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The Full List of 21 Unicorn Startups in South Korea (2026)

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South Korea is home to 21 unicorn startups. The ecosystem is led by companies like Dunamu, a blockchain firm valued at $12B, and Yanolja, a travel platform with a $9B valuation.

The country's startup scene also includes major players in fintech and mobility. For example, Toss has reached a $7B valuation, while Kakao Mobility has secured $1B in funding.

Below is the full list of 21 South Korea unicorn startups at this time.

Top 10 Most Valuable South Korea Unicorns

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Dunamu operates Upbit, one of South Korea's largest digital asset exchanges, and Stockplus, a popular social stock trading platform. They build accessible fintech and blockchain services that connect traditional finance with the world of digital assets.

Valuation$12B
HeadquartersSeoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
Year Founded2012
FoundersChi-Hyung Song, Hyoung-nyon Kim
Funding Amount₩968.5B
Company SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusVenture Round
Top InvestorsAltos Ventures, IMM Investment, Kakao Ventures, Qualcomm, Global Brain Corporation

Yanolja built a leading South Korean travel platform where users can book accommodations, transportation, and leisure activities. They also provide cloud-based technology and software solutions to help automate operations for the global hospitality industry.

Valuation$9B
HeadquartersSeoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
Year Founded2005
FoundersLee Sujin
Funding Amount$2B
Company SizeMajor Organization (1,001-5,000)
Last Funding StatusVenture Round
Top InvestorsBooking Holdings, Partners Investment, GIC, SoftBank Vision Fund, SL Investment

Toss operates a mobile financial super-app that brings a wide array of services like banking, payments, and investments into a single platform. They focus on simplifying personal finance management, making it more accessible and convenient for users.

Valuation$7B (Joined December 2018)
HeadquartersSeoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
Year Founded2011
FoundersSeunggun Lee
Funding Amount$1.4B
Company SizeMajor Organization (1,001-5,000)
Last Funding StatusSeries G
Top InvestorsGoodwater Capital, HSG, Ribbit Capital, PayPal, Bessemer Venture Partners

Kakao Mobility built 'Kakao T,' South Korea's leading mobility-as-a-service platform that connects users to taxis, parking, and navigation. They are known for integrating a wide variety of transport options into a single app, including designated drivers and electric bikes.

Valuation$4B
HeadquartersSeongnam, Kyonggi-do, South Korea
Year Founded2017
Founders
Funding Amount$1B
Company SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusCorporate Round
Top InvestorsLG Group, Google, The Carlyle Group, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, TPG

MUSINSA has built South Korea's largest online fashion platform, a marketplace connecting millions of shoppers with thousands of emerging and established brands. They pair a massive e-commerce catalog with rich editorial content, helping users discover new designers and the latest in Korean fashion.

Valuation$3B (Joined November 2019)
HeadquartersSeoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
Year Founded2001
FoundersCho Man Ho, Mun-il Han
Funding Amount$508.1M
Company SizeMajor Organization (1,001-5,000)
Last Funding StatusSeries C
Top InvestorsSequoia Capital, IMM Investment, Wellington Management, Premier Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts

Karrot Market built a community app centered around a hyperlocal secondhand marketplace. Their platform allows neighbors to safely buy and sell used goods, while also serving as a hub for local business promotion and community life.

Valuation$3B
HeadquartersSeoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
Year Founded2015
FoundersChanghun Jeong, Gary Kim, Jae-hyun Kim, Paul Kim, Yong-hyun Kim
Funding Amount$235M
Company SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusSeries D
Top InvestorsSBVA, Altos Ventures, Strong Ventures, Goodwater Capital, Kakao Ventures

Tridge operates a global trade platform that connects buyers and sellers in the food and agriculture industry. Their digital marketplace helps make sourcing and trading agricultural goods more efficient and transparent.

Valuation$3B (Joined August 2022)
HeadquartersSeoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
Year Founded2015
FoundersHoshik Shin, Kangwook Lee, Minjong Chung
Funding Amount$113.8M
Company SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusSeries D
Top InvestorsSBVA, Activant Capital, Forest Partners, DS Asset Management

Lionheart Studio creates immersive massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) for mobile and PC. The studio is behind the popular multi-platform title Odin: Valhalla Rising.

Valuation$3B
HeadquartersSeongnam, Kyonggi-do, South Korea
Year Founded2017
FoundersJae Young
Funding Amount$924.2M
Company SizeLean Team (11-50)
Last Funding StatusCorporate Round
Top InvestorsWemade, Kakao Games

Market Kurly runs an online platform for ordering high-quality groceries and food, built on its own logistics network. They specialize in a next-day delivery service that brings fresh products directly to customers' homes.

Valuation$2B
HeadquartersSeoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
Year Founded2015
FoundersSophie Kim
Funding Amount₩1018.5B
Company SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusPrivate Equity
Top InvestorsHSG, G Squared, Hillhouse Investment, Launchbay Capital, Translink Capital

Toss Bank operates as a fully digital bank, providing a range of financial services through its mobile application. The platform is designed to simplify personal finance, offering users intuitive tools for everyday banking and savings.

Valuation$2B
HeadquartersSeoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, South Korea
Year Founded2020
Founders
Funding Amount$949.3M
Company SizeLarge Team (251-1,000)
Last Funding StatusVenture Round
Top InvestorsE.LAND, Standard Chartered, Viva Republica, Altos Ventures, Premier Partners

The Remaining 11 Unicorns Founded in South Korea

The ten most valuable unicorns are just the beginning of South Korea's startup story. Together, this next group of companies has raised over $2.4 billion in fields ranging from media and cloud to AI.

These companies show the depth of talent building new products across the country. Here’s a look at the other unicorns shaping South Korea's startup scene.

Unicorn StartupMain IndustryYear FoundedAmount RaisedValuation
ABLY Corporation logo ABLY CorporationMedia2015$259.1M$2B
MegazoneCloud logo MegazoneCloudCloud2018$672.9M$2B
ZigBang logo ZigBangMedia2010₩432.9B$2B
Rebellions logo RebellionsAI2020$457.7M$1.4B
RIDI logo RIDIMedia2008$181.3M$1.33B
L&P Cosmetic logo L&P CosmeticFashion2009₩40B$1.19B
HAEGIN logo HAEGINGaming2017$128.8M$1B
Kakao Enterprise logo Kakao EnterpriseCloud2019$100.4M$1B
NAVER Z logo NAVER ZMedia2018₩245.5B$1B
Good Choice Company logo Good Choice CompanyTravel2015₩50B$1B
GP Club logo GP ClubFashion2003$67M$1B

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