Want to feel what the night was like? From the talks to the networking and everything in between, here's a quick trailer of Dev Korea #8 🎥.

On May 18 we ran Dev Korea #8 with Salmon. Around 150 people came out for the evening. Developers, QA engineers, a good mix of folks from across the Seoul tech scene, all there for two talks and the usual long tail of conversations afterward.

Salmon made the night happen. They came on as the main sponsor, brought their speakers, handed out swag, and even set up a photobooth that people kept coming back to all evening.

Both talks were about software quality, but they came at it from opposite ends. One was about how we write failures into our code. The other was about how teams decide what's actually worth testing before a release. Put together, they were really asking the same thing: how do we build software that's easier to reason about?

Making failures easier to understand

The first talk was by Sergey Chernov, Lead Software Engineer at Salmon Group Ltd, on domain errors and functional error handling in Kotlin.

He started with a problem most backend developers will recognize: a method signature rarely tells you what can actually go wrong inside it. A function looks simple from the outside, but the implementation might be full of expected business failures. An invalid code, an expired document, a signing window that already closed, a document that was already signed, a policy rule that rejects the request.

When those failures live inside the implementation, the only way to know they exist is to open the method and read it. That's annoying with your own code and genuinely painful with old code, unfamiliar code, or code an AI agent wrote.

Sergey's argument was that expected failures belong in the method contract, not buried in the body. Instead of leaning on runtime exceptions, he showed how to make success and failure explicit in Kotlin using sealed interfaces, typed result models, and the Either approach.

He also pushed back on the instinct to create one big shared error type. He'd rather define a narrow union of errors per method, so each method only advertises the failures it can really produce. The caller stops handling impossible cases, and the compiler starts working for you instead of against you.

The cost is real: more types, more mapping code, more verbose signatures. What you get back is clearer contracts and error handling you can actually predict. As he put it, the goal isn't to get rid of exceptions. It's to stop hiding the failures you already know about.

From more tests to better focus

The second talk was by Artemii Zakharov, Lead QA Engineer at Salmon Group Ltd, on moving from test cases to risk management.

His starting point was very concrete: regression testing stops scaling at some point. His team had around 2,000 test cases, roughly 500 automated and the rest manual. With eight QA engineers, that was about 57 hours of regression on paper, and once you added analysis, retesting, back-and-forth, and bug fixes, a release could take around five days just to validate.

The issue wasn't a shortage of test cases. It was that piling on more of them had stopped helping. As a product grows and its parts get more connected, one small change can ripple into onboarding, payments, support, conversion, or real money moving around. More tests doesn't mean more attention on the things that actually matter.

That's the case for risk-based testing. It isn't about testing less at random. It's about figuring out which areas can hurt the business most and putting your effort there. Artemii framed it around three questions: how much would this hurt users or the business (impact), how far can the change reach (change surface), and how much protection already exists, like automated tests, reviews, or monitoring (safety net).

The part that got the most interest was how his team uses AI for release impact analysis. The AI doesn't make the call. It produces a readable report flagging where the team should look, sorting test cases into must test, recommended, and can skip. That last bucket is the valuable one. Skipping a low-risk area isn't carelessness; it's saving human attention for the parts of the release that can actually do damage.

He was honest about the limits too. AI won't catch runtime dependencies, hidden blast radius, weak test mapping, brand-new features, or business-critical boundaries unless the team feeds it that context. The point wasn't that AI replaces QA. It's that AI can take the repetitive analysis off your plate so QA engineers can spend their time on judgment, exploration, and the business context only they have.

A full room and a lot of Salmon energy

Around 150 people stayed through the evening. They came for the talks but hung around to meet each other, ask questions, and take photos.

The burgers and pizza went fast. They kept the room fed between talks and gave people a reason to stand around and chat instead of rushing off.

The Q&A after both talks was genuinely good. People asked about Kotlin vs Java, how to keep error types from sprawling, how to enforce typed error handling across a big team, what AI-assisted QA looks like in a real repo, and how teams deal with human error, non-technical bug reports, and test coverage after a release ships.

The photobooth was a nice touch, a casual way to grab a few photos that made the night feel more like people hanging out than a conference. That's the kind of evening we're trying to build: somewhere you can learn something and also feel part of Korea's international tech scene.

Huge thanks

This event wouldn't have happened without:

• Sergey Chernov and Artemii Zakharov for two honest, practical talks
• Salmon Group Ltd for backing the event
• Maru by the Asan Nanum Foundation for hosting us
• Cry Cheeseburger for the burgers
• Everyone from Salmon who helped run the night: Aleksey, Bertijn, Brian, Marcus, Oscar, Sonali, Suhyun, Svetlana, and Valentina
• And everyone who showed up, asked questions, took photos, shared posts, and stuck around to talk

We're looking forward to the next one.

Watch the talks

Both talks are online:

• Domain errors and functional error handling in Kotlin, by Sergey Chernov
• From test cases to risk management, by Artemii Zakharov

You can find every published Dev Korea talk on our talks page.

Ready for your next move?
Visit Dev Korea to explore the latest job openings at dev-korea.com/jobs, or if you're hiring, post a job at dev-korea.com/post-a-job and connect with our growing international tech community.

Want to feel what the night was like? From the talks to the networking and everything in between, here's a quick trailer of Design Korea #0 🎥.

On April 23, we hosted Design Korea #0, our very first design-focused Dev Korea event, bringing together 110+ designers, developers, founders, and builders in Seoul.

Made possible with the support of Figma, the event focused on a simple idea:

Great products are not built by design or engineering alone.

They are built when designers, developers, and product people understand each other better.

With two practical talks, Figma swag, food, and a packed room full of energy, Design Korea #0 showed that there is strong demand for English-friendly design and product conversations within Korea’s international tech community.

Building, learning, and connecting in Seoul

From the moment doors opened, the venue quickly filled up.

We kicked things off with check-in, food, and the usual relaxed Dev Korea atmosphere:

• designers meeting developers
• developers asking about design workflows
• people sharing what they are building
• new members joining the community for the first time
• familiar faces reconnecting

As always, the event was English-friendly and welcoming.

Don't worry about perfect English. Many attendees speak Korean too.
Come as you are. We're here to learn and connect together.

Figma MCP: When designers ship working prototypes, not frames

The first talk was by Inès Gruhier, founder of Odubu Design, a one-person design studio focused on UX/UI, design systems, branding, illustration, and product prototyping.

Her session focused on one of the most common sources of friction between designers and developers: the gap between what is designed in Figma and what actually gets implemented.

As Inès explained, the issue is not always a lack of skill on either side.

Designers and developers are often working with different tools, different mediums, and different assumptions. Figma shows what something should look like. Code shows how it should behave. And somewhere in that gap - between static mockups and actual interaction -miscommunication happens.

Inès showed how Figma MCP, combined with Claude Code, can help bridge that gap by letting AI read Figma files, understand the design system, color tokens, variables and layers, and use that to generate prototypes.

Instead of handing over static frames or long annotations, designers can create interactive prototypes that developers can inspect, test, and reference.

The session covered:

• Building an interactive debug panel to fine-tune a toggle animation
• Prototyping physics-based item drop animations for My Tiny Room that would be tedious to mock in Figma
• How she used Figma MCP to audit Bloxley's design system against the live codebase, surfacing mismatches and edge cases that existed on both the design and dev side
• Best practices for structuring Figma files so AI agents can interpret them correctly

One of the strongest takeaways was that this workflow does not replace designers or developers.

It changes the collaboration from interpretation to refinement.

Designers can finally show instead of tell, and developers can build from something real instead of guessing.

With AI handling the handoff, that shift lets both sides focus on what actually matters: making something that works, together.

From hypothesis to prototype: A solo designer's survival story

The second talk was by Anna Kim, a designer currently at Match Group, who shared a raw and honest story from her time as the solo designer at an early-stage AI startup.

Her talk was not about a perfect design process.

It was about survival.

Anna walked through how she helped rebuild an LLM app from scratch in 10 months, without a mentor, without an established design process, and with very little time.

At first, she expected to apply the textbook design process:

• user research
• personas
• journey maps
• structured brainstorming
• the classic double diamond

But startup reality looked very different.

There was too much ambiguity, too much raw feedback, and not enough time.

So instead of following the process exactly, Anna built her own.

She lived inside Reddit and Discord, tracked competitors, read user comments, DM'd users for quick interviews, and used AI to help categorize messy feedback into patterns her team could actually use.

Her key point was simple but powerful:

Intuition is not blind guessing.

It is the ability to make fast, informed decisions when you are deeply immersed in your users' reality.

That intuition led her to a major product decision: moving away from a simple chat interface and toward a node-based system that gave technical users more control over AI models, sessions, and workflows.

The session covered:

• how to survive as a junior solo designer in a fast-moving startup
• how to turn messy Discord and Reddit feedback into usable product insight
• why user intuition can become stronger when it is fed by raw data
• how prototypes can create alignment faster than long debates
• why designers sometimes need to skip parts of the textbook process and adapt to reality

Anna's talk was especially memorable because it was honest.

It showed the messy, uncomfortable, high-pressure side of design work that does not always appear in polished case studies.

Design and engineering belong in the same room

Compared to previous Dev Korea events, this one had a different energy.

The audience included many designers, but also plenty of developers, founders, and product-minded builders.

That mix made the conversations especially interesting.

Throughout the evening, people talked about:

• AI-assisted design workflows
• Figma MCP and code handoff
• how designers and developers can reduce miscommunication
• how to prototype faster
• how to use data without losing creativity
• how junior designers can grow in fast-moving teams

The level of engagement made one thing clear:

Design is not separate from tech.

It is part of how great products get built.

Figma swag, networking, and hallway conversations

Of course, the Figma swag also helped bring extra excitement to the evening.

But beyond the bottles, caps, tees, pins, and raffle prizes, the best part was still the people.

After the talks, attendees stayed to ask questions, meet new people, and continue the conversations that started during the sessions.

These informal conversations remain one of the most valuable parts of every Dev Korea event.

Huge thanks

This event would not have been possible without:

• Our speakers, Inès Gruhier and Anna Kim, for sharing practical, honest, and highly valuable design stories
• Figma for supporting the event and providing amazing swag
• BizCrush for supporting real-time English to Korean translation
• Maru by Asan Nanum Foundation for hosting us
• Cry Cheeseburger for providing delicious burgers for the attendees
• All the volunteers who helped make this event a success: Bertijn, Brian, Sonali and Suhyun but also everyone who made everything flow seamlessly from start to finish
• All 110+ attendees who filled the venue and brought great energy

Seeing the room packed for our first design-focused event was both surprising and incredibly motivating.

What's next

Design Korea #0 confirmed that there is strong demand for practical, community-driven design events in Seoul.

We'll keep bringing more events focused on real-world topics across engineering, design, product, startups, AI, and beyond.

Explore upcoming events: dev-korea.com/events

Want to stay connected?

• Follow us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/dev-korea
• Follow us on X: x.com/dev_korea
• Watch previous talks: dev-korea.com/talks
• Join our Discord server: discord.gg/hqzMbuXy73
• Subscribe to the Weekly Dev Korea Digest Newsletter: dev-korea.com/newsletter

Here’s to more nights of learning, building, and meaningful community in Seoul. ✨

Ready for your next move?
Visit Dev Korea to explore the latest job openings at dev-korea.com/jobs, or if you're hiring, post a job at dev-korea.com/post-a-job and connect with our growing international tech community.

It also leaked 750 days of premium to 148 abusers.

This is the full story: what they exploited, what we missed, and the layered defense we shipped.

The referral system

Simple mechanic: share your code, friend signs up with it, both get rewarded. The reward tiers were:

Later we simplified to 1 referral = 1 day of full premium for both sides. No cap.

