Launch in Korea.
Own it when it works.
Own it when it works.
We build your Coupang business from scratch—then transfer it to you.
$160B
Market Size
Korea's total e-commerce market value
98%
Internet Penetration
Nearly universal digital connectivity
#4
Global Ranking
World's 4th largest e-commerce market
$160B market. 98% internet penetration. Zero competition from your US rivals.
Korea is the world's 4th largest e-commerce market—and American brands carry automatic premium status here. Your competitors haven't figured out how to enter. You can.
While other US brands hesitate at the border, Korean consumers are actively seeking quality American products. The infrastructure is world-class, the appetite is proven, and the timing has never been better. This isn't a gamble on an emerging market—it's a calculated move into one of the most sophisticated e-commerce ecosystems on the planet.
The question isn't whether Korea is worth entering. It's whether you'll be first to market in your category, or watching from the sidelines as someone else claims the territory.
What Makes Korea Different
Speed to Scale
Korea's digital infrastructure and logistics networks are world-class. What takes months in other markets happens in weeks here. Fast delivery isn't a premium service—it's the baseline expectation.
American Brand Premium
US products carry inherent status and quality perception in Korea. Your "Made in USA" label is a competitive advantage before you even start marketing.
Concentrated Market
Korea's population density and digital adoption mean you can reach millions of potential customers through a single marketplace. Coupang alone has 20M+ active users.
High Purchase Power
Korean consumers have strong purchasing power and low price sensitivity for premium products. They'll pay for quality, and they're loyal to brands that deliver.
Why Coupang
Coupang isn't just Korea's largest e-commerce platform—it's the platform. With over 20 million active users and a logistics network that delivers 70% of orders by the next morning, Coupang has fundamentally changed how Koreans shop online.
Think of Coupang as Amazon Prime, but if Amazon Prime was the default shopping behavior for an entire country. Koreans don't "try" Coupang—they live on it. Launching on Coupang means immediate access to the most engaged, highest-spending e-commerce audience in Asia.
The platform handles fulfillment, customer service, and returns with a level of operational excellence that makes Amazon look slow. For US brands, this means your products can compete on quality and brand strength, not logistics capabilities.
Winning on Coupang means winning in Korea. It's that simple.
Three ways to enter Korea.
Every US brand faces the same decision when eyeing international expansion. The path you choose determines everything—your speed to market, your level of control, and ultimately, your success or failure in one of the world's most lucrative e-commerce markets.
Option 1
Do it yourself
Setting up a Korean entity and handling all aspects—freight, customs, compliance, listings, and marketing—is technically possible but practically a massive undertaking. You'll face complex Korean business regulations, tax laws, and language barriers, alongside navigating logistics and the unique demands of platforms like Coupang.
This path requires significant time and resources, often taking far longer than expected and diverting focus from your core business, with a high risk of failure if not managed perfectly.
Reality Check
- 12-18 months to launch
- Full-time team required
- Steep learning curve
- High failure risk
Option 2
Hand it to a distributor
While seemingly fast, traditional distribution means you lose crucial control over your brand. Exclusive rights agreements can tie you to a partner who may not prioritize your brand, leading to underperformance and limited market intervention.
Exiting a bad relationship is often difficult due to multi-year contracts, potentially leaving your brand stagnant and allowing the distributor to gain market insights without fully benefiting you.
Reality Check
- You lose control
- Misaligned incentives
- Locked in
- They learn, you don't
Option 3
Use Kontactic's INSTA Program
INcubate. Scale. Transfer. Acquire.
This is our version of the BOT (Build → Operate → Transfer) model. We build and operate your Korean business until it's profitable, then transfer the entire operation—all playbooks—to you. If you're not ready for an in-house transition, we can continue to manage it. You gain the market upside, while we handle the complexities and learning curve.
How INSTA Works
Incubate We establish your Coupang presence, manage compliance, and set up infrastructure. Launch in Korea without hiring or navigating regulations. Scale We run daily operations, optimizing for consistent profitability through listings, marketing, and logistics. You get reports; we handle execution. Transfer Once mature and profitable, we transfer the entire operation: trained team, playbook, vendor relations, and customer data. You inherit a running business. Acquire (Optional) Not ready for in-house? We continue operating as your Korea team. Maintain ownership and upside while we manage complexity. Transition when you're ready.
