2025, when revenue increased by nearly 4 billion won compared to the previous year, labor costs, which account for the largest pillar of the company's SG&A expenses, actually decreased to about 1.77 billion won from the previous year (about 1.92 billion won). As a result, it also succeeded in capping the total amount of SG&A expenses in the 2.84 billion won range in 2025, down from the 2.9 billion won range in 2024. This shows that it has begun to realize 'economies of scale,' where profits are maximized as the burden of fixed costs is offset the moment revenue exceeds a certain scale (Critical Mass).

Dramatic Escape from the Swamp of Complete Capital Impairment, 'Low Profit Margin' to Overcome

This turnaround to surplus holds an even greater meaning in that it rescued Tenfingers from the edge of a cliff. As of the end of 2024, Tenfingers was in a state of 'complete capital impairment,' with its total equity falling to -110 million won in the aftermath of its accumulated deficit (retained earnings of -3.83 billion won) piled up over the years. It was a situation that could have jeopardized the survival of the company, but thanks to the precious net profit of 760 million won achieved in 2025, the total equity rebounded to about 650 million won, completely escaping the swamp of capital impairment.

However, tasks to be supplemented for long-term survival remain. Despite the successful turnaround to profit in 2025, the operating profit margin remains at the 5.8% level. Compared to the external size that has surpassed 10 billion won, the absolute scale of profit is not yet large, so there is a potential risk of turning back to deficit at any time depending on changes in the market environment.

To overcome this, Tenfingers is actively seeking new breakthroughs by expanding B2B partnerships with external organizations and global platforms beyond a simple B2C (business-to-consumer) app. In 2024, it won the 'Finnovation Challenge' (Shinhan Innovation Award) hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government alongside Shinhan Bank and Shinhan Card, progressing collaboration to vitalize a win-win platform for small business owners, and was recognized externally for its innovation by being selected as a participant for the 5th Gyeongnam Tourism Startup program. Furthermore, in 2025, it is broadening its business ecosystem in all directions by sealing a partnership with the global OTA Trip.com and being selected for a joint open innovation meetup by Hanwha Resort and Seoul Tourism Startup.

Now that CEO Shin Dong-hae's initial startup vision to "become a connecting link that relieves couples' worries about date spots and reduces the marketing burden of self-employed business owners" has been proven through financial performance after 10 years, the industry's attention is focused on what kind of explosive power Tenfingers, having completed its fundamental improvement, will show in the future.