Detection (and what we got wrong)

We initially flagged 114 users with a referral_banned column on the users table. But that flag only blocked them from using referral codes — they could still sign in and use the app with all the premium time they'd already earned.

Worse: a banned user could delete their account and re-register with a different Gmail, getting a clean referral_banned = 0.

Their alt accounts — the fake Gmails they'd created to farm referrals — were completely untouched.

We'd banned the action, not the actor.

The fix: Layered defense

We shipped everything in one session — auth bans, deletion persistence, alt detection, premium revocation, and legal updates.

Layer 1: Auth-level ban

Added a single check at every authentication entry point:

export class AccountSuspendedError extends Error {
  constructor() {
    super("Account suspended for violating Terms of Service.");
    this.name = "AccountSuspendedError";
  }
}

// In AuthService
private assertNotBanned(user: User): void {
  if (user.referral_banned === 1) {
    throw new AccountSuspendedError();
  }
}

Placed before buildAuthResponse() in:

• googleSignIn() — blocks Google sign-in
• telegramLogin() — blocks Telegram bot sign-in
• telegramWidgetLogin() — blocks Telegram widget (web)
• refresh() — kicks already-logged-in users within 1 hour (token expiry)

The route handler returns 403 (not 401) with errorCode: "ACCOUNT_SUSPENDED":

function authErrorResponse(c: AppContext, e: unknown): any {
  if (e instanceof AccountSuspendedError) {
    return c.json(
      { message: e.message, errorCode: "ACCOUNT_SUSPENDED" },
      403
    );
  }
  return c.json({ message: getErrorMessage(e) }, 401);
}

Why 403 matters: our Android AuthInterceptor automatically retries on 401 (token refresh). A 403 bypasses the retry loop and triggers immediate logout:

// AuthInterceptor.kt
if (response.code == 403 && !isPublicRoute) {
    Log.w("AuthInterceptor", "Account suspended (403). Logging out.")
    runBlocking { sessionManager.logout() }
    return response
}

Using 401 would have caused the app to silently retry in a loop, thinking it was an expired token. 403 tells the client: this isn't an auth problem, you're not welcome here.

Layer 2: Ban persistence across account deletion

When a user deletes their account, we snapshot their identity into a deleted_accounts table:

CREATE TABLE deleted_accounts (
    id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
    googleId TEXT,
    email TEXT,
    telegramId TEXT,
    fcmTokens TEXT,  -- JSON array of device tokens
    referral_banned INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
    deletedAt TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT (datetime('now'))
);

When anyone signs up, we check if their Google ID, email, Telegram ID, or FCM token matches a deleted account. If it does, we restore the ban using MAX():

UPDATE users SET
  referral_banned = MAX(referral_banned, ?)
WHERE id = ?;

MAX() is key — it means a ban can only be added, never accidentally removed. If the deleted account had referral_banned = 1 and the new account has referral_banned = 0, MAX(0, 1) = 1 — still banned. Delete and re-register with the same Google account? Still banned.

Layer 3: Alt Account Detection via Referral Graph

The 114 originally banned users were the fake accounts — the pawns. Their main accounts — the puppet masters collecting premium days — were still untouched. We walked the referral graph:

SELECT DISTINCT CASE
    WHEN u_referrer.referral_banned = 1 THEN r.referredUserId
    WHEN u_referred.referral_banned = 1 THEN r.referrerId
    END as alt_id
FROM referrals r
JOIN users u_referrer ON r.referrerId = u_referrer.id
JOIN users u_referred ON r.referredUserId = u_referred.id
WHERE (u_referrer.referral_banned = 1 AND u_referred.referral_banned = 0)
   OR (u_referred.referral_banned = 1 AND u_referrer.referral_banned = 0);

First pass: 30 alt accounts found.
Second pass: 4 more second-degree alts.
Third pass: 0 remaining. Clean.

The network wasn't deeply layered — most abusers were running simple one-hop schemes. Final count: 148 banned users (114 + 30 + 4).

Layer 4: FCM device cross-check

Firebase Cloud Messaging tokens are unique per app install per device. When a user registers their device, we now check if that FCM token is associated with any banned user:

// In updateFcmToken()
const bannedDevice = await this.repo.findBannedUserByFcmToken(token, userId);
if (bannedDevice) {
  console.warn(
    `[Auth] Device shared with banned user: userId=${userId}, bannedUserId=${bannedDevice.id}`
  );
  await this.repo.banUser(userId);
}

SELECT u.id FROM devices d
JOIN users u ON d.userId = u.id
WHERE d.fcmToken = ? AND u.referral_banned = 1 AND u.id != ?
LIMIT 1;

This catches the scenario: banned user creates new Gmail, signs up on same phone, app sends FCM token → token matches banned user's device → new account auto-banned.

The known limitation: FCM tokens reset on app reinstall. A determined user can uninstall, reinstall, and get a fresh token. But we've raised the cost of abuse from "sign in with another Gmail" (30 seconds) to "uninstall, reinstall, create new Gmail, sign up fresh, and lose all progress" (minutes of effort for a few premium days). Most users are students studying for entrance exams — they're not going to keep grinding that loop.

Layer 5: Premium revocation

4 banned users still had active premium modules. All from referral rewards, not legitimate purchases (subscription_providerId: null). Revoked in one query:

UPDATE users SET
  active_modules = '[]',
  module_speaking_expiresAt = NULL,
  module_writing_expiresAt = NULL,
  module_reading_expiresAt = NULL,
  module_listening_expiresAt = NULL,
  subscription_tier = 'free',
  subscription_expiresAt = NULL
WHERE referral_banned = 1
  AND active_modules IS NOT NULL AND active_modules != '[]';

Layer 6: Legal coverage

Updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Service in all 3 languages (EN/RU/UZ): Privacy Policy additions:

• Device identifiers used for abuse prevention
• Abuse flags retained after account deletion

Terms additions:

• Explicit prohibition on multi-account creation and referral manipulation
• Account suspension section with specific reasons
• Ban persistence clause: "Suspension status is retained even after account deletion and will be applied to any new account created from the same device or identity."

The data: Was the referral system worth It?

After the cleanup, we ran the numbers. The answer surprised us.

Genuine vs fraudulent

91% of referrals were real people referring real people. The system was working.

Retention: Referred vs organic

Referred users retained at 2.4x the baseline. Someone who joins because a friend told them is more committed than someone who found you on the Play Store.

Where did the premium days go?

749 premium days were given away. 693 (93%) went to fraudsters. Only 56 days went to legitimate referrers — roughly 8 weeks of one subscription's worth of premium given away in exchange for hundreds of sticky users. Most paid acquisition channels would kill for that ratio.

The fraud wasn't that the system was too generous. It's that the high-tier rewards attracted abusers who farmed at scale, while legitimate users mostly stayed at tier 1 (streak freezes).

Was the tiered structure the problem?

We briefly switched to a flat 1-day premium reward before shutting referrals down entirely:

The fraud rate barely changed. The problem was never the generosity of the reward — it was the tiered escalation. The reward-to-effort ratio had a cliff at tier 2 where 2 minutes of creating a Gmail suddenly bought you 7 days of premium. Under the 1-day system, you'd need a new fake account every day to maintain premium. The economics of farming collapsed.

The multi-account landscape

With referral abuse handled, we checked how many devices were running multiple accounts across the entire platform:

2,104 devices running multiple accounts — 4,971 accounts out of ~77K users (6.5%). The 5+ cluster (63 devices, 352 accounts) looked suspicious. But when we checked their trial flags and exam usage: all zeros. No trial abuse, no free exam farming. Every multi-account was built for referral farming, and with referrals dead, the accounts were inert.

We considered implementing ANDROID_ID fingerprinting and device-level account restrictions. Then we checked the data and decided not to build it. The problem was already solved. Ten minutes of SQL saved days of engineering.

Architecture summary

SIGN-IN ATTEMPT

• Google / Telegram / Widget
  → assertNotBanned()
  → 403 if banned
  → Token refresh also returns 403 (within 1 hour)

ACCOUNT DELETION

• Delete account → snapshot identity + ban flag
• Re-register with same identity
• If match found → restore ban via MAX()

DEVICE REGISTRATION

• Register FCM token
• If device linked to banned user → auto-ban

REFERRAL GRAPH

• Traverse referral chain
• Ban connected accounts (iterative)
• Revoke fraudulently earned premium

What we learned

1. Ban the actor, not just the action. Our initial referral_banned flag only blocked referral code usage. That's like banning someone from the loyalty program but still letting them shop. If someone is abusing your system, lock the door.
2. Deletion is an escape hatch. If you ban someone but let them delete and re-create, you haven't banned them. Snapshot identities before deletion and check on re-registration.
3. Walk the graph. The 114 banned accounts were the pawns. The 34 accounts collecting premium were the real abusers. Always check both sides of the referral relationship.
4. Tiered rewards create cliffs. Streak freezes at tier 1 attracted zero abuse. 7-day premium at tier 2 attracted all of it. The moment you give away the thing people pay for, someone will figure out how to farm it. Keep referral rewards non-fungible with your paid tier.
5. 403 vs 401 matters.** Using the wrong HTTP status code caused our Android interceptor to silently retry (thinking it was an expired token) instead of showing the user why they were blocked. Small detail, big behavioral difference.
6. Check the data before building defenses. We considered implementing ANDROID_ID fingerprinting, device-level exam quotas, and mandatory notification permissions. Then we checked: the 5+ account cluster had zero trial abuse, zero free exam farming. The only exploit was referral farming, which we'd already killed. Sometimes the best engineering decision is not to build something.
7. Don't kill a working growth channel because of a small abuse cluster. The fraud rate was only 9%. 91% of referrals were genuine users who retained at 2.4x baseline. 363 real users with 2x retention for 56 days of premium is an incredible acquisition deal. The system was working — it just needed guardrails, not demolition.

Connect with Azizbek

• LinkedIn: /in/typos-bro

Built by MilliyTechnology. We're building AI-powered exam prep tools for students in Central Asia. If you're working on similar problems, reach out.

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email at florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready for your next move?
Visit Dev Korea to explore the latest job openings at https://dev-korea.com/jobs, or if you’re hiring, post a job at https://dev-korea.com/post-a-job and connect with our growing international tech community.

With a highly engaging talk on AI and serverless, 46 pizzas, and a room full of energy, this event once again showed how strong the demand is for practical, real-world tech conversations within Korea’s international developer community.

Building, learning, and connecting in Seoul

From the moment doors opened, the venue quickly filled up.

We kicked things off with check-in and food, and with 46 pizzas provided by Dev Korea, conversations started immediately:

• people sharing what they are building
• discussing AI trends and tooling
• reconnecting with familiar faces
• meeting new members of the community

As always, the atmosphere was relaxed, friendly, and welcoming.

Don’t worry about perfect English. Many attendees speak Korean too.
Come as you are—we’re here to learn and connect together. 🇰🇷

🧠 How to efficiently develop and deploy your AI-based product with serverless

The evening featured a single, deep-dive session focused on one of the most relevant topics today: AI infrastructure and serverless architecture.

Sang (Chris) Park delivered an awesome, highly engaging talk exploring how to build and ship AI-powered products efficiently using serverless.

The session covered:

• why infrastructure matters just as much as the application layer
• what serverless architecture actually is and when to use it
• how serverless helps remove bottlenecks for fast-moving teams
• why it is especially well-suited for AI-based products
• a live, real-time demonstration of building and deploying

The talk struck a strong balance between concept and practice, making it valuable for both experienced engineers and builders exploring AI for the first time.

🌱 AI and serverless: a growing focus in the community

Compared to previous events, this meetup clearly reflected the current shift in the ecosystem.

Conversations throughout the evening focused on:

• building AI-powered products in practice
• choosing the right infrastructure for fast iteration
• balancing cost, scalability, and developer experience
• how serverless changes the way teams ship

The level of engagement, and the size of the crowd, made one thing clear:
AI and modern infrastructure are top of mind for the Dev Korea community.

