Skip to main content
Korean flag

AI Translation

Translate Your Products to Korean

Reach 80M+ Korean speakers in South Korea and beyond. AI translation that keeps technical terms, units and the market's tone right gets your product data ready for your shop, your dealers and marketplaces.

Start TranslatingBook a demo
Speakers
80M+
Market Size
$180B
Online Shoppers
43M
Annual Growth
10.5%
Avg. order value
$85
Mobile share
75%

Online shoppers and market size cover these countries: South Korea, North Korea, China, United States, Japan.

How it works

How to Translate Products to Korean

Get your product catalog translated and ready to sell in three simple steps

  1. 01

    Import your products

    Connect your e-commerce platform or upload your catalog as a file. WISEPIM takes over titles, descriptions, attributes and categories.

  2. 02

    AI translates to Korean

    The AI translates your catalog with your glossary, your protected terms and your instructions per market. Numbers, units and model numbers stay as they are.

  3. 03

    Review and publish

    Review the translations and publish them to your sales channels. That way you reach Korean-speaking customers without going through an agency.

Example

One article: what changes, what stays

An example from a sanitary catalog. Texts and option values are translated. Numbers, units and article numbers stay exactly as they are.

One article: what changes, what stays
Product nameThermostatic shower mixer, surface-mounted, DN 15, chromeTranslated, with the terms from your glossary
Material (option value)BrassTranslated once for every product with this value
Connection1/2"Stays 1/2"
Flow rate22 l/minStays 22 l/min
Article numberTB-4415-CRStays TB-4415-CR (protected term)

In a Catalog Jobs translation run, a text whose numbers, units or protected terms do not match the source waits in the Review queue instead of going live.

Checklist

Korean Product Information Checklist

Make sure your product data is complete and optimized for Korean-speaking customers

Product Content

  • Build titles in the order your channel expects: brand, product type, key spec, model
  • Keep article numbers, EANs and model codes untranslated as protected terms
  • Use one term per concept across the whole catalog, set in your glossary
  • Translate safety notes and claims exactly, and never add new ones
  • Check that bullet points name the same specs as the source

Attributes and Specifications

  • Translate option values once per attribute, not per product
  • Keep spec values identical: DN 15, 1/2" and 22 l/min stay as they are
  • Write decimals and thousands the way the target market does
  • Mark brand and series names as never translate
  • Check units the market writes differently, without changing the value

SEO and Discoverability

  • Keep meta titles under 60 and meta descriptions under 160 characters
  • Use the search terms buyers in the market use, not literal translations
  • Translate the alt text of your images
  • Map your categories to the category names of the market
  • Set hreflang tags for every language version

Check one of your files first

Send us one product file as it comes from your supplier or ERP. We show you on your own rows what to fix before you translate it.

Request the free check
Start Translating

Culture and language

Korean Culture and Language Insights

Understanding the local culture is key to successful product translations

Recommended Tone and Style

Use a Formal tone with a respectful, professional, clear, brand-focused, trustworthy style when writing product descriptions.

Key Considerations

  • Hierarchy and respect are paramount; honorifics must be used correctly.
  • Emphasis on collective identity and harmony over individualism.
  • High importance of brand image, quality, and reputation.
  • Speed and convenience are highly valued in services and delivery.
  • Visual aesthetics and design are crucial for attracting attention.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using overly casual or informal language, especially when addressing customers.
  • Direct translation of Western idioms or humor that does not resonate.
  • Ignoring the importance of unique local payment and delivery preferences.
  • Lack of attention to high-quality visual content and product presentation.

Translation tips

  • Always use appropriate honorifics and politeness levels based on context and target audience (e.g., -nim, -ssi).
  • Prioritize clarity and conciseness. Korean content often benefits from being direct yet respectful.
  • Localize imagery and visual content to resonate with Korean aesthetics and cultural norms.
  • Ensure product descriptions highlight quality, innovation, and practical benefits, as these are highly valued.
  • Adapt marketing messages to appeal to collective values and community rather than purely individualistic desires.

