KoreaTechDesk | Korean Startup and Technology News

Wed, July 30, 2025

Sign in

Virtual Demo Day
Menu
  • Home
  • Startup News
    • AI & Big Data
    • AR & VR
    • Blockchain
    • Clean Technology
    • Content & Games
    • Cybersecurity
    • Enterprise & SaaS
    • FinTech
    • Gadgets & Electronics
    • Health & Bio
    • Manufacturing
    • Press Release
    • IoT
    • Marketplaces & E-commerce
    • Robotics
    • Transportation
    • Investments
    • Ecosystem & Lists
  • Governments
    • Artificial Intelligence Industry Cluster Agency
    • Daegu Technopark
    • GANGNAM-GU
    • Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator
    • Hwaseong Industry Promotion Agency
    • Invest Seoul
    • Korea Creative Content Agency
    • Korea Internet & Security Agency
    • Korea Information Security Industry Association
    • Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development
    • Korea Tourism Organization
    • Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency
    • Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
    • Ministry of SMEs & Startups
    • National IT Industry Promotion Agency
    • Pangyo Techno Valley
    • Seoul Business Agency
    • Seoul FinTech Lab
    • South Gyeongsang Province
    • Seoul Metropolitan Government
  • Events
    • COMEUP
    • Korea Fintech Week
    • K-Content Expo
    • NextRise
    • Try Everything
  • Interviews
    • Investors’ interviews
    • Founders’ interviews
  • Programs
    • Asan Voyager
    • CAPA Global Program
    • Campus Town Program
    • SGSC Global Bootcamp
    • Gangnam-gu Global Roadshow
    • Global SaaS Marketplace Support Project
    • LAUNCHPAD
    • COMEUP STARS 120
    • K-Startup Grand Challenge
    • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
    • SFL Global Program
    • KTO Global Showcase
    • Yonsei Univ Global Class
    • KOSME Global Program
  • Partner With Us
    • Press Release
    • Startup Scouting
    • Business Agencies
    • Global Mentorship Program
    • Investment Opportunities
    • K-Scouter Program
  • Lists
  • Virtual Demo Day
  • Home
  • Startup News
    • AI & Big Data
    • AR & VR
    • Blockchain
    • Clean Technology
    • Content & Games
    • Cybersecurity
    • Enterprise & SaaS
    • FinTech
    • Gadgets & Electronics
    • Health & Bio
    • Manufacturing
    • Press Release
    • IoT
    • Marketplaces & E-commerce
    • Robotics
    • Transportation
    • Investments
    • Ecosystem & Lists
  • Governments
    • Artificial Intelligence Industry Cluster Agency
    • Daegu Technopark
    • GANGNAM-GU
    • Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator
    • Hwaseong Industry Promotion Agency
    • Invest Seoul
    • Korea Creative Content Agency
    • Korea Internet & Security Agency
    • Korea Information Security Industry Association
    • Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development
    • Korea Tourism Organization
    • Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency
    • Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
    • Ministry of SMEs & Startups
    • National IT Industry Promotion Agency
    • Pangyo Techno Valley
    • Seoul Business Agency
    • Seoul FinTech Lab
    • South Gyeongsang Province
    • Seoul Metropolitan Government
  • Events
    • COMEUP
    • Korea Fintech Week
    • K-Content Expo
    • NextRise
    • Try Everything
  • Interviews
    • Investors’ interviews
    • Founders’ interviews
  • Programs
    • Asan Voyager
    • CAPA Global Program
    • Campus Town Program
    • SGSC Global Bootcamp
    • Gangnam-gu Global Roadshow
    • Global SaaS Marketplace Support Project
    • LAUNCHPAD
    • COMEUP STARS 120
    • K-Startup Grand Challenge
    • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
    • SFL Global Program
    • KTO Global Showcase
    • Yonsei Univ Global Class
    • KOSME Global Program
  • Partner With Us
    • Press Release
    • Startup Scouting
    • Business Agencies
    • Global Mentorship Program
    • Investment Opportunities
    • K-Scouter Program
  • Lists
  • Virtual Demo Day
Home Startup Ecosystem & Lists

Korean startups that are finding success on foreign shores

by James Jung
February 18, 2021
in Ecosystem & Lists
0
Korean startups are setting shops abroad and finding success.

Korean startups are setting shops abroad and finding success.

0
SHARES
21
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Korean startup ecosystem is one of the fastest-growing ones globally. The ample domestic government support and progressive consumer culture have helped startups to thrive in South Korea. While there are several support programs, accelerators, incubators for Korean and global startups to succeed locally in Korea, the government also encourages Korean startups to venture abroad. Korean startups are upping the K-Game by spreading the ‘Hallyu’ or Korean wave worldwide with their products and services. 

KoreaTechDesk lists some promising Korean startups that are setting their shops abroad & finding success.

Hyperconnect (Europe)

Korean startup Hyperconnect is taking the world by storm with its innovative mobile applications. The startup introduced Azar, a video-chatting app that allows users to chat casually with people of similar interests on the other side of the globe by simply swiping the screen with their fingers in a safe and enjoyable environment. Azar users can make friends from all over the world from the comfort of their own home.