🍕 Pizza, networking, and hallway conversations

Food once again played a key role in setting the tone.

With 46 pizzas shared across 160+ attendees, the event felt lively from start to finish.

Throughout the night, people:

• exchanged ideas around AI tools and workflows
• discussed serverless setups and real-world use cases
• talked about startups, side projects, and careers
• built new connections and strengthened existing ones

These informal conversations remain one of the most valuable parts of every Dev Korea event.

🙌 Huge thanks

This event would not have been possible without:

• Our speaker Sang (Chris) Park for an awesome, super engaging talk on AI and serverless
• The AWS Korea team, Yongho Choi, SeongHan Kim, Sewoong Kim, for helping the event run smoothly even with such a large crowd
• Our amazing volunteers: Aleksey Kim, Bertijn Pauwels, Ian Wagner, Kathie Lee, Loïc Castelin, Myungjun Jung, Rob Sawyer, and many more who helped behind the scenes
• All 160+ attendees who filled the venue and brought incredible energy

Seeing the space completely packed was both surprising and incredibly motivating for us as organizers.

👀 What’s next

Dev Korea continues to grow, and Dev Korea #7 confirmed the strong demand for practical, community-driven tech events in Seoul.

We’ll keep bringing more events focused on real-world topics, from AI and infrastructure to product, startups, design, and beyond.

👉 Explore upcoming events: https://dev-korea.com/events

Want to stay connected?

• Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dev-korea
• Follow us on X: https://x.com/dev_korea
• Watch previous talks: https://dev-korea.com/talks
• Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/hqzMbuXy73
• Subscribe to the Weekly Dev Korea Digest Newsletter: https://dev-korea.com/newsletter

Here’s to more nights of learning, building, and meaningful community in Seoul. 🍻✨

Ready for your next move?
Visit Dev Korea to explore the latest job openings at https://dev-korea.com/jobs, or if you’re hiring, post a job at https://dev-korea.com/post-a-job and connect with our growing international tech community.

This article was originally published by Maëlle Dairain on her LinkedIn and is reposted here with her permission. Thanks to Maëlle for letting us share it with the community.

Most foreign professionals in Korea assume the long-term path is linear:

D-2 → D-10 → E-7 → F-2-7 → F-5
That's the common narrative.

In February 2026, I moved directly from D-10 to F-2-7, without ever holding an E-7 visa. I'm sharing this not as a "hack," but as a case study in preparation, timing, and understanding how the system actually works.

🌏 My background

Hi I'm Maëlle, a 24 year-old French woman who discovered South Korea for the first time during an exchange semester in Sungkyukwan University 3 years ago. After graduating from a Master's degree in Engineering (Smart and Resilient Cities) and while working a year in urban project development at Linkcity (Bouygues Construction Group) in France, I made the deliberate decision to come back.

I returned to Korea in April 2024 on a Working Holiday (H-1) visa with a clear goal: build a long-term career here. During that year, I focused on:

• Improving my Korean (until TOPIK Level 4)
• Building a professional network
• Securing relevant work experience In April 2025, I transitioned to a D-10-1 (job-seeking visa). After a short-term consulting experience at GGGI, I joined Yooshin Engineering Corporation as an intern in September 2025 and signed a one-year contract in January 2026.

One important detail: switching from H-1 to D-10 cannot be done in-country — Korea does not allow this change of status domestically. I ended my H-1 a little earlier than planned, spent two days in Japan, and re-entered Korea as a tourist to apply for the D-10 upon arrival.

First: Understand which pathway applies to you

Before anything else, I want to be clear: this article describes one specific pathway to the F-2-7 visa. The system has multiple routes, and most people will not qualify through the same one I used.

The three main (but not only) eligibility pathways are:

1. The standard route (most common): You hold a professional visa such as E-7, E-2, E-3, or similar, have been legally residing in Korea for at least 3 consecutive years under that status, and accumulated enough points. This is what most foreign professionals eventually use. It takes time, but it's well-documented and reliable.
2. Korean domestic graduate: You completed a Master's degree or higher at a Korean university, have been residing in Korea for at least 3 consecutive years (with D-2 or D-10-1 visa), and have confirmed employment or are employed under a qualifying professional visa. This is a faster route for those who studied here long-term.
3. KOSPI/KOSDAQ employee: You are employed or have confirmed employment at a corporation listed on the KOSPI or KOSDAQ stock markets, in a managerial or professional occupation per the Korean Standard Occupational Classification. If you meet this condition and have enough points, the usual 3-year residency requirement is waived entirely.

🎯 Why I chose F-2-7 over E-7

Honestly, E-7 was my original plan. It's the default answer most people give when you ask "what visa do I get once I have a job in Korea?"

But while researching the E-7 → F-2 pathway, I came across a specific provision I hadn't heard of before: foreign professionals who are employed at a KOSPI or KOSDAQ-listed company may be eligible for the F-2-7 visa directly.

I checked: Yooshin is listed on KOSDAQ!

That changed everything. F-2-7 offered something E-7 couldn't in the short term:

• Independence from employer sponsorship
• Freedom to change jobs without losing status
• A direct path toward long-term residency
• For someone building a career here on their own terms, it was clearly the better option.

✅ What made it possible

The F-2-7 is a points-based system. Here's a rough breakdown of where my points came from:

• Education: Master's degree in engineering
• Age: Age bracket gives more or less points
• Korean language: TOPIK Level 4
• Income: Annual salary (1-year contract)
• Special condition: Employed at a KOSDAQ-listed company

Note: under the standard pathway, income points are calculated from your most recent 소득금액증명서. But under the KOSDAQ/KOSPI pathway, you should not have one, so income is assessed directly from your employment contract instead.

The KOSDAQ condition is significant because it essentially fast-tracks eligibility for professionals at listed companies — but it comes with strict conditions, one of which nearly derailed my application entirely...

⚠️ The obstacle I didn't see coming

I had spent months preparing every document and I went to the immigration office confident.

The officer asked whether I had any declared income in the past two years (here 2023 and 2024). The KOSDAQ-employee pathway requires that you cannot submit a 소득금액증명서 (income certificate) showing any earnings in that period. At the time of my application, the 2025 income certificate was not yet available — it only becomes accessible from May of the following year. That meant immigration needed to verify the two previous fiscal years: 2023 and 2024.

I assumed I didn't have one — I had never held a formal work visa in Korea.

They sent me to the tax office to verify. And there it was: a 소득금액증명서 from 2024 showing an amount under 70,000 KRW. Where did it come from? During my H-1 year, I had animated two cooking classes (two hours each, just giving instructions) for which I was paid a small fee. That was it!

The officer was clear: it doesn't matter how low the amount is. Any recorded income (a part-time shift, a paid SNS post, a small gig) will appear on your 소득금액증명서 and can disqualify you under this specific condition. The amount is irrelevant; the existence of the entry is what counts.

After months of preparation, I walked out of that office without a visa…

The follow-up that changed the outcome

A week later, I went back — this time intending to apply for an E-7.

But my intuition told me to bring up the income certificate issue again and explain the full context. I spoke with a different officer. She reviewed my documents, consulted with a colleague, and acknowledged that while the previous interpretation was technically correct, the amount was so negligible that they were willing to exercise discretion and accept the application.

I submitted for F-2-7. It was approved one week later and my new 외국인등록증 (residence card) arrived within two weeks.

Note: because my situation was non-standard, I was granted a 1-year visa rather than the 2-year validity I would have been eligible for based on my salary.

💡 Practical advice for D-10 holders

If you're on a D-10 and trying to figure out your next step, here's what I'd suggest:

• Don't assume E-7 is your only option. If your employer is listed on KOSPI or KOSDAQ, verify whether you qualify for the alternative pathway.
• Run your point simulation early. Understand which documents will be scrutinized most
• Check your tax record before applying. Even minor paid activity during H-1 or D-10 (a part-time job, a cooking class, a paid SNS post, anything) can appear on your income certificate. The amount is irrelevant — the record is what matters.
• Prepare documentation meticulously. Translations, apostilles, contract clarity — details determine outcomes.
• Be persistent, but also be strategic. Avoid being emotional. How you present your case matters.

Risks & honest limitations

This process is not straightforward, and I want to be clear about a few things:

• Immigration officer discretion is real. What one officer interprets strictly, another may handle differently. This creates uncertainty that no amount of preparation can fully eliminate.
• Documentation requirements are strict and specific. Translation standards, apostille requirements, and document formats are not flexible. One missing element can delay or block your application.
• Edge cases like mine may not resolve in your favor. The outcome I described depended on a specific officer being willing to apply judgment. That is not guaranteed.

The F-2-7 via KOSDAQ/KOSPI provision has conditions that need to align precisely. If your income record, contract terms, or point calculation fall slightly outside the criteria, you may need a different pathway.

Final thought

The Korean immigration system is structured, but it's not inflexible. There are pathways that aren't widely advertised, and eligibility conditions that reward people who do their research carefully.

My path from D-10 to F-2-7 wasn't linear. It involved a setback, a second attempt, and a conversation that could have gone either way. What made the difference was preparation, knowing the system well enough to ask the right questions, and the willingness to try again.

If you're planning your next step from D-10 or E-7, research the pathways early — small details can change the entire timeline.

Connect with Maëlle

• LinkedIn: /in/maelledairain
• Linktree: /maelledairain

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email at florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you're an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea's innovation ecosystem.

Profile snapshot

• Name: Matheus Miranda
• Nationality: Brazilian/British
• Current role & company: AI Engineer at Tova Earth
• Years in Korea: 12
• Visa status: F-2 (D-2 -> E7 -> F-2)
• Languages spoken: English, Portuguese, Spanish, Basic Korean
• Previous countries worked in (if any): England

Background & Career

Q. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your current role?

Matheus: My name is Matheus. I'm 36 years old and originally from Brazil.

My story in Korea began in 2013, when I was awarded a scholarship to study my Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seoul National University. Since then, I've had over 10 years of work experience as an engineer in Korea. I'm currently a Senior AI Engineer at a startup called Tova Earth.

Q. What was your career path before moving to Korea?

Interestingly, my entire professional career has been in Korea. Before moving here, the only job I had was as a salesperson at a phone shop during my gap year — not exactly related to my current career path.

Q. What inspired you to work in Korea?

The scholarship was offered by Samsung Electronics, and as part of the package, they included a two-year work contract in a department related to my research topic. That opportunity was extremely attractive to me, as it allowed me to gain early industry experience at one of the most well-known consumer electronics and mobile phone companies in the world.

The Samsung Global Scholarship was a fantastic opportunity overall, and it was the main reason I was excited to come to Korea.

Experience Working in Korea

Q. Tell us briefly about your company (size, industry focus, notable achievements).

Tova is a relatively new startup headquartered between NYC and London (I work remotely from Seoul). It's a small team of eight people, including myself. The company focuses on leveraging deep learning and other AI technologies for water risk management.

Our main customer segments include water utility companies and private-sector companies in food and beverage, which require large volumes of water for operations. Tova has participated in the Techstars London accelerator, raised angel funding, and has paying customers, including a water utility company in California.

My role involves designing and deploying AI systems.

Q. How did you find your current job? Was the hiring process challenging as a foreigner?

I generally use LinkedIn, Dev Korea, and other remote job boards to discover open positions. In this case, however, I was contacted directly by the CEO of Tova. We previously worked together on a summer volunteering project in Peru during our undergraduate studies in London.

The hiring process was fairly informal and based largely on trust and past accomplishments. Since the company is international and remote-first, there were no specific challenges related to being based in Korea.

Q. Can you describe your typical workday?

My day involves coding with Claude Code, evaluating and monitoring agent performance, and deploying systems on AWS.

