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Recently, AI fortune-telling has seen explosive popularity among the 2030 generation. It is evolving into a 'conversational psychological platform' that goes beyond simple entertainment to solve real-life concerns such as careers and interpersonal relationships. At the center of this trend is Cybernetics, which operates the AI fortune-telling service 'Tight Destiny.'
The person leading Cybernetics, Song Hong-gi (CEO), possesses a unique background. During his master's program at Korea University's Electronic Medicine Research Laboratory, where he researched depression treatment through brain electrical stimulation, his desire to create direct impact on the world rather than becoming immersed solely in technical research led him down the path of entrepreneurship.
Before fully launching his startup, Song Hong-gi (CEO) worked as an intern at Bluepoint Partners, a startup investment firm, observing the journeys of successful entrepreneurs. Through this experience, he felt more attracted to the approach of applying technology to existing market demands rather than technology-centric startups.
This was also when he began self-studying no-code technology to build his capability in creating services directly. He founded the Korea University No-Code Society 'DNC' and built practical skills by producing over 100 MVPs (Minimum Viable Products).
However, he realized that simply creating services would not be enough to survive in the market. Subsequently, he focused on developing his ability to 'sell products' by operating e-book marketing and hospital marketing agencies.
By the time his marketing capabilities had accumulated, he returned to his original mission: the mental health field. While conducting numerous customer interviews, he gained an unexpected insight. It was the fact that modern people seeking comfort turn to fortune-telling and tarot instead of psychological counseling clinics when feeling anxious.
This was the decisive factor in choosing 'fortune-telling' as a business model. Song (CEO) defined it as "a tool not merely for predicting fate, but for aiding self-understanding." He explained that it is the first step of metacognition, helping individuals articulate emotions hidden within their subconscious in their own language.
The name Cybernetics contains the meaning of the Greek word referring to 'the process of moving toward a destination while providing self-feedback.' Song (CEO) stated, "Fortune-telling also aligns with our mission as it serves as the first step in helping people reconsider their own destinations."
The service name 'Tight Destiny' carries two meanings. It reflects the intention to transform traditional fortune-telling, which was heavy and solemn, into a trendy tool for self-understanding by incorporating the meaning of 'a destiny that fits me well (tight).' Simultaneously, it includes the meaning of tightly encompassing even relationship compatibility.
Song (CEO) diagnosed, "The fortune-telling market is obviously a red ocean," adding, "In a market that has evolved from face-to-face counseling to digital matching, phone counseling, and content-based fortune-telling, AI has now been added, shaking up the landscape once again."
Tight Destiny's core competitiveness lies in its short-form (webtoon-style) content that appeals to the tastes of the MZ generation. It is characterized by breaking away from existing metaphysics explanations dominated by long text and combining intuitive images with interactivity.
The average user retention time exceeds one hour. Although some users react that they "haven't seen it all" due to the length of the content, many tend to revisit purchased reports later, leading to high retention rates.
In particular, seizing niche areas such as '29-Gold Destiny' and 'Queer Destiny,' which the existing market did not cover, differentiates it from other fortune-telling services. Song (CEO) remarked, "Although it is a red ocean, a new form of blue ocean exists within it: AI content-based fortune-telling."
Additionally, unique IP (intellectual property) and worldviews such as 'MZ Shaman Beomsan Doryeong' and the romance-specialized character 'MZ Shaman Pian' are becoming powerful pillars strengthening Tight Destiny's brand identity. He noted, "Shamans have a setting of hosting gods, making them an excellent K-culture material with rich storytelling potential."
Technical perfection was also ensured. From the early stages of service launch, they collaborated with over 50 fortune-telling experts to develop algorithms and combined data from NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute to improve the accuracy of the (Wan-sae-ryeok).
Cybernetics' growth trajectory is proven by numbers. Growing organically without significant external funding, it has surpassed 5 million cumulative users and become a solid startup with monthly sales reaching 10 thousand won. Notably, its monthly sales growth rate in 2025 compared to 2024 reached an astonishing 10,000%.
The key metric supporting this growth is the repurchase rate. Currently, the repurchase rate stands at around 35%. Song (CEO) shared that internal data confirmed a pattern where users who were in the 'flirting' stage with someone would sequentially purchase reports on romance luck a few months later, followed by compatibility and marriage luck.
Currently, women in their 20s and 30s account for 70% of users, but as content covering careers and wealth luck expands, the proportion of men in their 30s and 40s is steadily increasing. Cybernetics aims not to remain confined to the fortune-telling market but ultimately become a key player in the mental healthcare sector.
Song (CEO) stated, "Fortune-telling is merely one methodology," adding, "Just as MBTI has become popularized for ice-breaking purposes, we will pioneer the AI-based self-understanding market through the familiar language of fortune-telling."
For overseas markets, Asia and Southeast Asia, including Japan, are the primary targets. He explained, "We are approaching from Asian regions where cultural understanding of fortune-telling is high," and added, "In Western regions, we are gauging reactions with content combining horoscopes and fortune-telling. The North American market will also be an interesting long-term challenge."
Cybernetics is also preparing an AI companion-type character chat service that aids self-acceptance. This involves incorporating personas of various experts, such as psychologists and astrologers, to help users trust and accept themselves.
Song (CEO) likened the direction of this service to a 'running mate.' It is a model that sometimes pulls from the front and pushes from behind when tired, thereby boosting self-esteem. The plan is to support users' autonomous lives through services that mix diagnosis and coaching at the cognitive level.
He emphasized, "In a society where AI replaces humans, the number of people questioning their identity will continue to grow," stating, "We aim to grow into a platform that helps individuals articulate emotions hidden within their subconscious in their own language while providing both comfort and entertainment."
[MoneyToday startup media platform 'Unicorn Factory']
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