Market

Selling Products in South Korea: E-commerce Landscape

Understand the platforms, payment methods, and shopping habits of Korean-speaking customers

Popular Platforms

  • Coupang
  • Naver Shopping
  • Gmarket
  • 11st
  • SSG.com

Payment Methods

  • Credit Cards (local brands like BC Card, Shinhan Card)
  • Naver Pay
  • Kakao Pay
  • Toss Pay
  • Bank Transfer

Peak Shopping Seasons

  • Chuseok (Autumn Equinox, September/October)
  • Lunar New Year (Seollal, January/February)
  • Black Friday/Cyber Monday (November)
  • Pepero Day (November 11)
  • Christmas (December)

Shipping Expectations

Korean consumers expect extremely fast and reliable shipping, often same-day or next-day delivery, with detailed tracking. Free shipping is a strong incentive.

Localization

Localizing for Korean-Speaking Customers

Translation is just the start. Adapt your content to local expectations for maximum impact.

  • South Korea exclusively uses the metric system for all measurements (meters, kilograms, liters).
  • Clothing sizes for women often use a unique Korean system (e.g., 44, 55, 66, 77 corresponding to XS, S, M, L) or a numerical system (e.g., 26-30 for pants). For men, standard S/M/L/XL or collar sizes are common. Always provide specific measurements in cm for clarity.
  • Shoe sizes are typically expressed in millimeters (mm) representing foot length, usually in 5mm increments (e.g., 230mm, 235mm, 240mm). Provide a conversion chart if using international sizing (EU/US/UK).
  • Weight units are kilograms (kg) for larger items and grams (g) for smaller items like cosmetics or food. Example: 1.5kg, 30g.
  • Dimensions are typically presented as 가로 (width) x 세로 (length/height) x 높이 (height/depth) or 길이 (length) x 너비 (width) x 높이 (height), with units in cm or mm. Example: 30cm x 20cm x 10cm.

  • Date format is typically YYYY. MM. DD (e.g., 2023. 10. 27.) or YYYY-MM-DD (e.g., 2023-10-27). The day of the week is often included, for example, 2023. 10. 27. (금) for Friday.
  • The decimal separator is a period (.). Example: 1,234.50.
  • The thousand separator is a comma (,). Example: 1,234,500.
  • Currency is expressed with the '원' (Won) symbol placed after the amount, often without a space in e-commerce for brevity. Example: 1,234,500원. The international symbol '₩' may be used for broader recognition, but '원' is standard domestically.
  • Time format can be 24-hour (e.g., 14:30) in official contexts, but 12-hour format with 오전 (AM) or 오후 (PM) is widely used in daily life. Example: 오전 9시 30분 (9:30 AM), 오후 2시 30분 (2:30 PM). The week starts on Monday.

  • Prefer bright, clean, and often highly retouched imagery, especially in fashion and beauty. Lifestyle shots that depict aspirational scenarios are very popular. Professional studio photography for product shots is common, but authentic user-generated content for reviews is also highly valued.
  • Model representation typically features East Asian individuals, with a strong emphasis on youthful, slender, and conventionally attractive aesthetics. While diversity is growing, mainstream e-commerce often aligns with these specific beauty standards.
  • Korean design aesthetics often feature dense layouts with a lot of information, text, and vibrant imagery. Less whitespace is common compared to minimalist Western designs. The use of 'cute' or 'kawaii' (애교) elements can be effective in certain product categories.
  • Images of people often show models with a friendly, approachable demeanor, sometimes making direct eye contact, but often engaged in an activity. Group shots portraying social interaction or family life are common. A polished, professional appearance is generally preferred.

  • Red (빨강) is widely used for sales, discounts, and promotions to attract attention, signifying urgency and excitement. Orange (주황) and Yellow (노랑) can also be used for a vibrant and energetic feel in promotional materials.
  • Blue (파랑/남색) is strongly associated with trust, reliability, and professionalism, often used by financial institutions and technology companies. Green (초록) can convey nature, health, and eco-friendliness, while White (하양) suggests cleanliness, purity, and sophistication.
  • Black (검정) combined with Gold (금색) are classic choices to signify luxury, premium quality, and sophistication in e-commerce. Deep Purple (자주색) can also evoke elegance and exclusivity.
  • While white is a color of purity, it is also traditionally associated with mourning in formal contexts, though this is rarely a concern for e-commerce product colors. Avoid overly bright or clashing color combinations that might appear unprofessional or cheap.