I typically take a break in the afternoon to go to the gym and have dinner, then work again in the evening so I can overlap with team members in the UK and US time zones.

Q. How does Korean work culture compare to your home country's?

Since I have limited experience working in Brazil or the UK, I may not be the best person to make a full comparison. However, I did get a glimpse of the UK work culture while participating in the Techstars London accelerator with one of my startups (yes, I was a co-founder at two startups).

In my experience, UK work culture encourages creativity and open expression of ideas, regardless of title or seniority. Professional criticism is often viewed positively and contributes to constructive discussion.

In Korea, hierarchical culture is strongly present in many companies. There is often a strong emphasis on following instructions and working long hours. Of course, this doesn't apply to every Korean company, but it is a pattern I have observed.

I was surprised by the speed at which things move in the Korean tech sector, especially in smaller companies. It’s a very dynamic work environment that keeps adapting to new trends.

Q. Do you speak Korean at work? How is communication handled in your team?

I have never spoken Korean at work. Even during my time at Samsung, I was encouraged to use English to help colleagues practice and to support Samsung's vision of becoming a global company.

Q. What challenges have you faced adapting to Korea's work environment?

The communication hierarchy can be frustrating, as it sometimes slows productivity. I once had to start a long email chain to request information from someone sitting just two desks away, because direct communication wasn't considered appropriate.

I have also experienced a strong sense of 눈치 (nunchi), which sometimes prevented me from expressing my opinions openly. Finally, the "ppalli-ppalli" culture can lead to rushed decision-making without sufficient discussion or alignment.

Lifestyle & Community

Q. What's your life outside of work like? How have you built your social life here?

I've been fortunate to build strong friendships since arriving in Korea in 2013. Although people come and go, I managed to keep a good friendship with people I met during my time at Samsung and every company since, as well as other "Korea OGs" that I met along the way.

Outside of work, I enjoy outdoor activities with my fiancée, my dog, and friends. We also like hosting dinners at home and organizing group outings. Personally, I enjoy cooking and photography.

Q. How much has knowing Korean (or learning it) helped in your daily life?

If my Korean were better, it would help tremendously. Being able to have deeper conversations with neighbors and colleagues significantly improves quality of life and helps you feel more integrated into the community.

Q. What was your biggest culture shock when you first arrived?

One shock was how readily people said "yes" to their superiors.

Another memorable moment happened during my time as a student at SNU. My labmates expected everyone to remain in the research lab from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., unless attending class. They told me that as long as I followed this norm, they would support me whenever needed.

One afternoon, while preparing for an exam, I decided to study at the library instead. The next day, senior PhD students pulled me aside to express their disappointment that I had left the lab without notifying them. That experience taught me a lot about expectations within group settings.

Reflections & Advice

Q. Do you plan to stay in Korea long-term, and how do you see your career evolving here?

I can certainly see my career continuing to evolve in Korea. I’ve recently started taking Korean language classes again so that I’ll be better prepared in case I decide to work for a Korean company in the future.

At the moment, I’m very happy working remotely while living in Seoul, and I can see myself continuing this lifestyle for quite some time.

Q. What tips would you give to someone searching for a tech job in Korea?

Pay attention to hiring cycles and prepare thoroughly for technical tests. Research each company carefully to understand what types of questions they might ask, and prepare strong answers for the specific role.

Q. What can Korean companies do to better support and integrate international employees?

Reduce communication barriers related to rank and age. Provide clear onboarding about Korean culture for international employees, keeping in mind that things that feel natural to Koreans can be confusing or unintuitive for outsiders.

Q. What's one thing you wish you knew before moving here?

The importance of deeply understanding the culture beforehand, so that I could have been better prepared to navigate the work environment and integrate into society more smoothly.

Q. Would you recommend Korea to other international tech professionals, and why?

Yes, in Korea you will meet highly talented colleagues, and be involved with cutting-edge technologies. For those open to adapting to cultural differences, it can be a very rewarding experience both professionally and personally.

Rapid Fire

• Favorite Korean food: Charcoal-grilled dakgalbi (숯불 닭갈비)
• One must-visit place in Korea: Han River (한강)
• Most surprising thing about Korean tech culture: People are very intelligent and kind
• Favorite Korean word or phrase: 화이팅 (Hwaiting meaning "Good luck," "You can do it," or "Fighting!")

Connect with Matheus

• LinkedIn: /in/matheus-f-miranda

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email at florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you're an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea's innovation ecosystem.

From the moment doors opened, attendees gathered around food, reconnected with familiar faces, and met new people from across the Kubernetes and platform engineering ecosystem. As always, the mix of backgrounds, local and international, junior and senior, individual contributors and founders, made the discussions richer and more grounded.

One reminder we always emphasize, and that clearly resonated again this time:

Don’t worry about perfect English. Many attendees speak Korean too.
Come as you are. We’re here to learn and connect together. 🇰🇷

🧠 How to survive and thrive in a multi-cluster world

The evening opened with a deep dive into one of the most relevant challenges modern teams face.

Ivan Porta explored how organizations are moving away from large, monolithic Kubernetes clusters toward multi-cluster environments, using entire clusters to isolate teams, workloads, or environments.

Rather than treating multi-cluster as a buzzword, the talk focused on practical reality:

• why teams adopt multi-cluster setups in the first place
• how service meshes and GitOps workflows help manage complexity
• the reliability and operational gains that are possible
• trade-offs between multi-cluster and multi-cloud approaches
• how emerging ideas like federated Services fit into the picture

The session resonated strongly with engineers already feeling the limits of single-cluster thinking, and offered a clear mental model for navigating the multi-cluster world without losing control.

🎥 Watch the talk

🚀 Tilt for local Kubernetes microservices development

Next, the focus shifted from production architecture to the daily reality of development.

Anthony Corbacho tackled a familiar pain point: local Kubernetes development that slowly drifts away from production, leading to "it works on my machine" surprises.

The talk demonstrated how Tilt helps teams:

• run real microservice stacks locally on Kubernetes
• keep the same Kubernetes resources and configuration model as production
• rebuild and redeploy only what changed
• centralize logs, status, and service dependencies in one place

For many attendees, this session connected the dots between developer experience and platform consistency, showing how tooling choices directly affect team velocity and confidence.

🎥 Watch the talk

🌱 A first infra-focused Dev Korea event

Dev Korea #6 marked an important milestone for us: our very first event fully focused on infrastructure, Kubernetes, and containers.

Until now, most Dev Korea meetups leaned more toward product, startups, and application-level topics. This time, the conversation shifted clearly toward:

• infrastructure and platform engineering challenges
• running Kubernetes in real production environments
• developer experience and tooling for complex systems
• balancing reliability, scalability, and team velocity

For many attendees, it was refreshing to dive deep into infra topics in a community setting that still felt approachable and welcoming. The level of engagement, both during the talks and in the hallway conversations, showed there is strong interest in more infrastructure and cloud focused events within the Dev Korea community.

This first infra-focused meetup set a solid foundation, and it's very likely not the last time we'll explore Kubernetes, containers, and platform engineering together.

🍔 Food, networking, and hallway conversations

Food was served during check-in, setting a relaxed tone from the start and making it easy for conversations to begin naturally.

Throughout the night, people:

• exchanged experiences running Kubernetes in production
• compared local development setups
• talked about startups, side projects, and career paths
• made new connections and strengthened existing ones

These informal discussions are always a core part of Dev Korea and often where the most valuable learning happens.

🙌 Huge thanks

This event would not have been possible without:

• Buoyant and Cry Cheeseburger for sponsoring this event
• Our speakers Ivan Porta and Anthony Corbacho for sharing practical, experience-driven insights
• All the volunteers who helped make this event a success: Aaron McCollum, Bertijn Pauwels and Rob Sawyer who made everything flow seamlessly from start to finish
• All the attendees who brought thoughtful questions and great energy
• Everyone who helped make the evening welcoming, smooth, and enjoyable

Seeing engaged conversations continue well after the talks ended is always the best signal that an event worked.

👀 What’s next

Dev Korea continues to grow, and Dev Korea #6 reinforced the demand for practical, technical, community-driven meetups in Seoul.

We’re already preparing upcoming events with global tech companies and local builders—covering real tools, real systems, and real lessons learned.

👉 Explore upcoming events at https://dev-korea.com/events 👉 Watch or rewatch the talks at https://dev-korea.com/talks

Want to stay connected?

• Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dev-korea
• Follow us on X: https://x.com/dev_korea
• Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/hqzMbuXy73
• Subscribe to the Weekly Dev Korea Digest Newsletter: https://dev-korea.com/newsletter

Here’s to more nights of learning, building, and meaningful community in Seoul. 🍻✨

Ready for your next move? Visit Dev Korea to explore the latest job openings at https://dev-korea.com/jobs, or if you’re hiring, post a job at https://dev-korea.com/post-a-job and connect with our growing international tech community.

"빨리 빨리!" (Ppalli Ppalli!)

It literally means "quickly, quickly." But culturally, it means much more.

1. What is "Ppalli Ppalli"?

"Ppalli" means fast in Korean. Saying it twice emphasizes urgency. Over time, it became shorthand for a cultural mindset: do it fast, move quickly, don't waste time.

Speed is especially valued in the service industry. Food arrives quickly. Deliveries come the same day. Public services move efficiently.

Fun fact: Korea's country code is +82. In Korean pronunciation, 8 is "pal" and 2 is "i", which sounds a bit like "pal-i" (ppalli). It's not the origin of the term, but many Koreans enjoy the coincidence.

2. Where did it come from?

Some Korean linguists suggest that "ppalli ppalli" culture may be linked to Korea's strong tendency toward uncertainty avoidance — the desire to reduce ambiguity and instability as quickly as possible.

Historically, the Korean peninsula experienced frequent invasions and instability. Later, during the rapid industrialization of the 1960s and 70s, speed became a national priority. Light industry and heavy chemical industries grew rapidly, and both the government and citizens embraced efficiency and acceleration.

Speed wasn't just a preference. It became a survival strategy, and eventually, a competitive advantage.

3. Everyday "Ppalli Ppalli" moments

What Serin notices

• Pressing the elevator "close" button repeatedly until the door fully shuts
• Honking if the car in front doesn't move within one second after the light turns green
• Standing up and opening overhead bins before the airplane has fully landed

What Florian notices

• The bus driver departing immediately the moment the doors close
• Delivery drivers sometimes bending traffic rules to deliver faster
• Switching supermarket lines constantly to find the one that moves fastest

Shared on our Discord community

• Customers shouting their order before even sitting down
• Passports or visas being issued surprisingly fast

These are small things, but together, they paint a picture.

4. When foreigners start saying "ppalli" too

Interestingly, this mindset does not stay foreign for long.

Many foreigners who live in Korea for years gradually adapt to the "ppalli ppalli" rhythm, often without even realizing it. What initially feels rushed or stressful slowly becomes normal. Waiting starts to feel longer. Delays feel heavier. Speed becomes the default expectation.

The real surprise comes when they return to their home country.

Suddenly, everyday life feels slow. Customer service takes too long. Processes feel inefficient. People seem oddly relaxed about delays that now feel unnecessary.

What once felt exhausting in Korea now feels efficient. What once felt calm back home now feels frustrating.

In that sense, "ppalli ppalli" is not just a cultural trait you observe. It is a tempo you internalize. Living in Korea quietly recalibrates your sense of time.

Many long-term foreigners end up carrying Korea's speed with them, even after they leave.

5. The advantages of "Ppalli Ppalli"

There's a reason many foreigners are impressed by Korea's speed.

• 🚇 Public transportation runs precisely and reliably
• 🍜 Food and delivery services are incredibly fast
• 🏢 Administrative processes (banking, visas, paperwork) can be highly efficient

In industries with short life cycles, like food service or consumer tech, speed itself becomes part of the value proposition.

