Two Brown Students Bring Korea's Alcohol Aid Market To America

Gene Oh and Felix Lee are bridging the gap between Korean wellness culture and American social drinking with their brand day-guard.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

When Gene Oh studied abroad in Seoul as a Brown University senior, he discovered jelly sticks that protect your health when drinking alcohol - a popular product in Korea's billion-dollar alcohol aid market. Oh and his co-founder Felix Lee are now bringing this concept to the U.S. through their brand day-guard, a jelly stick supplement that supports liver, gut, and overall health when consuming alcohol. After initial success with college students, the founders pivoted their branding and formula to target health-conscious millennials, leveraging their Korean and American backgrounds to navigate cultural differences with manufacturers and position day-guard as a premium wellness brand.

Why it matters

day-guard is introducing a new alcohol aid category to the U.S. market, tapping into growing consumer demand for proactive health and wellness solutions. As drinking habits evolve, the brand aims to provide a convenient, social way for health-conscious consumers to enjoy alcohol responsibly.

The details

Oh and Lee co-founded day-guard after Oh discovered the popular jelly stick alcohol aids while studying abroad in Seoul. They faced initial challenges convincing Korean manufacturers to partner with two college students, but eventually found a manufacturer with experience in the U.S. market. The founders leveraged their Korean and American backgrounds - Oh as a Korean American and Lee as an international student - to navigate cultural differences and build a brand that appeals to U.S. consumers. After initial success selling to college students, the founders conducted extensive customer research and rebranded day-guard as a premium wellness supplement, adding ingredients like electrolytes, B-vitamins, and prebiotics to support overall health when drinking.

  • day-guard launched its initial test product in March 2025.
  • The brand fully relaunched with its new formula and branding in November 2025.

The players

Gene Oh

A Korean American co-founder of day-guard who grew up in Boston and discovered the jelly stick alcohol aids while studying abroad in Seoul.

Felix Lee

An international student from Korea and co-founder of day-guard, who provides expertise on the Korean market and supply chain.

John Oh

The founding chief operations officer of day-guard, who recently joined the team as a family friend of Felix Lee.

Kwangdong Pharmaceutical

A large Korean pharmaceutical company that acquired day-guard's original manufacturing partner, providing the founders with a strong relationship and flexibility.

Le Bain and Mission nightclubs

Nightlife venues in New York City that are partnering with day-guard to sample the product at VIP tables.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Korea has been the world capital of alcohol aid products for basically the entire history of these types of products. They've had shot bottles, beads, and pills for decades now.”

— Gene Oh, Co-Founder (Forbes)

“Being able to study abroad in Korea where I encountered these products, to learn the language through building this business, and to bring something I loved while living there to the U.S.—it means so much to us and gives us that extra motivation and sense of mission.”

— Gene Oh, Co-Founder (Forbes)

“We have a foothold in both countries that gives us a very unique competitive advantage.”

— Gene Oh, Co-Founder (Forbes)

“Now this new day-guard is insurance for when you drink. It addresses all the pillars of health that are affected by drinking alcohol, making it the most comprehensive alcohol aid product on the market.”

— Gene Oh, Co-Founder (Forbes)

“We want to make it a proactive supplement because I think healthcare in America, nutrition in America has become very symptom-based, whereas we believe very deeply in proactive medicine.”

— Gene Oh, Co-Founder (Forbes)

What’s next

The founders plan to continue expanding day-guard's product line beyond the core alcohol aid supplement, leveraging the jelly stick format to create supplements for other wellness needs like skin care, dieting, energy, and sleep.

The takeaway

day-guard is bridging the gap between Korean wellness culture and American social drinking habits, providing a convenient, proactive solution for health-conscious consumers to enjoy alcohol responsibly. The founders' unique cultural backgrounds and customer-centric approach have allowed them to successfully introduce a new product category to the U.S. market.