Korean product pages: what shoppers expect, and the new review rule

Build the Korean page for a phone first

Korea shops on phones. The National Data Agency's release of 1 September 2026 puts July online shopping at KRW 25.1 trillion, with KRW 19.6 trillion (78.0%) on mobile. The share varies by category: 79.6% for cosmetics, 82.0% for food and drink, 85.3% for children's and baby goods, and 56.1% for computers.

Korean marketplaces present products as a long, vertical detail page, the 상세페이지, scrolled with one thumb. A workable order for a foreign brand: what the product is, why it is different, how to use it, full specifications, then delivery, returns and reviews.

For your company: do not shrink your European desktop layout onto a phone. Write the Korean page as one scroll with short sections, keep key facts as real text rather than text baked into images, and put the price in won near the top.

The information Korean law already expects on the page

Much of what looks like "Korean style" is a legal requirement. The KFTC's notice on product information in e-commerce (Notice No. 2022-15, in force since 1 January 2023) lists required details for 40 product categories and a set of trading terms that apply to all of them. Article 13 of the E-Commerce Act adds the seller's identity, and Article 17 gives consumers seven days to withdraw from most purchases.

Failing to show seller identity or trading terms, or running the banned interface tricks in Article 21-2, can each bring an administrative fine of up to KRW 10 million (Article 45(4)). The notice also sets how to show all this: clearly and in readable type, with the category details ideally placed before the product introduction, certification numbers written as text rather than shown in a photo, and any foreign or technical term explained in Korean right next to it. Products that need a KC safety certificate must show the KC mark with its certificate number.

For your company: if you sell through a Korean marketplace, its listing form asks for most of this. If you run your own Korean-language shop, put these blocks on every product page yourself, in Korean, and state delivery time from Europe in days rather than "standard shipping".

Reviews: what shoppers look for, and the new rule

Korean shoppers read reviews closely, and many search outside your page too, with phrases like [brand] 후기 (reviews), [brand] 정품 (authentic) and [brand] 직구 배송기간 (delivery time when buying direct). Your page should answer those questions before the shopper leaves to ask them.

The law now also cares how your reviews are run. Article 21-4 of the E-Commerce Act, in force since 21 July 2026, and Article 27-3 of its enforcement decree require any seller that posts customer reviews to show, on the first screen where reviews appear:

• who is allowed to write a review (for example, verified buyers only);
• how long reviews stay up;
• how ratings are calculated and what they affect, such as sort order;
• when reviews are deleted and how a reviewer can object.

The KFTC published a Q&A with sample wording on 7 September 2026 and is giving businesses until 21 October to change their sites; the rule applies in full from 22 October 2026. Not disclosing this information can bring a fine of up to KRW 10 million. Korean press coverage of the Q&A (Asia Economy, 7 September 2026) reports that it also covers overseas sellers serving Korean consumers, that trial or sponsored reviewers must be marked, and that reviews imported from other sites must name their source.

For your company: write the four review rules down now, in Korean, and place them above your review list. It is a small text block, and it answers a question Korean shoppers already ask: can I trust these reviews?

Trust cues that cost little

Beyond the legal minimum, a few details tell a Korean shopper that a foreign brand has thought about them:

• A price in won, with duty and VAT explained if you ship from abroad.
• A Korean-language contact channel with stated reply hours in Korean time.
• A clear line on authenticity and which Korean sellers are authorised, which answers the 정품 search directly.
• Photos of the actual product, packaging and label as a Korean buyer will receive it, including any Korean label.
• Size, capacity and units in Korean conventions (cm, ml, g), not inches or fluid ounces.

HB Crossborder writes Korean landing and product pages with native speakers as part of our Korea Entry package, and checks how they appear on Naver. This article is general information, not legal advice; check your obligations with a Korean lawyer. See our services, or send us one product URL and get a free visibility check within 48 hours.