6. The downsides

However, speed can also come at a cost.

• People who work quickly, even if slightly inaccurate, may be perceived as more competent
• This mindset can contribute to safety negligence or rushed construction. Several major accidents in Korea, including the Seongsu Bridge collapse or the Sampoong Department Store disaster, are often cited as reminders of what can happen when speed outweighs safety.
• Those who cannot move quickly (children, elderly, or simply people with different working styles) may feel left behind
• Mistakes or failures may be seen as "wasted time" rather than learning opportunities

When speed becomes the primary measure of performance, quality and reflection may suffer.

7. Conclusion: Speed vs. quality in the AI era

Korea's "ppalli ppalli" culture has undeniably fueled economic growth and industrial success.

In fast-moving service industries, speed can be attractive and efficient. But in industries where craftsmanship, safety, or long-term reliability matter, an excessive focus on speed may reduce overall quality.

In today's IT world, especially with AI accelerating software development cycles, the temptation to move faster than ever is strong. Yet differentiation increasingly comes not just from speed, but from quality, depth, and thoughtful execution.

Perhaps the future isn't about choosing between speed and quality.

It's about knowing when to move fast, and when to slow down.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you’re an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea’s innovation ecosystem.

Profile snapshot

• Name: Tabassum N Haque
• Nationality: Bangladeshi
• Current role & company: Managing Director at Katriyam
• Years in Korea: 13+ years
• Visa status: F5 (Permanent Resident)
• Languages spoken: English, Korean, Bengali
• Previous countries worked in (if any): N/A

Background & career

Q. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your current role?

Tabassum: I came to Korea back in 2012 as a Korean Government Scholarship Grantee to pursue my master's degree in Computer Engineering. I have worked in the field of Blockchain and Web3 since 2015, mostly focusing on strategic planning and business infrastructure for the blockchain ecosystem.

Currently I have my own web agency called Katriyam where we provide services to mostly Korean clients. I also work as a blockchain consultant and institutional business developer for BaaS (Blockchain as a Service).

Q. What was your career path before moving to Korea?

Initially I wanted to be in Academia. So, I was mostly working in research labs experimenting with new ideas.

Q. What inspired you to work in Korea?

Honestly, it was mainly because I took it as a challenge. When I was doing my masters, I wanted to go for a PhD after that and eventually become a professor. However, I kept hearing that I chose the path everyone else from Bangladesh in Korea chooses and that I should stick to it, because the corporate world in Korea is very hard and I have to struggle a lot. That initially gave me motivation to actually find a job in Korea.

But honestly, I have to say that I was lucky that I landed an internship in a company that was trying to implement Bitcoin in their e-commerce platform back in 2015. They were way ahead of their time, but it opened a whole new world to me.

Experience working in Korea

Q. Tell us briefly about your company (size, industry focus, notable achievements).

Katriyam is still a small startup. We are a team of 7 people and we focus mostly on Web/App design and development. We also provide A-Z blockchain project incubation starting from project ideation, preparing whitepapers, investor pitch deck, investor connection, consultation about the blockchain ecosystem and which main-net will be suitable for a certain project, writing smart contracts, token listing and beyond. Apart from that, we also have in-house AI experts who have worked and delivered a few interesting AI projects.

Q. How did you find your current job? Was the hiring process challenging as a foreigner?

I can talk about the recent contractual job as a Blockchain Business Developer which I just finished. I think my experience will be a little different than other foreigners. My field is fairly new and most of the companies who are in blockchain and Web3 are startups or SMEs who are expanding a subsidiary to the Web3 field.

As someone who has 10 years of experience in a niche field and can speak both Korean and English, the hiring process doesn't get that hard for me. I mostly never get rejected if I get a job interview. However, getting an interview is the hardest challenge. There are a few job portals where most Korean companies post their jobs, however, they don't mention whether they want a Korean or a foreigner. So, even though I might have the said qualification, I can still get rejected because of not being Korean.

Q. Can you describe your typical workday?

Since I was working at an on-site job until recently, I can share the typical work day based on that. I usually wake up, go to the gym, walk my dog and then get ready for work. I live in Suwon and my workplace is in Seoul. So I have a long commute of 3 hours a day. After I go to work I usually check emails to see if I’ve received any emails from potential partners. I go on to have a few meetings a day both in-house and with clients. As my field's market trend changes on a weekly basis, market research is something which is very important for me. Based on research, we might have to take some decisions to make some tweaks in our market reach. After the whole day of work, many times I have networking events to attend for my own company Katriyam. If I don't have networking events, I get back home and talk to my co-founder, check on the work status of my company and then head to bed.

Q. How does Korean work culture compare to your home country's?

Since I am from Bangladesh which is also in Asia, the work culture isn't that different honestly. We also have a strong hierarchy based work culture. However, the biggest difference is the overtime working culture in Korea. In Bangladesh, people can leave as the clock hits 5pm. But in Korea, staying for longer because the seniors haven't left is something very interesting. Koreans even have a word for it called "Nunchi".

Q. Do you speak Korean at work? How is communication handled in your team?

Yes I mostly use Korean at work. Most of the companies I have worked for are mostly functional in Korean. However, when I am handling overseas partners, I use English.

Q. What challenges have you faced adapting to Korea's work environment?

One of the challenges which most foreigners face is to blend in with Koreans as one of them. They have a hard time accepting that we foreigners are working alongside them although they also need us as much as we need them. So, in the initial days, I tried to mould myself according to their style both mentally and physically. I stopped looking very "Bangladeshi" as it was hard for them to understand the cultural differences. However, as time passed and I made a place for myself, I eventually started being who I am and I hardly face any judgment anymore.

Lifestyle & community

Q. What's your life outside of work like? How have you built your social life here?

Yes, my social life is pretty strong in Korea. I have a very healthy social circle as well as, I meet new people very often to expand my network. I usually have 2~3 social meetups every week. Apart from that, I also like to stay active in terms of working out, volunteering and giving back to Korea which has given me a lot.

Q. How much has knowing Korean (or learning it) helped in your daily life?

Knowing Korean has honestly been life-changing. Not only did it open a lot of new doors of opportunities, it also helped me to understand Koreans to their core. You cannot expect to know a country's people without talking to the people of all levels of a country. I have learnt more about Korea and the emotions of people from randomly talking to street vendors, restaurant owners, taxi drivers and so on. They give you the perspective of a country more than a corporate official.

Q. What was your biggest culture shock when you first arrived?

There were many actually. But if I have to highlight one, it has to be the "ppalli ppalli" culture. As someone coming from a very laid back society, it was overwhelming initially. However, I think I am one of those "ppalli ppalli" people now.

Reflections & advice

Q. Do you plan to stay in Korea long-term, and how do you see your career evolving here?

I definitely see having a tie with Korea all my life. I cannot really say I will be here forever or not, but as I have established businesses which are directly tied to Korea, I definitely think I will always be working with Korea and Koreans whether I stay here or leave.

Q. What tips would you give to someone searching for a tech job in Korea?

Making a strong portfolio is very crucial if you are searching for a tech job in Korea. Also, it can be unpopular advice, but take the first low-paid job you are offered. Not because of the money, just to understand Korean work culture so that you know how to move forward with your plan.

Q. What can Korean companies do to better support and integrate international employees?

I honestly think Korean companies need to be aware of the visa process of hiring a foreigner in Korea. A lot of times they promise a visa and then they cannot because they thought it would be easy to provide a visa.

Second would be understanding that different foreigners are coming from different countries. They cannot expect all of us to act a certain way because we all are "foreigners". Being open to understanding the cultural difference and being open to accepting it is very crucial.

Q. Would you recommend Korea to other international tech professionals, and why?

Definitely! Korea can be very hard in terms of work environment and strong hierarchy. But we cannot deny the fact that working in the Korean tech industry is like working for the future! The future which has a higher chance to come into reality and not just "fake promises". The innovations happening in Korea are something the world is looking for. So, if you are tech-savvy, it is always great to try diving into the corporate and business world of Korea.

Rapid fire

• Favorite Korean food: Dak-galbi
• One must-visit place in Korea: Chuncheon (underrated)
• Most surprising thing about Korean tech culture: That one time when the bank was actually providing a loan to buy land in the Metaverse!
• Favorite Korean word or phrase: ppalli ppalli

Connect with Tabassum

• LinkedIn: /in/tabassum-n-haque
• Linktree: /tabassum90

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email at florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you're an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea's innovation ecosystem.

Profile snapshot

• Name: Sahar Ayachi
• Nationality: Tunisian
• Current role & company: Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at VanaM Inc.
• Years in Korea: ~ 7 years (3 as student, almost 4 as employee)
• Visa status: E
• Languages spoken: Arabic, French, English, Korean, Spanish
• Previous countries worked in (if any): Germany

Background & career

Q. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your current role?

Sahar: My name is Sahar, I'm from Tunisia and I am currently the CSO at VanaM Inc., a South Korean startup specialized in thin film deposition where I lead global strategy and business development. My role covers international partnerships, investor relations and the establishment of VanaM's first international unit.

Q. What was your career path before moving to Korea?

I originally came to Korea as a transfer student midway through my bachelor's degree in engineering and completed my three years here. After that, I pursued a master's degree in Japan and later a PhD in Germany. I returned to Korea as a Research Professor with the intention of continuing in academia, until my career goals evolved.

Q. What inspired you to work in Korea?

Having lived in Korea before as a student and having experienced life and work in other countries, I felt that my chapter with Korea wasn't finished. That sense stayed with me, and eventually, I decided to come back.

Experience working in Korea

Q. Tell us briefly about your company (size, industry focus, notable achievements).

VanaM Inc. is a startup founded in 2022, specializing in thin film deposition and operating essentially as a next-generation materials foundry. We focus on developing and commercializing new materials for emerging technologies such as quantum computing, photonics and power electronics. One of our notable achievements for 2025 is being selected as one of 12 companies out of nearly 200 applicants for Cohort 8 of the NextCorps Luminate Accelerator, a New York State funded program focused on Optics, Photonics and Imaging (OPI).

Q. How did you find your current job? Was the hiring process challenging as a foreigner?

I found my current position through Linkedin. The process was very straightforward, likely helped by the fact that VanaM is a startup. It started with an initial email exchange answering a few more/deeper questions, then an interview with the management team, and later introductions to other team members. From the first contact to joining, the whole process took about 4 weeks.

The most challenging part was getting responses in general, and the need for specialized Korean knowledge. I had to prepare extensively and review a lot of terminology (technical and others) in Korean ahead of the interviews.

Q. Can you describe your typical workday?

A typical workday follows standard office hours, roughly 9 to 6. My tasks vary widely and include investor meeting preparation, partner and international coordination, as well as marketing and strategy. We also participate in many fairs and exhibitions, most of them abroad, which require extensive planning beforehand and follow-ups afterwards.

2025 was a particularly intense year for VanaM and myself, as, as mentioned above, we were selected for the NextCoprs Luminate Accelerator Program which required monthly in-person participation in the U.S. for six months, which significantly shaped my work weeks during that period.

Q. How does Korean work culture compare to your home country's?

I would describe Korean work culture as highly disciplined and more intense than that of my home country, without implying that one is better than the other.

Korean work culture is rooted in hierarchy, a strong work ethic, and high expectations which are often met with equally strong commitment and responsibility. Korea is an extremely fast-paced country, and that inevitably leads to a demanding professional environment. This can make integration more challenging for those unfamiliar with the culture.

That said, Korean work culture is also internationally recognized for its high standards, endurance and strong sense of duty, which are qualities that have clearly contributed to Korea becoming one of the most developed countries in the world. The "Miracle of the Han River" (which refers to the incredible transformation of Korea from a war-torn country to a world leading economy in a few decades) happened for a reason!

