PIN Agency was founded by three friends, two Koreans and one American. After learning and experiencing first-hand the difficulties that foreigners face in Korea, we decided to do something about it. Korea is a wonderful and safe country, and in recent years Korea's entertainment industry has taken the world by storm, influencing many into wanting to learn more about the land of the morning calm and also to consider visiting, working, or studying in the country. The problem we found was that while Korea's economy had grown rapidly in the preceding decades, it's society's adaption to ability to cater to its sudden rise in global interest had lagged behind. It was difficult for foreigners to access many aspects of life, and it had not been a priority to address this issue due to the population being 99% Korean. We saw an opportunity to make a difference, through working with local institutions and private businesses, in the quality of life of travelers and foreign residents in Korea.
We began by creating informative content on popular social media platforms to help foreigners navigate daily life in Korea, such as how to use public transportation, sort trash, find public bathrooms, and the like. Later, we began working directly with businesses in the Korean service industry to make it easier for foreigners to discover and experience more of what Korea has to offer.
Through our work, we have personally met many of our clients, given customized private tours, and expanded our own horizons within Korea. We're just getting started, though, so come along with us on our journey to make Korea simple and easy for everyone!
We create high quality, informative video guides and blogs to help newcomers navigate Korea more easily.
We partner and work with businesses within Korea to removes obstacles for non-native speakers in accessing services.
We work directly with various Korean entities and offer assistance to foreigners to make living in Korea easier.
Living or traveling in Korea should be exciting, not overwhelming. We help foreigners enjoy everything Korea has to offer without the stress of language barriers, cultural confusion, or tricky logistics.From the moment you land to the day you feel at home, we guide you through the details that can slow you down. That might mean helping you get settled in housing, navigate paperwork, access medical care, or simply figure out where to eat and how to order with confidence. Our goal is to make your life here smoother and more enjoyable so you can focus on the experiences that matter.
We also work closely with local Korean businesses that want to connect with the growing foreign community. One of our strongest tools is social media video marketing. We create short, engaging videos that showcase a business’s food, products, or services in a way that resonates with both foreigners living in Korea and international visitors. By combining high-quality visuals with cultural context and English storytelling, we help these businesses reach a wider audience and attract new customers they may not have reached before.
Our mission is simple. We make Korea more accessible, more comfortable, and more welcoming for everyone, while helping local businesses thrive in a changing market.
We believe that Korea should be easy for foreigners to navigate, but unfortunately there isn't much up-to-date information about how to do daily things in Korea.
Korean society is very trend oriented and full of rapid changes and improvements. How things are done on a day-to-day basis changes all of the time, and it can be hard to keep up if you're not in-the-know.
Realizing this need for accurate and current information, PIN-Agency started Korea Unboxed in May 2023.
We make short video tutorials aimed that improving quality of life for foreigners in Korea, as well as suggestions for places to eat, things to buy, and fun events that foreigners may not know about.
Since starting Korea Unboxed, we have helped countless foreigners solve problems in Korea, and we hope to help many more.
If you have a question about Korea, why not send us a DM on social media, or ask in our community chatroom! We will do our best to help.
In Spring of 2024, PIN-Agency Korea applied for a Seoul County Office project grant. Our proposal idea was to host a series of local festivals as a vehicle to deliver discount vouchers to event attendees. We worked closely with the Sindorim restaurant community and enlisted dozens of participating local restaurants to accept cash vouchers from our events. This, in-turn, lead to an easily accountable means of increasing foot traffic to local restaurants and spurring community engagement.
The first festival we hosted was a Korean Culture festival, which took place on 5/31 and 6/1 2024. We worked with a hanbok rental studio to bring a selection of hanbok dresses for attendees to try on. We worked with a local company that provided a flower wall backdrop and hired photographers to take pictures of attendees in hanboks. We also worked with a local elderly theatrical troupe to host a parade through the streets of Guro 5-dong, and enlisted a local dance team comprised of foreigners to provide entertainment to guests. Overall, the first event was a success with several hundred attendees.
The second festival was an international drinking festival hosted on 6/21 and 6/22 2024. We worked with various Korean beverage brands who were each allotted a booth to give free samples and/or sell their wares. We also brought in local artists, DJs, and a kebab truck. We transformed a back street into a bustling party and saw hundreds of people attend the festival. There was also a short speech given by some local politicians!
For our third festival, we thought it would be fun to bring the spirit of Halloween to the streets of Sindorim, and create a novel experience for Koreans to see what Halloween is like in the West. We hired several cosplayers, some professional and others hobbyists, to dress in costume and parade around Guro-5dong at night, visiting local restaurants and approaching people in the streets, to give them vouchers to redeem at local restaurants. The response was very positive, with many Koreans taking selfies with the cosplayers, and hundreds of vouchers being handed out. After seeing the success of our previous events, more restaurants wanted to participate and even created their own discount and promotional offers to get more locals to give their food a try.
We are currently working on the final part of our proposal, which is to create a mealkit delivery system for local restaurants.
PIN-Agency applied for a startup competition hosted by the Sinan county local government with the intention to boost tourism to the many beautiful islands and scenic attractions housed within Sinan.
Of the more than 150 startups that applied for the competition, PIN-Agency finished in the top 2 contenders. We presented our ideas to the local county government, which evolved into a collaborative business relationship shortly after.
PIN-Agency is currently working on projects intended to raise awareness and interest about the Sinan region.
We hope that through our efforts, many people will come to discover the wonders that Sinan has to behold.
At PIN-AGENCY KOREA we are deeply committed to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. We recognize the importance of sustainability, ethical business practices, and social responsibility in today's world, and we strive to integrate these values into every aspect of our operations.
Environmental Responsibility:
We understand the impact that our activities can have on the environment, and we are dedicated to minimizing our ecological footprint. From reducing energy consumption and waste generation to exploring and pioneering new green energy solutions, we actively seek ways to protect and preserve our planet for future generations.
Social Impact:
Our commitment to social responsibility extends to our employees, customers, and communities. We prioritize creating a supportive and inclusive work environment where diversity is celebrated and employees are empowered to thrive. We are a company with a diverse background, and we believe that our different pasts provide valuable insights in shaping our future as a team. Additionally, we engage with our local communities through philanthropic initiatives, volunteerism, and partnerships that address pressing social issues.
Governance Integrity:
Integrity, transparency, and accountability are the cornerstones of our governance framework. We uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct and corporate governance practices to earn the trust and confidence of our stakeholders. Our leadership is dedicated to fostering a culture of integrity and compliance, ensuring that we operate with honesty, fairness, and respect for all stakeholders.
At PIN, our commitment to ESG principles is not just a checkbox; it is a fundamental part of who we are and how we do business. We believe that by aligning our actions with these principles, we can create lasting value for our stakeholders while contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future.
