Technology has transformed the lives of ordinary individuals. It has made work and household chores easier to manage, leading to more convenient living. Moreover, its impact extends across various sectors of modern society, such as education, healthcare, and transportation.

It is becoming increasingly challenging to imagine a life without technology. The impact on our quality of life has been significant. One remarkable company that is harnessing cutting-edge technology to vastly improve our daily lives is GONGGONG. GONGGONG wants to make sure that everyone can benefit from their innovative air purifiers.

Recently, Business Fortune spoke to Sunun Lee, the Founder of GONGGONG Co., Ltd. The following excerpts are from the conversation that ensued.

Q. What was the series of events that led to the founding of GONGGONG?

The journey began as one of consumer. I researched extensively to find a good air purifier for my grandmother, who had trouble breathing after her surgery. The situation was dire; as Seoul’s fine dust levels in 2018 had reached record highs. However, my grandmother didn’t find any relief from the air purifiers, so she decided to move to the countryside for better air quality.

During my search for a suitable air purifier, I recognized the issues present in the current market. This made me believe that water-based air purifiers could be the solution. This is the story of how GONGGONG came to be, fueled by the ambition to develop an air purifier that could truly enhance air quality and support people in need, such as my dear grandmother.

Q. How has GONGGONG grown since its founding? What part has innovation and the company’s innovative approach to design and manufacturing contributed to the company’s growth?

The need to prioritize indoor air quality management has become undeniable. Factors like fires, yellow dust, and viruses underscore the urgency. Despite a collective focus on sustainability, the current market, predominantly comprised of disposable filter and filter-free air purifiers, falls short of true sustainability standards. The limitations of these conventional solutions highlight a pressing need for a more sustainable approach.

Enter GONGGONG with its innovative air purifier, Swasher. Inspired by “swirl,” “safe,” and “sustainable,” the product encapsulates its mission of combining advanced air purification technology with an eco-friendly design. This resulted in the firm setting a new standard in environmental stewardship while providing a healthier and safer living environment.

Our technology starkly contrasts conventional filtered air purifiers as it eliminates the need for filters. The company’s technology makes air purification smarter, greener, and more accessible than ever. Besides efficiently purifying substantial volumes of air, GONGGONG air purifiers are designed to provide convenience and sustainability by using minimal water, consuming less power, and operating quietly, marking a significant advancement over current options. This versatile technology functions with various water sources, including rainwater and tap water, and offers a distinctive alternative to traditional systems.

GONGGONG’s approach is all about catering to diverse needs across various sectors, whether for individuals, businesses, or government entities. For individual consumers, the company’s air purifiers provide fresh air in their personal spaces, like living rooms, bathrooms, and small offices. These purifiers are created to deliver effective purification on a smaller scale. On the other hand, its B2B efforts are directed towards large-scale projects, including smart city initiatives, where it provides bespoke system solutions to expansive areas like industrial sites and manufacturing plants.

We acknowledge that unsustainable air quality management is the root cause of the climate crisis. GONGGONG directly addresses this issue through relentless technological innovation and rigorous research, contributing meaningful solutions to the underlying problems that affect our planet’s climate.

Also, based on the alarming report by the WHO states that over 99 percent of people breathe in low-quality air. Our B2B interactions have revealed that numerous industries face the onerous task of frequent filter replacements, sometimes as often as every three months. The efficiency of these conventional filters decreases as air pollution worsens and the volume of air that needs to be purified increases, resulting in the filter’s shorter lifespan. This increase in maintenance expenses makes preserving air quality unsustainable, turning a potential solution into an unreachable luxury in regions or countries with severe air pollution.

Besides, traditional disposable filters fall short of being a sustainable solution. To eliminate just 10g of fine dust, a filter that weighs ten times the amount (100g) is required. This not only raises social costs for production, distribution, and disposal (through incineration) but also converts 10g of fine dust into 110g of waste, including the filter mass. This waste then requires further removal or carbon capture.

In addition, there are increasing concerns about the hygiene management of disposable filters. Delayed filter replacement at the end of their life cycle can lead to unpleasant odors, increased fire risk, and potential health hazards. Using disinfectants or ozone production in some products also poses significant health risks, even though these products are meant to protect them.

In this regard, GONGGONG’s commitment goes beyond providing a quick fix. It offers sustainable solutions recognizing individuals’ and industries’ multifaceted challenges, based on understanding those limitations of the traditional filters. Our holistic approach helps technology benefit many different users and environments, promoting the overall growth and expansion of GONGGONG.