Q. Do you speak Korean at work? How is communication handled in your team?

I have TOPIK level 5 and have completed the KIIP program, so I'm fairly fluent, which is probably one of the main reasons I got my current job. Communication at work is almost entirely in Korean, though I sometimes mix with English when the topic is particularly complex. Most of my working documents are also prepared in English.

Q. What challenges have you faced adapting to Korea's work environment?

My experience with VanaM Inc. has been incredibly positive. Like any job, there are challenges, but none of those I've personally faced there stem from the Korean work environment itself. Every member of our current Management Team has spent some time abroad for work or study, so I believe that shaped our work environment in a way that was easier for me to adapt and integrate.

Before joining VanaM though, I worked as a Research Professor in academia for about 2.5 years. That's where I encountered challenges more closely tied to Korea's broader academic work environment. Graduate schools in Korea can be extremely competitive, which sometimes leads to difficult dynamics within teams. In some cases, team members don't work on related projects, which limits help and collaboration and creates a sense of isolation. I sometimes faced (and sometimes simply witnessed) these challenges firsthand.

However, I'd like to clarify that these challenges are not limited to foreigners, though language barriers and cultural adjustment certainly make them more difficult.

Lifestyle & community

Q. What's your life outside of work like? How have you built your social life here?

When I first came to Korea as an undergrad, my social life was very much that of a student. Easily making friends, going out, having fun. When I returned in 2022 for work, I was lucky to already know people, so re-building a social life wasn't too difficult.

Most of my friends are expats around my age, so late 20s to 30s, and despite my heavy business travel schedule, we try to meet regularly.

Until this year, I was also more active in sports and exploring Korea's cultural scene (galleries, musicals, classical music…), but that slowed down significantly this year. I am hoping to get back to it soon.

Otherwise, I am your fairly typical introvert. I love reading, staying at home, resting and binge-watching shows over the weekend.

Q. How much has knowing Korean (or learning it) helped in your daily life?

100%! No doubt!

Korea, like many other countries, has its own language with its own structure and characteristics, and knowing it is essential to living here comfortably. Honestly, this applies everywhere. I don't think it's realistic to come to Korea and expect to live comfortably using only English.

English can definitely help sometimes, especially for short visits, but a long-term plan in Korea without Korean will only make your own life difficult.

Q. What was your biggest culture shock when you first arrived?

I don't think I experienced a single massive culture shock, which honestly surprised me. I even tried looking for one back in 2011, because it felt strange to move from Tunisia to Korea and not have that one defining shock. Despite the many differences, I think I was more surprised by the similarities, and perhaps that made me accept the differences with a more open mind than I expected.

That said, one thing that really stood out to me was the after-work drinking culture, how intense it could be and how mandatory it sometimes felt. That was definitely something that marked me. I know it has also become much less intense now, but at the time, it was a big surprise.

Reflections & advice

Q. Do you plan to stay in Korea long-term, and how do you see your career evolving here?

"Long-term" feels too far ahead to plan, but I can definitely see myself staying in Korea for the next few years. A big reason is my company. I really love my current job and I want to grow alongside our startup, scale it significantly, and hopefully take it to a very successful exit.

Q. What tips would you give to someone searching for a tech job in Korea?

Learn Korean! Yes, tech and science fields are more open to English compared to other sectors, but your day-to-day life will be much easier if you can communicate comfortably with your colleagues.

Technical and scientific knowledge is essential, of course, but that's something you will keep building throughout your career anyway. You'll always be learning new technologies. So, make your life easier by starting with a solid level of Korean, so you can focus your energy on the job itself. It really helps level the playing field.

Q. What can Korean companies do to better support and integrate international employees?

This might sound like a contradiction to what I've been saying all along, but being more open to using English and being a little more patient could make a huge difference. That doesn't mean everything needs to be done in English or everyone needs to speak it fluently. But it would help immensely if team leaders and colleagues were willing to give new international hires the time and space to adapt, to be patient with their evolving language skills, and to show understanding when they encounter challenges that may seem intuitive to Koreans. The best example I can think of here is how difficult it can be to write a formal or official document in Korean, even for advanced levels. In my case, I still mix English and Korean for paperwork, and get help from my colleagues sometimes.

Another helpful initiative would be a mentor-mentee system. It doesn't need to be mandatory, but a structured program that pairs willing Korean employers (or experienced foreign employees) with international newcomers would greatly support integration.

Q. What's one thing you wish you knew before moving here?

Having first moved here 15 years ago, and with Korea now feeling like home, it's honestly hard to say. Maybe I wish I knew how much university exams relied on memorization? That might have potentially saved me hours of extra studying and improved some of my grades. But at this point, I'm not even sure anymore!

Q. Would you recommend Korea to other international tech professionals, and why?

If you are willing to put in the work, absolutely. If you come with an open mind, aware that you're stepping into one of the most demanding environments with very high standards, and ready for that, then yes.

Korean tech is like the NBA All-Stars. You'd better come prepared!

Rapid fire

• Favorite Korean food: 된장찌개 (Doenjang-jjigae, a soybean paste stew)
• One must-visit place in Korea: Namsan Tower, in winter, at night. Preferably on a snowy day.
• Most surprising thing about Korean tech culture: how fast it changes!
• Favorite Korean word or phrase: 알았어! (arasso meaning "Ok! Got it!")

Connect with Sahar Ayachi

• LinkedIn: /in/ayachisahar

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email at florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you're an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea's innovation ecosystem.

Profile snapshot

• Name: Maxence Mauduit
• Nationality: French
• Current role & company: Product Designer and Chief Design Officer at Buzzvil
• Years in Korea: 11
• Visa status: F-6-1
• Languages spoken: French, English, conversational Korean
• Previous countries worked in (if any): France

Background & career

Q. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your current role?

Maxence: I’m an experienced Product Designer and currently serve as CDO at Buzzvil, a leading Korean AdTech company. If you use Korean apps, chances are you’ve interacted with our products without realizing it. That’s the magic, and sometimes the frustration, of working in B2B2C. As an individual contributor, my core strength is interaction design. As a leader, my goal is to amplify each team member’s impact, unlocking both personal fulfillment and collective performance.

As CDO, I ensure design acts as a connective tissue between business goals and product excellence, delivering systemic solutions that drive both operational efficiency and an outstanding customer experience.

Q. What inspired you to work in Korea?

During my studies, I spent a semester abroad at Hongik University in Seoul. Those six months had a huge impact on me. I discovered a culture and environment where I felt I could grow more than back home. After graduating, I tried to start my career in Korea but eventually failed, which ultimately pushed me to build my career in Paris first.

Q. What was your career path before moving to Korea?

I studied Interaction Design in France and completed a research master’s in Virtual Innovation at ENSAM. After graduating, I spent over three years in an R&D team in Paris, working on a real-time educational platform for professionals. Once we secured our first major client, I decided it was time to leave, saved enough to sustain myself, and moved to Korea to look for opportunities. I attended a workshop at KAIST and eventually landed my first, and current, job in Seoul.

Experience working in Korea

Q. Tell us briefly about your company (size, industry focus, notable achievements).

Buzzvil has around 130 employees today. I joined in 2014 as one of the early members when the team was about 20 people. Over the years, the business pivoted several times, from a rewarded lockscreen app to a lockscreen SDK, and eventually into a full growth solution for app publishers. The mission has always been the same: rethinking how people interact with ads.

In 2024, Buzzvil recorded ₩101.2B in revenue and ₩4.4B in profit, working with partners like KakaoBank, KakaoPay, SSG, Olive Young, LG, and Samsung.

Q. How did you find your current job? Was the hiring process challenging as a foreigner?

I moved to Korea with a six-month deadline. If I didn’t find a job, I planned to return to France. After several rejections, I applied for a Lead Designer role at Buzzvil through LinkedIn, just two weeks before my flight back.

The hiring process was smooth and fast. Two interview rounds, one focused on role and problem-solving, the other on culture fit. Everything was conducted in English, and the company already had international employees. Buzzvil sponsored my E-7 visa at the time, which took about two months. The process is much faster now.

Q. Can you describe your typical workday?

We have flexible hours. With two young kids, I usually start around 8:30 a.m. after dropping them off and finish by 5:30 p.m. Mornings are my focus time, where most of my individual work gets done. My afternoons are reserved for meetings, leadership, and operational strategy.

Q. How does the Korean work culture compare to your home country's?

Buzzvil was initially very Western, almost Silicon Valley–like. After COVID, the culture shifted as many global employees returned home. Still, overtime is avoidable, and autonomy is high.

Work in Korea tends to be more intense and metrics-driven. This is great for performance but makes it harder to prioritize initiatives where quality is harder to measure. French work culture, in contrast, allows more room for intuition and debate. As a design leader, I still feel conflicted about this balance.

Q. Do you speak Korean at work? How is communication handled in your team?

I mainly work in English. I’ve studied Korean for a couple of years after work, but I’m not comfortable leading meetings in it yet. As the company has become more Korean-speaking, this has become more challenging. Recently, AI-based translation tools and live transcription have helped significantly.

Q. What challenges have you faced adapting to Korea's work environment?

Living and traveling in Korea are very different experiences. Early on, I went through a difficult period where everything I loved about Korea became stressful. I was homesick and overwhelmed. Things improved after about a year, especially after meeting my wife. Adjusting to a new country, language, and leadership role all at once takes time.

Lifestyle & community

Q. What's your life outside of work like? How have you built your social life here?

In the early startup days, Buzzvil was my social life. We worked, traveled, and played together. As the company grew and moved toward an IPO, that naturally changed. Around the same time, we had our first child, and my life shifted toward family.

Q. How much has knowing Korean (or learning it) helped in your daily life?

Basic Korean is essential for daily life. Reading signs, ordering food, and handling errands. I focused too much on professional growth early on and regretted not investing more time in Korean sooner. I strongly recommend learning the language as early as possible, ideally before starting full-time work.

Q. What was your biggest culture shock when you first arrived?

In France, empty time is valued. In Seoul, everything is fast, dense, and always available. You can work, shop, and exercise anytime. It’s exciting, but it takes time to adjust when you settle long-term.

Reflections & advice

Q. Do you plan to stay longer in Korea, and how do you see your career evolving here?

We love it here and still feel like we’re on an adventure, even after 11 years. With two kids, we’re also aware of the challenges, especially how competitive life in Seoul can be. Buzzvil is preparing for IPO, and after years as a C-level executive, I’ve seen rapid career growth that would’ve been harder in Europe. I’m considering several future paths, but haven’t committed to one yet.

Q. What tips would you give to someone searching for a tech job in Korea?

• Be on-site. Remote applications work mainly for large companies.
• Company culture matters as much as the role. Many people leave quickly because they underestimate this.

Q. What can Korean companies do to better support and integrate international employees?

• Offer Korean language support.
• Implement buddy programs. Buzzvil has done this consistently, and it makes a real difference.

Q. What's one thing you wish you knew before moving here?

Housing prices only go up. I should have bought earlier. 🥲

Q. Would you recommend Korea to other international tech professionals, and why?

Absolutely. Seoul offers a dynamic, demanding environment. It’s not easy, but if you’re looking for growth, challenge, and constant change, it’s a place that keeps pushing you forward.

Rapid fire

• Favorite Korean food: It’s cold these days, Kimchi jjigae, hot and meaty
• One must-visit place in Korea: Oeam Folk Village near Asan, stay overnight for the sunrise
• Most surprising thing about Korean tech culture (answers below are general sentiment, not Buzzvil specific!):
  • Modern products paired with a traditional hierarchy
  • Meetings often confirm decisions rather than debate
  • Speed is prioritized, sometimes at the cost of clarity and alignment
• Favorite Korean word or phrase: 파도, it means waves. We named our first kid 파도 after spending a week near YangYang (양양). Probably the Korean word I say the most (while running after him!).