What You Actually Get
Full Operational Control Own your business from day one. We are operators, ensuring decisions serve your brand's long-term interests. Proven Playbook Our expertise from 618 Coupang launches provides a proven playbook, eliminating trial-and-error for your brand. Trained Team Upon transfer, you inherit a team deeply familiar with your products, customers, and business operations. Zero Learning Curve We handle all initial inefficiencies and learning. You take over an optimized, profitable business. Flexible Timeline Transition on your schedule. The business continues to grow while you prepare for takeover. Complete Transparency Enjoy full transparency with complete access to metrics, operations, and strategy throughout the process.
618 brands entered Korea through Kontactic.
We have been in business since 2014 and we're here to stay.
We've seen firsthand how sales can shoot through the roof when product-market fit hits in Korea. The results truly speak for themselves.
We've watched unknown brands become household names in Korea within six months. We've seen product categories that barely move become bestsellers on Coupang. We've helped brands 10x their international revenue by focusing on a single market instead of spreading thin across dozens.
The pattern is consistent: great products with proper execution create explosive growth in Korea. The market is hungry for quality American brands, and the infrastructure exists to scale quickly once you crack the code.
Our Services Are Open to 'Select' US Brands
Premium Quality
We cap onboarding at 10 clients per month—no exceptions. Every brand gets dedicated attention, strategic oversight, and hands-on execution.
Dedicated Attention
Your success is our success. We're not managing hundreds of brands on autopilot—we're building a portfolio of category leaders, one brand at a time.
Selective Partnership
We only work with brands we believe can win in Korea. If we take you on, it's because we see the potential and we're committed to realizing it.
Who This Is For
INSTA isn't for everyone. We work with established US D2C brands and global expansion leads at companies doing $10M+ in annual revenue.
You've already proven product-market fit domestically. You understand your customers, your unit economics work, and you're ready to scale beyond US borders. You're evaluating international expansion seriously—not as a side project, but as a strategic growth lever.
You're sophisticated enough to know that international expansion is complex, but smart enough to know you don't need to figure it out alone. You value expertise, you respect operational excellence, and you're willing to partner with specialists who've done this hundreds of times before.
If that sounds like you, let's talk.
Summing Up: "The Kontactic Difference"
1
Operational Expertise
We've launched 618 brands. We know every edge case, every optimization, every pitfall. You get our accumulated knowledge from day one.
2
Aligned Incentives
We succeed when you succeed. We're not collecting fees regardless of performance—we're building businesses that we'll eventually hand over to you.
3
Full Transparency
Complete visibility into operations, metrics, and strategy. No black boxes, no proprietary secrets. This is your business—you should understand everything.
Common Questions
How long until launch?
Most brands are live on Coupang within 60-90 days of signing. We handle entity setup, compliance, logistics, and marketplace onboarding in parallel to compress timelines.
What's the investment?
We'll walk through economics on our discovery call. Structure varies by brand, but we align our incentives with your success—not upfront fees.
What if I want to exit early?
You own the business from day one. If you want to take over operations earlier than planned, we'll facilitate the transition. If you want to keep it with us longer, that works too.
How do you protect my brand?
We operate under your brand guidelines, with your approval on major decisions. You maintain trademark ownership and brand control throughout the entire process.
What Happens Next
01
Discovery Call
30-minute conversation to assess fit, discuss your brand, and explore whether Korea makes sense for you right now.
02
Market Analysis
If there's mutual interest, we'll conduct a preliminary analysis of your category on Coupang—competition, pricing, demand signals.
03
Proposal & Timeline
We'll present a detailed proposal including economics, timeline, and what success looks like for your specific brand.
04
Launch
Once aligned, we move fast. Entity setup, compliance, logistics, and marketplace launch happen in parallel.
Ready to explore Korea?
Book a 30-minute call. We'll assess fit, walk through the INSTA model, and give you a realistic timeline.
No pressure. No sales pitch. Just an honest conversation about whether Korea makes sense for your brand right now.