Xponential Fitness has signed a master franchise deal to open 100 Club Pilates studios in South Korea over the next five years.

The deal will see Steven Lee, the former CEO of Pizza Hut Korea, become the master franchisee of Club Pilates in the country through his company XFactor Fitness.

XFactor will open a pilot studio in the capital city Seoul by January 2020 and will launch franchising efforts shortly thereafter.

After the Club Pilates debut, XFactor is slated to bring other Xponential Fitness brands to the country, beginning in late 2020.

The signing of the deal comes hot on the heals of Xponential securing a similar deal in Japan, which will result in up to 165 Club Pilates opening in the country.

"South Koreans are early adopters of global fitness trends," said John Kersh, chief international development officer for Xponential Fitness.

"We believe Club Pilates and other Xponential Fitness brands will quickly become market leaders as Korean consumers experience our wide variety of classes, welcome environment and outstanding instructors."

Xponential acquired the Club Pilates brand in 2015.

The fitness behemoth's other brands are premium indoor cycling franchise CycleBar; group stretching chain StretchLab; indoor rowing brand Row House; dance-based cardio studio operator AKT; yoga franchise YogaSix; ballet barre chain Pure Barre and STRIDE, a treadmill-based cardio and strength studio operator.

• To read an interview with Xponential Fitness founder Anthony Geisler, click here for the March issue of HCM magazine.