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Culture Shock and Startup Life: What Nobody Tells You About Founding a Company in Korea

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Culture Shock and Startup Life: What Nobody Tells You About Founding a Company in Korea


The freedom to wake up later in the morning, no frustrating commute to the office, creating value from your laptop while sipping a refreshing Iced Americano from your favorite cafe. We get it, the lifestyle perks to being a foreigner startup founder are all the hype now, and in fact, totally achievable.


Nonetheless, just like any other profession, all that glitter is not gold.


Let’s have a heart-to-heart now, one foreign resident to another. We will reveal to you the lesser know struggles that are swept under the carpet while the camera only shows you the highlights.


Startup Culture Shock in Korea


Congratulations, you have successfully received D-10-2 status, now it’s the time to enjoy your life living in Korea! Hold up…


[1] Why Are Korean Collaborators Ignoring My Emails?

Going by some hustle culture logic, if you want to make it big, reaching out to potential Korean collaborators actively is a no-brainer. More than just cold emails, why not just call their phone number? Better still, just show up to their office with your awesome proposal! After all, nothing screams pro-activeness more than direct action!


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Ooops, not in Korea.


Arriving to business offices unannounced and asking to meet someone in-charge is a big culture no-no. It is seen as disrespectful and disruptive. Networking and collaboration in Korea requires time and it is best to start early. If you are doing a cold outreach, we’d suggest writing a clear concise email about your purpose, who you wish to look for and expected date of reply. Extra points if you have both English and Korean written in your email. This will help the administrative staff who checks the general email to forward it accordingly with ease. Do not expect immediate replies though. Korean company often have a vertical hierarchy, so expect the email to be seen by the right decision maker after two or three forwards.


[2] Is it Loneliness or am I losing my mind?

Actually, no matter where you are located, startup founders tend to thrive if they are comfortable with loneliness. Not everyone will understand what you’re building. Sometimes, due to pending IP or Patent registration, you can’t reveal much to friends either.


Foreigner life in Seoul has many ups and downs.


We have seen many foreigners who tried to make lasting relationships in Korea. However, every foreign resident is on their own visa path. Eventually, some of your foreigner friends will have to return to their home country. Your Korean friends may also keep you in the category of ‘that foreigner friend who I chit-chat with’ but never actually bring you into an inner circle of deeper conversations.


And that’s okay. Time and time again, lone wolves who are also comfortable with networking are the startup founders who can push through mentally.


[3] Count your small wins, always

Learn to be the first person to give yourself a pat on your back. Because everyone else is too busy with their own problems. Applied for a startup-related program or seminar today? Win. Carried a full conversation in elementary level Korean today? Win. Explored a new neighborhood on your own today? Win. Figured out the complicated laundry and dry machine settings? Win.


Not just as a startup founder, even as an employee, it’s too easy to see only the negative stuff in life and start to wallow in self-pity and despair.


Count your blessings, count your small wins. They go a long way for your confidence.


[4] Why are there so much Paperwork?!

Most founders hit a paperwork wall in month 1–2. After your D-10-2, you need company registration, tax registration, and a bank account. Each comes with a strict deadline and required ability to navigate the filing in Korean language. Miss one, or file out of order, and things stall for weeks.


Paperwork after receiving your D-10-2 visa:

  • Company registration
  • NTS tax registration — must file within ~20 days of company registration
  • Corporate bank account — KYC review takes 2–4 weeks
  • Investment notification — must file within ~30 days of payment


At VizaBridge, we understand how daunting and frustrating it can be for expat startup founders. So reach out to us today for a free consultation.

We will offer a solution best suited to your needs.


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