Connect with Maxence

• LinkedIn: /in/mmaxence
• Website: mmaxence.me

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email at florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you're an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea's innovation ecosystem.

This event marked our sixth meetup with Supabase, and the energy in the room made one thing clear. Supabase adoption in Korea keeps accelerating, and more teams are actively building and shipping with it.

From first-time users to founders and engineers already running Supabase in production, the audience reflected how widely the platform is now used across the ecosystem.

🧠 Supabase MVP essentials: scaling, security, and core features

The evening opened with a practical talk focused on building MVPs that are ready for real users.

Joseph Kim walked through the key considerations when starting a serious project with Supabase, including:

• how to think about scaling early without slowing down development
• security basics that should not be postponed
• core Supabase features that support real-world workflows

The session gave both newcomers and experienced builders a clear framework for launching quickly while staying on solid technical foundations.

🚀 Made with Supabase: community showcase

Next, the spotlight moved to the community.

Three builders took the stage to share real stories from products they built and shipped using Supabase. Instead of polished demos, the talks focused on honest decisions, trade-offs, and lessons learned while building for real users.

Each speaker walked through:

• what they built and why
• how Supabase fit their technical needs
• challenges they ran into along the way
• what they would do differently next time

Furqan Ali shared how he built Screenshow, a tool to create high-quality screen recording videos. As a solo founder, he explained how Supabase helped him move fast while keeping the stack simple and production-ready.

Ajit Kumar walked through a PostgreSQL migration from Render to Supabase for his product Random Dev. He shared the issues he encountered during the migration process, the unexpected challenges along the way, and how he resolved them step by step.

Kyubo Shim talked about migrating his app KBO Cheer Song Player from Firebase to Supabase. He highlighted the improved developer experience, simpler architecture, and meaningful cost savings he achieved after the move.

This part of the evening was especially engaging, showing three very different paths to building with Supabase, and how teams and solo builders alike can move fast, iterate, and still ship reliable products.

🌱 Supabase momentum in the Korean developer ecosystem

Compared to our first Supabase events, the conversation has clearly evolved.

This time, we heard:

• fewer questions about what Supabase is
• more discussions around architecture, performance, and production use
• more examples of teams already building and shipping with it

Being able to host six Supabase events and continue filling the room is a strong signal of the platform’s growing momentum in Korea.

🎁 Swag, questions, and community moments

After the talks, the room stayed lively and social.

Everyone picked up Supabase stickers, and we also held a raffle for Supabase T-shirts, which added a fun and relaxed moment to the evening.

Conversations naturally flowed around real use cases, shared experiences, and best practices when building with Supabase. The atmosphere stayed relaxed, curious, and welcoming throughout the night.

🍔 Burgers and hallway conversations

Food was served right at the start of the event, with burgers from CryCheeseBurger setting a relaxed and welcoming tone from the moment people arrived.

With burgers and drinks in hand, conversations started early:

• people shared what they are building
• compared technical approaches
• talked about startups, side projects, and careers
• met new faces and reconnected with familiar ones

Starting the evening with food made it easy for connections to form naturally, and those hallway conversations continued throughout the night.

🙌 Huge thanks

This event would not have been possible without:

• Supabase for supporting the event and bringing great content and swag
• Our speakers: Joseph Kim, Furqan Ali, Ajit Kumar and Kyubo Shim who shared their knowledge and experience.
• All the volunteers who helped make this event a success: Aaron McCollum, Aleksey Kim, Bertijn Pauwels, Charles Chang, Jason Yee and Kathie Lee who made everything flow seamlessly from start to finish
• All 90+ attendees who filled the venue and brought energy into the room

Seeing the venue completely full was incredibly motivating for us as organizers.

👀 What’s next

Dev Korea keeps growing, and this event made it clear that there is strong demand for practical, technical, community-driven meetups in Seoul.

We are already preparing upcoming events with global tech companies and local builders.

👉 Check out upcoming events at https://dev-korea.com/events

Want to stay connected with what we're building? Follow us on LinkedIn, X, join our Discord server, and subscribe to our Weekly Dev Korea Digest Newsletter for all the latest updates.

Here’s to more nights of learning, building, and meaningful community in Seoul. 🍻✨

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you’re an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea’s innovation ecosystem.

So tell me about yourself.

A simple question with endless possible answers. It is one of the most dreaded interview questions that almost every recruiter or hiring manager will ask. You may think, “Why are they asking me to walk them through my career when they can read about it in my CV?” And yes, although we may have read through your application before jumping on a call with you, it’s an opportunity for you to pitch yourself beyond your resume and for both yourself and the interviewer to see if there is alignment in 1) the experience and skills the job requires, and 2) values that would lead to positive collaboration.

I’m Soo, a tech recruiter whose career started in San Francisco after graduating from UC Berkeley. I’m currently based in South Korea and working at ChartMogul, a SaaS startup, hiring talent from around the world.

Having conducted over 1,500 initial interviews during my time at ChartMogul, I’ve seen personal introductions ranging from the candidate asking me “What would you like to know?” to telling me their whole life story. The ones who’ve successfully advanced in the interview process exhibited the same patterns during the initial screening:

(Please note that ChartMogul is a remote-first company, so I am speaking from my experience of conducting all interviews over video.)

Stay on topic

Whether you begin by talking about how your passion started at a young age or from your first professional role, be sure not to stray too far from talking about your career and stay relevant to the job that you are interviewing for.

Some candidates go off on long tangents about the complexities of a certain tool or talk in-depth about personal projects that aren’t relevant. Although we understand their intention of wanting to display their knowledge or their diverse experience, this type of verbose, irrelevant introduction can suggest to interviewers that the candidate is likely to over-explain and sidestep during team discussions.

All-inclusive summary

When walking through each of your roles, what the interviewers want to hear is enough details that give them a good picture of what you were doing that is not already written in your CV. This includes the type of product you worked on, your day-to-day responsibilities, the different projects and features you contributed to, the tools you used, the team size, and your role within the team. And if you have any short stints in your career, explaining why you left the company is a good practice.

A well-rounded summary can often answer questions that the interviewers had prepared and allow them to hone in on follow-up questions that make the best use of your interview time.

“Why are you looking for a new role?”

Is a question that most, if not all, interviewers will ask. It is a way for us to understand your motivation and to assess whether there is a long-term fit. Rather than waiting for the interviewer to bring it up, you can naturally incorporate this into your introduction by ending it with why you are looking for a new opportunity and what excites you about the job or the company you’re applying for.

The STAR method

After you’ve pitched yourself, the interviewer will ask more in-depth questions about specific projects or behavioral questions, for which you’ll be expected to provide concrete examples from past experiences. Try to structure your responses using the STAR method:

• Situation: Set the scene and give enough context, such as what company it was for, why the feature was needed, who was involved, etc.
• Task: Describe your responsibilities and any challenges you faced.
• Action: Explain the actions you took and how you carried them out.
• Result: Share the outcome of your work and highlight any quantifiable achievements.

However, we understand that it can be difficult to remember specific examples in a high-stress situation like an interview. In the case that you truly cannot remember and are unable to answer those behavioral questions, turn them into situational questions of “What would I do in that scenario?” and talk about your approach rather than sitting there stumped.

Be prepared

Whether the interview is over phone or video, treat all interviews like an in-person meeting. This means having your devices charged and updated beforehand, looking presentable rather than disheveled as if you had just gotten out of bed, ensuring that your environment is distraction-free, and practicing good body language even through the screens. For video interviews, we highly recommend taking them on a laptop or computer instead of your phone unless that’s your only option.

And if you are running late or dealing with issues that could disrupt the interview, make sure to communicate and email the interviewer ahead of time!

Most importantly: Be genuine and authentic!

Although you may think you’re getting away with it, we can tell when someone has memorized an AI-generated introduction or is reading off of a script on their screen. It’s okay to use your CV as a guide for you to follow and to practice your responses beforehand, but we want to see you be yourself and talk about your experiences naturally.

Engage in small talk, be conversational, and show the kind of person you would be as their future team member.

Here’s an example of what a strong introduction could sound like:

“I’ve been a software developer for over 4 years. I’ve mainly worked in backend with Java, but also have some experience in frontend with React.

My career started at (company name), a software service company, where I joined as a junior developer and grew to mid-level in a year. During this time, I worked with various clients in real estate, e-commerce, and other industries on their needs like building small features, working on websites, etc. I usually worked with 4-5 other developers and collaborated closely with the clients and stakeholders.

I wanted to gain experience in a product company, so I joined (company name) that has a big HRIS system and this is where I learned the most. I was part of the Tooling Team of 12 people including a PM and QA, where we handled an internal tool that was used by all the engineering teams. The biggest project I worked on was an automatic workflow process, where once a task was completed, it would automatically move on to the next step. It took about a month to complete and we shipped it without any major bugs or delays. Besides this, in my day-to-day, I was involved in mentoring new team members, writing documentation, helping with testing, and doing code reviews.

In my personal time, I’ve been trying out other languages like Python and Ruby to expand my horizons. I also like to read about different software architecture. Outside of tech, I enjoy mountain biking in my free time.

Now I’m looking for a new challenge where I’m part of a smaller team and hopefully have a bigger contribution to the company. I’d love to be able to see the direct impact I have on customers who love using the product.”

Connect with Soo

• LinkedIn: /in/y-spark
• Visit ChartMogul: jobs.chartmogul.com/

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email to florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you're an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea's innovation ecosystem.

With a packed venue and standing room only, it was one of our largest Dev Korea events so far and a strong signal of how fast the international tech community in Seoul continues to grow.

⚡ High-performance analytics, built for scale

The evening focused on ClickHouse, the open-source, column-oriented database designed for fast analytics on massive datasets. The evening kicked off with a solid introduction to ClickHouse for those encountering it for the first time.

Ken Lee and Derek Chia from ClickHouse walked the audience through the core architecture of ClickHouse, explaining what makes it fundamentally different from traditional databases in the big data and analytics space.

They covered:

• how ClickHouse is designed for analytical workloads
• its column-oriented architecture and distributed scalability
• why query performance remains fast even at large scale

Derek also shared some of his favorite ClickHouse features, from horizontal scaling to performance-focused design choices, and showed how these can simplify and speed up real-world analytics workflows.

🔍 A journey of using ClickHouse to optimize ClickHouse

In a more advanced and thought-provoking session, Antoine Grondin from Humanlog explored what happens when you use ClickHouse to observe and optimize ClickHouse itself.

The talk took a self-referential approach to database optimization, showing how internal observability tables can be built to track:

• compression behavior
• query performance
• schema evolution over time

All of this data lives inside the same ClickHouse instance being analyzed.

It was a practical and slightly mind-bending look at how deeply teams can instrument their systems when performance truly matters.

🤖 Reflections on the Horangi leaderboard and Korean LLM evaluation

The final talk shifted the focus toward AI and large language models.

Hyunwoo Oh from Weights & Biases shared lessons from operating the Horangi Leaderboard, the largest and most widely used Korean LLM evaluation leaderboard, over the past year.

He walked through:

• challenges of evaluating Korean language models at scale
• insights gained from running real-world benchmarks
• learnings from recent version upgrades and evaluation changes

The session gave attendees a rare behind-the-scenes look at how LLM evaluation works in practice, especially in the Korean ecosystem where language nuance matters deeply.

🎁 ClickHouse swag and audience Q&A rewards

After the talks, we moved into community updates and open Q&A.

Questions came quickly, and participation was high. To reward curiosity:

• ClickHouse stickers were available for everyone
• ClickHouse T-shirts were given to attendees who asked questions

It created a fun and interactive atmosphere and encouraged even more people to jump into the discussion.

🍔 Burgers and hallway conversations

The night wrapped up with cheeseburgers and chicken burgers from CryCheeseBurger, which were a big hit with the crowd.

