“Engineering for Children: A Father’s Love Becomes the Technology That Reads a Child’s Heart”

- Becoming an AI entrepreneur was never part of Nam Sung-jeon’s original plan​ -​

Insighter CEO Nam Sung-jeon stands in front of the company’s signboard.

January 6, 2026. “It’s not that I was especially good—I was just lucky. To be honest, I thought starting a business was simply a way to build my résumé.”

Nam Sung-jeon recalled the moment with a smile, reflecting on the past twelve years. An English literature major who once focused on credentials—perfect TOEIC scores, high speaking test results, and even startup experience—he began what he thought was a résumé-building project with 30 million won. Today, it has grown into an AI company with 30 employees and annual revenues in the tens of billions of won.

How a Challenge in College Shaped the Present

Now active in the fields of AI and big data, Nam attributes his unlikely career path to formative experiences during college. While double-majoring in Media and Communication, a Dokdo-related project under Professor Lee Jong-hyuk became a turning point.

In an effort to revise the lyrics of the song Holro Arirang, he personally sought out the original songwriter. Although permission was denied, the experience taught him that being a student was never a valid excuse for not trying. That mindset—taking challenges head-on—became foundational to his life philosophy.

An Accidental Beginning, an Inevitable Success

Entrepreneurship was never part of a grand plan. While studying abroad at Arkansas State University, Nam became fascinated by big data. Returning to Korea, he found no companies willing to hire a bachelor’s graduate in the field—so he chose to start his own business instead.

What began as a temporary experiment turned into a long-term commitment. “I think a series of lucky breaks brought me here,” he said. “It’s not that I was exceptional—I was just fortunate.”

Nam Sung-jeon explains Insighter’s business and services.

A Service Born from a Father’s Pain: Amamtte

Insighter’s flagship service, Amamtte (“When You Wonder How a Child Feels”), was born from a deeply personal experience. When his child was ten months old, the child received a borderline autism spectrum diagnosis, initiating several years of emotional hardship.

Through this experience, Nam discovered significant limitations in existing psychological assessment systems. In response, Insighter partnered with Goyang City in 2023 to collect and analyze 56,000 children’s drawings using AI, reducing assessment time from hours to just 15 minutes while maintaining professional verification.

The Power of Technology for Ordinary People

Nam believes technology should lower social barriers rather than reinforce them. Witnessing disparities in child mental health access based on parental income strengthened his conviction that technology carries a social responsibility.

Posing for a photo after the interview in the CEO’s office.

Finding Joy in Work and Everyday Balance

Although he repeatedly attributes his success to luck, Nam’s journey reflects persistence, humility, and a deep sense of purpose. His dream—to let flowers bloom in the hearts of all children—is steadily becoming a lived reality through technology grounded in empathy.

★ Watch the interview video with alumnus Nam Sung-jeon