Korean Social Media Strategy: Naver Clip, Instagram, or YouTube? [Ep. 1]

If you’re planning to enter the Korean market, one of the first questions you should ask is: “Where do Korean consumers actually make their purchase decisions?” In this post, we break down three key platforms – Naver Clip, Instagram, and YouTube – and explore how Korean users behave on each, what drives conversion, and which […]

Naver Shopping Ads in 2025: 3 Critical Strategies Global Brands Can’t Afford to Miss

If you’re a global brand dreaming of success in Korea, you cannot achieve it without mastering Naver Shopping Ads. At the DAN24 Conference held at COEX on November 11, 2024, Yoon-Sook Lee, Head of Naver’s Shopping Business Division, stated that Naver Shopping is undergoing its biggest transformation since the launch of its price comparison service […]

🚨 Korea Launch Checklist: Why 70% of ‘Ready’ Brands Still Miss the Mark

Think you’re ready to launch in Korea? Discover the 5 most common blind spots global brands miss—and get the checklist to avoid costly mistakes.

Naver Marketing 101: Understanding Shopping, Blogs, and Clips at a Glance

Why Should You Understand Naver Marketing? In Korea, Naver—not Google—is the #1 search engine. It’s not just where users search, but where they shop, read reviews, and make decisions.If you’re unfamiliar with Naver, your Korean marketing strategy may only be halfway effective. But Naver is more than a search engine. It’s a comprehensive content commerce […]

Stop the Forced Follow: 10 Ways to Make Customers Love Your Brand at Events in Korea and Beyond

I’ve seen so many events trying to “lock in” potential customers in exactly the same way. A few weeks ago, I went to a festival and asked participants, “Did you join the pop-up store event and get the free drinks?” One of them said, “No… you know what, I used to do that a lot […]

Musinsa Pop-Up 2025: Key Lessons for Brands Entering Korea’s Beauty Market

Pop-up stores are everywhere these days — but how many of them are actually strategic? Last week, I visited the Musinsa Festa 2025 in Seongsu, one of the most talked-about brand events of the season. It wasn’t just visually impressive — what truly stood out was how intentional everything felt: from pre-registration to platform execution […]

The REAL Truth About Korean Consumer Behavior vs. What Foreigners Think

Many brands try to understand how Korean consumers behave… But are we really understanding them well? I’m writing this blog because many international brands — even big ones — just trust “local insights” from a large agency. And I get it — they really don’t have the time to figure out what’s actually happening in […]

How to Maximize Brand Awareness in Korea with Online Campaigns in 2025

When it comes to increasing brand awareness, there are several ways we could consider. It could be through social media, offline marketing like opening pop-up stores, influencer marketing, or display ads in very popular districts. However, say — you are an international brand that already has a successful track record in your country or other […]

Top Retailers in Korea (2025): Coupang, Olive Young, and What Global Brands Should Know

Whether you’re already selling in Korea or just exploring it, understanding the retail landscape and how it shapes consumer behavior is critical. Last weekend, during a meeting with a 9-figure FMCG brand, the international director asked me this exact question “What’s the #1 retailer in Korea?” And I realized — even brands already in the […]

5 Key Marketing Strategies IKEA Korea Uses to Drive $460M in Sales (Full Guide)

IKEA Korea makes over $460M a year—and it’s not just because of their furniture. It’s because they know how to market. From irresistible food offerings to immersive showrooms and smart retargeting, IKEA’s Korea strategy is a masterclass in how to make people want to show up and buy more than they planned to. And in […]