Yoon Ki-yeol, head of communications at Toss, talks to The Korea Times at the headquarters of Toss in Seoul, July 22. Courtesy of Toss

Should I save money even though I'm always short? Why can't I stop overspending? These are not questions that a customer would typically ask a financial firm.

Yet, Toss dared to offer answers.

In its new publication, "THE MONEY BOOK," it writes, "Regardless of the type of job or work, sustaining oneself is a lifelong task for most people. Therefore, to manage money healthily and sustainably over the long term, it's essential to build a strong foundation."

It adds, "Lack of rest encourages impulsive spending."

With over 19 million monthly active users, Toss is a financial super app offering more than 100 services including banking, securities, payments and insurance. It first entered the market in 2013 with the goal of transforming the customer remittance experience. Since then, it has been praised for its innovative, user-friendly services that set a new standard in mobile finance.

As of January, it is the most-used banking app in Korea, according to market tracker Wiseapp Retail Goods' survey.

The publication is an unusual move by a financial firm. Yet, Toss intended it as a "brand book" that aligns with its mission: easy and common-sense finance for everyone — according to Yoon Ki-yeol, head of communications at Toss.

Toss' new publication "THE MONEY BOOK" is displayed during the Seoul International Book Fair at the COEX convention center in Seoul, held from June 26 to 30. Courtesy of Toss

"This is a book that encompasses our brand's direction and identity. Design, content writing, editing, marketing and distribution were all done in-house. We thought people could understand who we are, and what we aim to do by looking at this book," Yoon said in a recent one-on-one interview with The Korea Times.

The book answers 100 questions related to savings, investment, real estate, insurance and many more. Just over a month after its release, as of early August, it reached first place on Kyobo Book's overall bestseller list.

"The book really resonates with the idea of Toss being a trusted guide for financial matters. It's comforting to know that the questions I was hesitant to ask are the ones that many others have also wondered about," one user wrote on the bookstore's online platform.

"There are many books about investment techniques, but that feels too distant for many people. Basic financial knowledge is something that's awkward to ask anyone about, and we often don't even know where to start," Yoon said.

"What we did was ask our users what they were curious about regarding finance, then we selected the top 100 questions to make this book. We think that's why many people, especially the younger generation, feel that with this one book, they can at least get started to understand finance," she added.

"THE MONEY BOOK" / Courtesy of Toss

From being sole PR employee to leading team of over 40

When Yoon first started working at Toss in 2017, the firm's value was not as well-known as it is today. In fact, not many Koreans were even aware of its services. At that time, Yoon was the first and only employee in charge of public relations.

"When I first joined, Toss was just a remittance startup with fewer than 100 people. I never imagined back then that it would venture into the financial license industry," Yoon said. "The past seven years have been a far more dynamic journey than I had expected."

As Toss' scale and the number of services grew, so did Yoon's role and goals.

By December 2018, Toss' company value broke through 1 trillion won ($722 million), and it saw its first monthly surplus in April 2020. The company launched Toss Securities and Toss Bank in 2021. Including subsidiaries, the Toss community has now grown to approximately 2,500 members.

During this fast-changing period, Yoon created an owned media called Toss Feed to explain its identity and services, which weren't fully covered by traditional media. Under Yoon's management, new teams for branding and external relations were established, along with an in-house content team.

"My goal was changed every six months," Yoon said. "Typically, brand strategy has centered around big events and massive advertisements. But we didn't have the capability and the budget initially. Rather than focusing on one-time grand efforts, we aimed to deliver our value consistently."

These efforts have borne fruit. Toss Feed now covers a wide range of topics related to finance and the economy, and on July 8, it surpassed 50 million cumulative views. Moneygraphy, a spinoff YouTube channel of the fintech firm, has attracted more than 270,000 subscribers in just two and a half years since its launch.

A scene from Moneygraphy, a spinoff YouTube channel of Toss / Courtesy of Toss

"At this stage, it doesn't seem very effective for us to communicate in a one-dimensional way, saying, 'This is what Toss is as a company.' Toss is part of the financial industry, and finance ultimately touches many aspects of daily life. This means there are numerous topics we can discuss together, and the range of topics related to Toss is expanding even further," Yoon said.

When asked about her future vision, she stated, "No one knows what Toss will be like in five years."

"I believe that good leadership should come out from our team, which is why we are in the process of further segmenting and refining each organization. Coaching and supporting those who will become such leaders is also part of my role," Yoon said.

"Our task now is to successfully create the next phase. Rather than just responding to the given environment, the communication team should anticipate the future, clearly define who we are and show what we aim for through branding."