Azar- video-chatting app

Last year, the app recorded massive success in Europe getting ranked 6th as Europe’s top favored apps and 6th in revenue generation in 2020. Azar was ranked 6th among all non-gaming apps in 2020 and 4th on Google Play Store. This year the startup plans to launch SLIDE in the North American market. SLIDE a video-first dating and social discovery app set to change the international dating scene.  Global online-dating company Match Group Inc. is set to acquire Korean startup Hyperconnect. The cash-and-stock deal worth $1.73 billion is Match Group’s largest acquisition that will broaden its services beyond dating connections.

Korikart (India)

Based in Delhi, India, Korikart is India’s leading one-stop online store for Korean products ranging from beauty, fashion, skincare, home, personal care, etc. The startup only imports the finest high-end Korean products that are most likely to sell in the Indian market and other worldwide countries, including the USA, Thailand, and other western nations.

 

These products are available to the Indian market through their online selling platform korikart.com which currently showcases 70 labels and more than 380 SKUs. Korikart is determined to be the go-to company for Korean products joining hands with numerous Korean businesses and brands and helping them showcase their products through their platform. The startup has expanded its services to Thailand and will expand to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan before going international.

Kormena (MENA)

Korean startup Kormena seeks to spread Hallyu to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by providing a one-stop K-entertainment platform for K-pop, K-drama, movies, and products. Kormena was started with the aim to cut out intermediaries who sold Korean products at 3-4 times their original value in the MENA market. The startup currently operates a Korean beauty products platform in Arabic and English; it plans to expand its product portfolio to shoes, clothes, accessories, toys, action figures, and foods. 

Korean startup Kormena to enter the MENA market.

There are also plans to launch Kormena TV for entertainment and Magazine for features and stories. Kormena TV will introduce old & new Korean movies and dramas summarized in 10 to 15 minutes mini-episodes in local Arabic narration with English as an option. The Magazine will have articles written by professional columnists from Korea about various topics such as Fashion, Beauty, Culture, Travel, E.T.C. in Arabic, and English. 

Duft & Doft (Europe)

Upping the Korean game in Europe, Duft & Doft provides a wide range of fragrances and cosmetic products that give the ultimate body care experience. Their skincare products are made from natural purifying ingredients designed to provide you with an uplifting sensorial experience. Founded in 2013 by CEO Jai H Park, Duft & Doft means ‘Fragrance and Fragrance’ in German and Swedish.

Duft&Doft

According to Jai, “We let our products speak for themselves. Our phenomenal growth was achieved without any celebrity endorsements. Quite a feat gave the hyper-competitive nature of the K-Beauty industry! But don’t just take our word for it. Find out for yourself why Duft & Doft is gaining so many new fans and was recently dubbed by fashion bloggers as the #1 new cosmetics brand ‘you want to keep for yourself.” With offices in Germany, Italy, and Spain, the startup is set to dominate the European market, with plans already underway to enter the American market.

Unionwave Entertainment (Europe)

Unionwave Entertainment is Korea’s first international K-pop startup that intends to discover and nurture the next generation of K-pop stars. Founded in Switzerland, the startup’s mission is to find, train, and manage international artists interested in becoming K-pop stars.

 

[UW Store Opening]
UnionWave official global store is now open! Check out our store: https://t.co/ZxD582GT5X

Remember to use code BLACKFRIDAY to get a 20% discount in all of our products!#UnionWave #Kpop #GirlGroup #UnionWaveEntertainment #prismashop #프리즈마 #Prisma pic.twitter.com/HqhQlsLjWm

— UnionWave Entertainment (@UnionWaveEnt) November 28, 2020

Unionwave has already signed PRISMA; a new K-pop girl group made up of the U.S., Korean, Spanish, and Italian artists. With an international platform that promotes K-pop music locally and in Europe and world auditions each year, the startup is set to encourage Hallyu through acting as a bridge between Europe and Korea.

Sigma Chain (USA)

Korean startup Sigma Chain entered the US market through the Go Global: Go USA with USAKO Group program. The startup offers advisory, research, and development of customized blockchain technology. Blockchain, at the moment, is slow and full of complicated processes that make mass adoption difficult. Sigma Chain helps customers harness blockchain’s power for their business by providing fast, innovative in-house solutions that make it easier for developers to integrate blockchain.

Also Read, 

  • Check out these Korean startups connecting K-Pop with the rest of the world
  • Korean startups & Tech giants’ successful show at virtually held CES 2021 
  • South Korean Oscar-winning film Parasite adds to the K-wave euphoria with a historic win
  • Top 3 Websites where you watch Korean drama & movies
Tags: Global startupsHallyuK-PopKorean productsKorean startups abroadKorean wave
Previous Post

Korean startup helping businesses get legal & policy data information through intelligence platform ‘Codit Search’

Next Post

Korean startups generated jobs in 2020 despite COVID-19 downturn: Ministry of SMEs & Startups on ‘Global Entrepreneurship Academy’ graduation day

Next Post
Participants such as Kang Seong-cheon, Vice Minister of Small and Medium Venture Business, taking commemorative photos at the graduation ceremony of the Global Entrepreneurship Academy held at Nodeul Island Multipurpose Hall in Seoul on the 19th. (Photo by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups)