Local SEO

Local SEO Tips for Korean

Optimize your product content for search engines in Korean-speaking markets

  • Prioritize optimization for Naver (search.naver.com), which dominates the South Korean search market, followed by Daum and Google. Naver's algorithms prioritize content within its own ecosystem (Naver Blog, Naver Cafe, Naver Shopping, Naver Place).
  • Conduct extensive keyword research using Naver's '연관 검색어' (related search terms) and '자동 완성' (autocomplete) features. Koreans frequently search using specific product model numbers, brand names, and qualifiers like '추천' (recommendation), '후기' (review), '가격' (price), and '최저가' (lowest price).
  • Develop rich, comprehensive content, especially for Naver. Long-form articles, detailed product pages with numerous images and videos, and user-generated content (UGC) like customer reviews and forum discussions are highly valued and tend to rank better.
  • Focus on local link building within the Naver ecosystem. Actively participate in Naver Blogs and Naver Cafes (community forums) to build authority and drive traffic. Listing your business on Naver Place (네이버 플레이스) is essential for local visibility.
  • Ensure your website is highly optimized for mobile devices, given South Korea's mobile-first internet usage. Fast loading speeds are critical; consider local hosting for better performance. Implement hreflang tags using ko-KR for precise targeting.

Free tool

Generate hreflang tags for your translated pages

Add the URL of each language version and copy valid hreflang link tags, x-default included.

Open the full tool
Loading the tool

More languages

More Languages to Translate Products To

Expand to similar markets

Japanese flag

Japanese

128M speakers

$270B market

Chinese (Simplified) flag

Chinese (Simplified)

1100M speakers

$3.8T market

View all languages

Platform Integrations

Korean Translation for Every Platform

Translate once, publish to every channel you sell on. Push your Korean product content to Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, Lightspeed and other connected platforms, or export it as a feed or file. Opt-in auto-sync sends saved changes to supported shops.

FAQ

Korean Product Translation FAQ

Common questions about translating products to Korean

WISEPIM translates with the glossary and do-not-translate terms from your Knowledge Library, so product names and fixed terms come out the way you set them. It handles product descriptions, technical specifications, and sales copy. It typically delivers 95%+ accuracy. You can review and edit every translation before publishing, and reviewer feedback can become new glossary terms and settings for the next run.

It depends on the size of your catalog and the number of languages. Bulk translations run in the background as a job, so you can keep working, and you get a notification when the results are ready to review. Before you start, a free preview shows how many texts per language need translating and what the run costs in credits.

Yes, within the rules you set. The AI adapts tone, wording and formatting to the target market, and you steer it per project with a glossary of fixed translations, words that are never translated (brand names, model codes) and your own instructions. In a Catalog Jobs translate run, every new translation is checked for kept numbers and units, protected terms, intact HTML and length limits, and a text that fails waits in the Review queue instead of going live.

Yes, if you turn on SEO optimization in your translation settings. Meta titles, meta descriptions and meta keywords are then written for search in the target language, with natural keyword placement and the original meaning kept. With it off, they are translated faithfully at a similar length. In a Catalog Jobs translate run, meta titles over 60 characters and meta descriptions over 160 go to the Review queue.

Yes, you have full control. You can edit any translated content directly in WISEPIM and push the changes to your connected sales channels. If you update the original product description, you choose whether to translate it again or keep your manual edits. On paid plans, the operation history lets you undo changes at any time.

Translation runs on credits. A standard translation of one product into one language costs one credit, and a higher-quality tier costs more per product. Before every run, a free preview shows how many texts per language will be translated and how many credits the run takes, so you can start with one category.

Yes. WISEPIM translates from your project's main language, so your source data does not have to be in English. You pick the target languages for each run.

Push it to a connected shop, export it as a file or feed from Feed Hub, or share a read-only Brand Portal in the languages you choose. Dealers browse it, download the data or import it into their own WISEPIM.

Related Korean E-commerce Search Terms

  • 온라인 쇼핑 (online shopping)
  • 최저가 (lowest price)
  • 할인 (discount)
  • 빠른 배송 (fast delivery)
  • 구매 후기 (purchase review)

Ready to Sell in Korean?

Start translating your product catalog today and reach new customers in new markets

Start Translating
Learn More About AI Translation
4.7