Nine in 10 older users of Seoul's 'Wrist Doctor 9988' app report more outdoor activity

Seoul ranks first nationwide in walking rates at 69.0%; users aged 60 and older now make up 35.1% of participants, up from 13.1% three years ago; nearly all active participants say the app helps with health management

A smart band loaded with the Wrist Doctor 9988 application. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]

About 3 million Seoul residents — roughly one in three — use the Wrist Doctor 9988 app, and the platform appears to be making a real difference in their daily walking habits. A survey of older users who participated consistently found that nine in 10 (89.9%) said they became more active outdoors after using the app, while 87.5% reported feeling more energized and engaged in daily life.

Seoul topped the national rankings in walking rates, with 69.0% of residents meeting recommended walking levels, according to the KDCA's 2025 Community Health Survey. The Seoul Metropolitan Government credited Wrist Doctor 9988 — which awards points for reaching step goals and completing health activities — with helping residents turn walking into a daily habit.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday, the survey targeted active participants aged 60 and older who met their weekly step goal — five days a week, including at least one weekend day — at least three times a month.

Users aged 60 and older now account for 35.1% of all Wrist Doctor 9988 participants as of June this year, up from 13.1% in June 2023 — nearly tripling their share in three years.

Older users also showed stronger consistency and higher goal-achievement rates than other age groups. As of June, 81.0% of users aged 60 and older met their daily step target — 8,000 steps, or 5,000 for those in their 70s and older — on at least 10 days in the month, the highest rate of any age group. Their rate for meeting the weekly step goal at least once a month was also the highest, at 77.0%.

Users in their 60s were also more likely to stick with the app over the long term. Tracking monthly retention rates from the date of a user's first recorded steps, 86% of those aged 60 and older were still using the service after two or more years.

Active older users reported changes that went beyond simply walking more. Among those aged 60 and older who consistently met their walking goals from last December through June this year, 95.2% said they walked more after joining Wrist Doctor 9988. Notably, 89.9% said they had become more active outdoors, and 87.5% said daily life felt more energizing and enjoyable.

Nearly all respondents — 99.4% — said they felt improvements in physical fitness, muscle strength and interest in health management. Sleep quality improved for 93.5%, and 90.5% said the app helped with weight management.

An earlier analysis combining National Health Insurance Service screening data found that Wrist Doctor 9988 participants had a 7.9% lower rate of new diabetes diagnoses and a 9.1% lower rate of new hypertension diagnoses compared with non-participants. Medical costs also rose more slowly among participants, with the gap reaching about 45,000 won ($33) less than among non-participants.

The home screen of the Wrist Doctor 9988 application. [Provided by a reader]

Family members and friends played a key role in helping older users — many of whom are less comfortable with digital devices — get started with the app. Among respondents, 38.1% said a child or family member helped them sign up and learn to use Wrist Doctor 9988, while 20.2% credited a friend or acquaintance.

Older users were also enthusiastic about recommending the app to others. When asked whether they would suggest it to someone else, 79.2% said they would "strongly recommend" it and 20.8% said they would "recommend" it — meaning every single respondent expressed willingness to refer others. Some 97.6% also said the points policy helped them manage their health.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to develop Wrist Doctor 9988 into a personalized health management platform that comprehensively tracks individual health conditions and lifestyle habits.

Wrist Doctor 9988 launched in November 2021 and released a dedicated mobile app in December 2023. It now has about 3 million users across Seoul.

"We will continue developing Wrist Doctor 9988 into a preventive health management platform that anyone — including older residents — can use with ease," said Jo Yeong-chang, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Citizen Health Bureau.

ikson@heraldcorp.com