Q. What sets GONGGONG apart from other home appliance makers?

Our solutions focus on both immediate and long-term health issues by addressing the root causes and promoting sustainability. This approach differs from merely creating products that are attractive or sell well. We aim to solve our customers’ problems completely, with the ultimate goal of a future where air purifiers are not necessary.

Compared with traditional air purifiers, GONGGONG’s path-breaking Swasher outperforms them. This all-in-one system eliminates the need for frequent maintenance, as well as concerns regarding disinfectants or ozone, marking a significant advancement in cyclone dust collection technology. This technology’s lower cone, now developed from water instead of plastic, enables superior noise reduction and better performance. We exclusively rely on water within the system, ensuring cost-effectiveness and eco-friendly approach by eliminating filter-related waste.

Swasher can use any water source, whether tap water or water contaminated with impurities like sand. This universal adaptability makes its technology suitable and advantageous across diverse environments worldwide. Swasher performs the functions of an existing triple filter—pre-filter, deodorizing filter, and HEPA filter—in just one swirl. Consequently, it causes airborne contaminants to sink into the water due to friction and the exchange of air cyclones and water vortices.

Unlike conventional disposable filter methods that design dense filters to reduce airflow, GONGGONG’s air purification technology uses an electric field to remove smaller particles. Swasher uses electrostatic dust collection technology without an electric dust collection plate, delivering ultrafine dust collection performance comparable to a HEPA filter.

Previous air purification technologies aimed to reduce the number of air quality monitors, often breaking down particles into smaller components. However, GONGGONG’s technology shifts from particle breakdown to physical capture. This safe, cost-effective, and sustainable solution suits portable air purifiers, home systems, building installations, and factory setups. It effectively reduces dust, harmful gases, bacteria, and viruses, resulting in a cleaner and healthier environment.

Q. Can you talk about GONGGONG’s unique and innovative approach to air purification?

The company seeks to rebuild trust regarding safety and air purification solutions. It offers more accessibility through lower maintenance costs, ease of use, and management despite the need for water, lightweight design, and a commitment to sustainability.

GONGGONG has received multiple accolades, including the Innovation Awards at CES 2022 and 2024, the US Industrial Design Awards, and the TWICE Picks Awards. The firm has also garnered over 30 awards and secured over 20 patents. Its research contributions include a publication in the international journal Building and Environment.

The company aims to emphasize the expansiveness of its technology. Traditional air purifier technologies are often limited in scalability, especially in larger spaces like industries or hospitals. Swasher overcomes these constraints, paving the way for its use in expansive areas like public gyms and public sectors.

We are dedicated to making this innovative technology the new standard in the market. The name GONGGONG, signifying “Air Cleaner for the Public,” refers to more than just air purification for a select few. With people spending an average of 21.6 hours daily indoors, pollution levels are 4.5 times greater than outdoors. The company’s mission is clear—to bring universal air purification technology to every breather. GONGGONG’s continual innovation propels it to address the diverse challenges that affect health and environmental sustainability, ensuring a cleaner, healthier, and more inclusive future for all.

Q. How important is innovation for the company? What steps has the company taken to promote and nurture innovation within its team?

Innovation is the primary factor that has driven our growth and success. Therefore, we foster an in-company culture through flexible and autonomous work arrangements and by creating an environment of horizontal communication. This allows employees to freely share their opinions without hesitation. The ideas we get from open communication are used in our marketing and sales strategies, which lead to positive outcomes and overall business success.

Q. What are GONGGONG’s plans for the future?

Anyone can breathe clean room-level clean air anywhere in the world easily, conveniently, and without burdening the price. Through this, you can prevent diseases and live a healthier life. Furthermore, we dream of industrial innovation and expansion through entry-level clean rooms.

Q. Would you like us to highlight something important happening in your company that we may have missed asking about?

Our vision is “innovating the air you breathe in every space,” and we operate our company with the goal of expanding into all spaces. We are excited to announce the upcoming launch of Swasher S. It is a revolutionary home-health device that purifies the air using water and electronic field technology. The Swasher S eliminates the necessity of using disposable filters or dust collection plates. The new Swasher S has an electric dust collection plate, which greatly improves its performance as a Hepa filter. Swasher S can easily remove harmful particles like cigarette smoke, viruses, and gases, protecting you at home, in the office, and anywhere else.

Meet the Founder

Sunun Lee is the Founder of GONGGONG Co., Ltd. Sunun has experience in aircraft engine maintenance, working as a semiconductor engineer at Samsung Electronics, and in nano-manufacturing technology. He also has knowledge and work experience in the field of environmental safety and health. He was the first in the world to invent the double vortex air purification technology, which has recently been patented in the US.

“A sustainable future, Swasher’s cutting-edge technology leads to a new way of life.”