Korean startups generated jobs in 2020 despite COVID-19 downturn: Ministry of SMEs & Startups on 'Global Entrepreneurship Academy' graduation day

Please login to join discussion

POPULAR POSTS

‘Solar Pro 2’: Korea’s First Global AI Fronti...
Korean AI startup Upstage has made history.…
by KoreaTechDesk Writer . 22 Jul 2025

Korean Startup Suriwang Manager Gains 70+ Clients in a ...
Repair marketing is getting smarter and more affordable with Suriwang Manager, a fast-growing AI-powered marketing tools from Korean startup Team…
by KoreaTechDesk Writer . 22 Jul 2025

Startup NOTAG Korea: The Secret Formula of Successful K...
In today’s fiercely competitive race to globalize Korean fashion and beauty, a Korean startup has managed to crack the Southeast…
by Dae-jung Park . 24 Jul 2025

Korean Government Launches New Smart Safety Tech Progra...
South Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) has launched a major new smart safety tech program aimed at reducing…
by Chloe kim . 24 Jul 2025

Needer Expands Spot Work Market with Strategic Investme...
Korea is set to see significant growth in flexible employment solutions, as Korean startup Needer secures a strategic investment from…
by Richard Park . 26 Jul 2025

Register for Event

MOST READ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

1.
South Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups Unveils $2.23 Billion Support Plan for Startups in 2025
3 Jan 2025
2.
South Korea Shines at CES 2025: Global Innovation Champion, Record-Breaking K-Startup Pavilion, Award-Winning Innovations
10 Jan 2025
3.
South Korea Opens Applications for the 10th K-Startup Grand Challenge 2025 – Korea’s Flagship Market-Entry Program Offering ₩950M (US$633K) in Government Support 
7 May 2025
4.
K-Startup Grand Challenge : Empowering Global Startups and Driving Innovation in South Korea
28 Apr 2025
5.
AI in South Korea: Startups Leading the Generative AI Revolution
1 Apr 2025

List Article

1.
6 Reasons Why Seoul Is Poised to Become a Top 5 Global Economic Hub by 2030
20 Aug 2024
2.
Top Co-working Spaces for Startups & Companies to Explore in South Korea
3 Apr 2024
3.
Top Accelerators in South Korea Shaping Startup Success
29 Nov 2023
4.
Top Korean Venture Capital Firms Backing Startup Success
26 Oct 2023
5.
Top Apps for Seamless Korean to English Translation
14 Aug 2023

Similar Articles

Top Accelerators
Ecosystem & ListsLists

Top Accelerators in South Korea Shaping Startup Success

More
COMEUP 2023
COMEUPEcosystem & ListsEvents

Unveiling Key Lessons for Korean Startups Eyeing Global Expansion from COMEUP 2023

More
Content & GamesEcosystem & ListsLists

Top Apps for Seamless Korean to English Translation

More

Topics

Menu
  • AI & Big Data
  • AR & VR
  • Blockchain
  • Clean Technology
  • Content & Games
  • Cybersecurity
  • Enterprise & SaaS
  • FinTech
  • Gadgets & Electronics
  • Health & Bio
  • IoT

Program

Menu
  • Asan Voyager
  • CAPA Global Program
  • SGSC Global Bootcamp
  • LAUNCHPAD
  • COMEUP STARS 120
  • K-Startup Grand Challenge
  • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
  • SFL Global Program
  • KTO Global Showcase
  • Yonsei Univ Global Class
  • KOSME Global Program

About

Menu
  • About Us
  • all articles
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Cookie-policy
  • twitter

Subscribe and be informed first hand about actual Korean startup news.

All the day’s headlines and highlights, direct to you every morning.

Contact us : press@koreatechdesk.com

Topics

Menu
  • AI & Big Data
  • AR & VR
  • Blockchain
  • Clean Technology
  • Content & Games
  • Cybersecurity
  • Enterprise & SaaS
  • FinTech
  • Gadgets & Electronics
  • Health & Bio
  • IoT

Program

Menu
  • Asan Voyager
  • CAPA Global Program
  • SGSC Global Bootcamp
  • LAUNCHPAD
  • COMEUP STARS 120
  • K-Startup Grand Challenge
  • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
  • SFL Global Program
  • KTO Global Showcase
  • Yonsei Univ Global Class
  • KOSME Global Program

About

Menu
  • About Us
  • all articles
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Cookie-policy
  • twitter

Subscribe and be informed first hand about actual Korean startup news.

All the day’s headlines and highlights, direct to you every morning.

© 2023 Koreantech News & Media Korea Zrt. All rights reserved.

Our Spring Sale Has Started

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

Our Spring Sale Has Started

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

We hope you enjoy our content, May you please give us Feedback regarding our website!

Single Post Feedback

dgdfgfdgdf

What you think about Koreatechdesk, Share your idea with us!

feedback popup

  • Very Good

    Invitation submission has been closed

    Insert/edit link

    Enter the destination URL

    Or link to existing content

      No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.

        Notifications