The People Behind Enkostay #1: Jake, App Developer
Introduction and Role
Q. Could you briefly introduce yourself and explain your role at Enkostay?
A. Hello, my name is Jake, and I’m part of the development team at Enkostay. I mainly work on developing and improving the Enkoplay and Enkostay apps, building new features and refining existing ones.
Joining Enkostay
Q. What led you to join Enkostay as an app developer?
A. While preparing for job applications, I had a coffee chat with a developer already working at Enkostay. During our conversation, I learned that the team valued strong fundamentals like computer science and algorithms, which resonated with me. That alignment motivated me to apply, and I eventually joined as an app developer.
Q. Compared to other companies or services, what do you find most attractive about Enkostay?
A. For me, the biggest appeal is that Enkostay’s primary users are foreigners. I’ve always been interested in English and other cultures, so developing a service tailored for international users was compelling. As a developer, the opportunity to build a platform used in multiple countries and languages is a huge plus.
Development Process and Challenges
Q. What have you prioritized most in developing the app—usability, stability, or speed?
A. My goal has been to create an app that gives users what they need exactly when they need it. To do that, I focus on minimizing errors while improving performance and speed. I’ve also designed the system to detect and resolve issues quickly, so problems can be addressed as soon as they arise.
Q. What has been the biggest challenge, and how did you handle it?
A. Developing an app used in many countries means dealing with a wide range of environments—different networks, devices, and OS versions. It’s impossible to anticipate every scenario. To manage this, I implemented an error-tracking system that identifies where and how problems occur, along with user environments and data flows. This structure helps us respond faster and more effectively when unexpected issues happen.
Designing for the User Experience
Q. Since most of your users are foreigners, what did you consider most when designing the UX/UI?
A. Multilingual support was a top priority. The app currently supports four languages and over ten currencies, and users can view information in their preferred language and currency across all screens. To make updates smoother, we designed the app so that text can be modified in real time without a redeployment.
Memorable Moments
Q. What has been your most rewarding moment as a developer?
A. Launching the Enkostay app. It was my first project as a new developer, and I handled it from start to finish. Seeing my work go live for the first time was deeply fulfilling—I even proudly told friends and family, “My code is finally out in the world!”
Q. Was there any user feedback that stood out to you after launch?
A. At the “Enkostay Host Seminar” last July, I watched a host use the app right in front of me. It was surreal to see someone other than a colleague interact with the app. They browsed through house listings and then closed their phone. That simple moment stuck with me—it felt like the features I had built were truly working as intended.
Teamwork and Collaboration
Q. How do you collaborate with other teams like marketing or platform, and do you have an example that impressed you?
A. When Hojee and May joined the marketing team, they needed frequent access to data and metrics. Previously, non-developers had to learn SQL to query databases themselves. After discussions, I worked with Hojie to develop a “natural language data extraction” system using Cursor, MCP, and ClaudeDesktop. This tool now allows anyone to ask questions in plain language and instantly get the relevant data and insights—making collaboration much more efficient.
The Present and Future of the Enkostay App
Q. What do you consider the app’s biggest strength today?
A. Its flexible structure. Many functions, exception handling processes, and data-binding patterns are modularized and standardized. This makes it much easier to add new features or improve existing ones quickly.
Q. What’s a feature you’d like to add in the future?
A. Automated testing for major functions before release. Unlike web or server apps, mobile apps must pass app store reviews, which makes quick fixes more difficult. Automated testing would help ensure stability and smoother deployments.
Personal Growth and Outlook
Q. How have you grown as a developer since joining Enkostay?
A. I’ve learned “how to choose the best practical solution instead of chasing perfection.” In real-world service development, it’s often more important to deliver the right feature at the right time than to write perfect code. Over the past year, I’ve moved away from over-engineering and learned how to balance necessity with practicality.
Q. What kind of developer do you want to become?
A. I’d like to be the kind of developer who “makes things happen no matter what.” There’s a well-known book in IT titled “Today, the Developer Said It Can’t Be Done.” It became a meme, but it made me think: I want to be the developer who finds a way, even if it’s not perfect. Of course, I’ve learned some things truly are impossible—but I still aim to be the person who says, “It’s difficult, but I can make it work.”
A Word to Hosts and Guests
First, thank you sincerely to all the hosts and guests who use Enkostay. The development team works day and night to improve the rental and settlement experience, but we know unexpected errors and inconveniences still occur.
If you ever encounter an issue, please share it with us through the app store review, the in-app feedback feature, or email. We’ll investigate and resolve it as quickly as possible.
With each update, we want you to feel that the app is becoming easier and faster to use. That’s the standard we strive for.