As always, the real magic happened during networking:

• conversations about systems, startups, and side projects
• engineers exchanging notes on tooling and architecture
• newcomers meeting people for the first time
• familiar faces reconnecting

No flashy setup, just good food, honest conversations, and a room full of builders.

🙌 Huge thanks

This event would not have been possible without:

• ClickHouse for supporting the event and bringing great content and swag
• Our speakers: Ken Lee, Derek Chia, Antoine Grondin and Hyunwoo Oh who shared real insights instead of marketing slides
• All the volunteers who helped make this event a success: Aaron McCollum, Alena Kazakova, Charles Chang, Denizay Dönder who made everything flow seamlessly from start to finish
• All 140+ attendees who filled the venue and brought energy into the room

Seeing the venue completely full was incredibly motivating for us as organizers.

👀 What’s next

Dev Korea keeps growing, and this event made it clear that there is strong demand for practical, technical, community-driven meetups in Seoul.

We are already preparing upcoming events with global tech companies and local builders.

👉 Check out upcoming events at https://dev-korea.com/events

Want to stay connected with what we're building? Follow us on LinkedIn, X, join our Discord server, and subscribe to our Weekly Dev Korea Digest Newsletter for all the latest updates.

Here’s to more nights of learning, building, and meaningful community in Seoul. 🍻✨

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you’re an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea’s innovation ecosystem.

Profile snapshot

• Name: Inès Gruhier
• Nationality: French
• Current role & company: Founder & Product Designer, at Odubu Design
• Years in Korea: 7 years
• Visa status: D-4 → D-2 → D-10 → D-8 → F-2-7
• Languages spoken: French, English, Korean
• Previous countries worked in (if any): None!

Background & career

Q. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your current role?

I'm Inès, a French product designer running Odubu Design, a one-person design studio here in Korea. I specialize in UX/UI design and design systems, but I also do web design, branding, illustration, and motion design.

Aside from running Odubu, I also became Mobbin’s first Korean app contributor, which led me to become their Community Ambassador for South Korea.

Experience working in Korea

Q. Tell us briefly about your company (size, industry focus, notable achievements).

Right now, Odubu Design is a one-person studio. I help companies think through how their products should look, feel, and work.

What sets my approach apart is collaboration. I don't hand off designs and disappear. I work closely with clients' development, product, and QA teams throughout the entire process, from ideation to production. When there's no in-house team, I partner with developers from day one. It means smoother handoffs, less back-and-forth, and products that genuinely work the way they're designed.

I've worked across diverse industries: from GHY on their English education workbook, to Bloxley, an American fintech where I helped shape their product from early days through market launch.

Beyond client work, I've also built my own:

• My Tiny Room, a cozy room-building game that reached 30K+ players in its first year;
• Dragonfly, a macOS and iPad Bluesky client;
• Design Sphere, a curated platform of design podcasts;
• and several puzzle games like Sudok-Hue and Cozy Sudoku.
• I also launched Eepy just a week ago, a timezone converter.

As Mobbin's first Korean app contributor, I documented designs from apps like Coupang, Coupang Play, Baemin, and Zigzag - work that led to becoming their Community Ambassador for South Korea.

Q. How did you build your business as a foreigner in Korea?

I initially looked into the OASIS program for tech startups, but quickly realized that wasn't for me, I didn't want to build a tech startup specifically.

So I did more research into visa options for creatives and entrepreneurs. I discovered the D8-1 visa, which is an investment visa where you invest in your own business. That felt like the right fit, so that's what I did. Eventually, I transitioned to an F-2-7 visa.

Being self-employed as a foreigner definitely has its challenges (visa requirements, accounting, navigating business systems in Korean). But having that initial support and clarity around the visa process made a huge difference in getting everything set up properly!

Q. What’s been your biggest challenge running your business?

Honestly, the biggest challenge is finding clients, especially Korean clients. Platforms like 숨고 (SoomGo) and 크몽 (Kmong) are saturated with designers competing on price rather than quality. Most of my work comes through referrals right now, which has been more reliable but also limiting when you're trying to scale… :)

I'm still figuring a lot of it out, but it's a learning process.

Q. Can you describe your typical workday?

What I love most about being self-employed is working wherever feels right that day. I spend most of my time in work-friendly cafés around Seoul, either alone or coworking with other freelancers.

My day typically starts with checking in with clients, emails, Slack, understanding what needs to happen that day. Then I'll dive into design work in Figma. I usually block out dedicated time for deep focus work, away from distractions.

I also make time for collaboration: jumping on calls with developers, discussing feedback, iterating on designs. That back-and-forth is crucial to me.

Outside of client work, I try to dedicate time to my own projects too, whether that's working on apps or staying up-to-date with design trends and tools. Recently, I've been experimenting a lot with Figma MCP, Cursor and Claude Code to see how I can optimize my design workflow and design-to-dev handoffs.

Q. How does Korean work culture compare to your home country's?

I haven't actually worked in France, so I can't compare directly. But I've definitely noticed differences working with international clients versus Korean clients here.

Korea moves fast. Like, really fast. The “ppalli-ppalli” (hurry) culture defines everything here, people expect quick turnarounds and high responsiveness. But it's a perfect match for me. I've heard "이네스 손이 빠르다" (literally, “Inès has fast hands”, meaning I work quickly and efficiently) countless times from professors, design partners, and clients.

The Korean pace is what I've gotten used to, and it's become my normal now. I thrive in that pace!

Q. Do you speak Korean at work? How is communication handled in your team?

I speak Korean, English, and French fluently, so I switch languages based on the client. With Korean clients, I work in Korean; with international clients, usually English. It helps build rapport and makes communication smoother.

Since Odubu is currently just me, communication is pretty straightforward, but I do collaborate closely with developers and other team members on projects.

Lifestyle & community

Q. What's your life outside of work like? How have you built your social life here?

I have a good friend group here, a mix of Korean friends and other expats. In Seoul, there’s always something to do, so it never gets boring!

I think the fact that I speak Korean fluently really helped me build a genuine social life, not just an expat bubble. I can hang out with Korean friends without everything revolving around the fact that I'm a foreigner, which makes a huge difference.

I’m also friends with many ajummas and baristas from my neighborhood!

Q. How much has knowing Korean (or learning it) helped in your daily life?

Learning Korean is the best investment you can make for your life here.

Beyond the practical stuff like ordering food or going to the doctor, speaking Korean fluently has let me build genuine relationships with people here. I'm not stuck in an expat bubble where everything is in English. I can actually integrate into Korean society, make Korean friends, and understand the culture on a deeper level.

On the business level, Korean clients take you more seriously when you can communicate in Korean. It shows commitment and respect for the culture.

It changed everything about my experience here.

Reflections & advice

Q. Do you plan to stay in Korea long-term, and how do you see your career evolving here?

I have no intention of going back to France. My family is there and I visit once a year, but I can't imagine living anywhere else at this point.

Career-wise, I want to keep growing my design studio. Right now I'm solo, but I'd like to eventually build a small team if the right opportunities come along. I'm also passionate about building my own products - it's where I have full creative freedom and ownership over what I create. gives me creative freedom and ownership that client work doesn't always allow. That balance is really important to me.

Q. What tips would you give to someone searching for a tech job in Korea?

First things first: learn Korean seriously. It's not optional if you want to stay long-term and build genuine relationships (whether business or personal). A lot of expats skip this step, which is why they end up leaving after a few years.

Research visa pathways thoroughly. There are several options (F series visas, D-8-1, D-8-4…) so figure out what works best for your situation. I went the D-8-1 route with help from a visa agency, and I highly recommend it. They provide information you simply can't find online or through 1345. It costs several millions of won, but it saved me a lot of time and stress.

And most importantly, be patient and kind with yourself. Adapting to a new country and work culture takes time. Give yourself space to learn and grow!

Q. What's one thing you wish you knew before moving here?

I wish I'd understood the visa system better before arriving. The rules are complicated, there are hidden pathways, and things change regularly. It's hard to know what's possible and what’s not.

Don't rely on random blogs or Reddit comments for visa information. Talk to lawyers, it's worth the investment.

My lawyer recently told me that to apply for permanent residency, you need to have spent no more than 180 days outside Korea in the 5 years before your application. I exceeded that limit, visiting my family and working from France about 2 months a year. That means I can't leave Korea for the next 2 years to reset the clock. That information was nowhere online.

Q. Would you recommend Korea to other international tech professionals, and why?

Absolutely !! Korea is an amazing place for tech and design professionals, especially creatives like me. One thing that really drew me here is how much Koreans genuinely care about design. It's refreshing !

That said, it's not for everyone. I've had close friends here for more than 5 years who ultimately decided to leave because they felt like they'd always be seen as "the foreigner". It's something people need to consider before committing long-term.

The journey is far from being easy, but if you commit to it it's incredibly rewarding. Fighting !!

Rapid fire

• Favorite Korean food: Right now I'm completely obsessed with 제육볶음 (jeyuk bokkeum). Even better when there’s a 쌈 option!
• One must-visit place in Korea: Probably cliché, but Jeju Island. It’s the perfect place to rest.
• Most surprising thing about Korean tech culture: Two things: first, how genuinely collaborative and supportive the community is. Second, And second, how global it is!
• Favorite Korean word or phrase: 두부 (dubu, tofu)! I love the word so much I named my company after it. It's such a soft, gentle word.

Connect with Inès

• Portfolio: ines.co.kr
• Company website: odubu.design
• LinkedIn: /in/ines-gruhier
• Bluesky: /profile/odubu.design

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email at florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you're an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea's innovation ecosystem.

Profile snapshot

• Name: Alyona Vin
• Nationality: Russian
• Current role & company: UI/UX Designer at Gurufin
• Years in Korea: almost 5 years
• Visa status: E7
• Languages spoken: Russian, English, Korean
• Previous countries worked in (if any): Russia

Background & career

Q. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your current role?

Hi! I’m Alyona — a designer who loves drawing, creating NFT characters, and working on UI/UX projects. I’m a full-time multi-tasker who also occasionally dives into frontend development. Outside of work, I ride motorcycles like a pro, explore new places, and somehow manage to mix creativity with code. At work, I turn ideas into visuals… and sometimes even into functional code!

Q. What was your career path before moving to Korea?

Oh, this is going to sound funny! By education, I’m actually a civil engineer, haha. But I worked for six years as a flight attendant for a Russian airline. Due to certain circumstances, I moved to Korea, and here I started studying design.

Q. What inspired you to work in Korea?

I was thinking about how to stay in Korea, and at first I joined a program for foreigners (OASIS) who wanted to start a tech startup. Thanks to this program, I also learned how business works in Korea and realized that there are many benefits and privileges for the IT sector here. But I realized it was better to gain experience working in a company before starting my own. I wouldn’t say it was inspiration, more like life circumstances — a way to survive and grow.

Experience working in Korea

Q. Tell us briefly about your company (size, industry focus, notable achievements).

Gurufin is a blockchain and fintech company with around 40 employees, focused on building a next‑generation Layer‑1 mainnet and global payment infrastructure. They offer services like stablecoin issuance, Web3 apps, and NFT platforms. Recently, they launched the GX Chain to support high‑speed transactions, low fees, and real‑world payment integration. The company combines fintech with blockchain solutions, aiming to make crypto and payments more accessible and compliant.

Q. How did you find your current job? Was the hiring process challenging as a foreigner?

I found my current job through Saramin. Honestly, the interview was great, but I thought I had failed it after talking with the boss, haha. I accidentally responded with the word ‘다시?’ (dasi meaning “again?“) when he asked me to tell about myself. I had just said it 10 minutes earlier and didn’t mean it in a rude way — I just hadn’t finished my sentence explaining whether I should give a brief or full introduction, haha. But I got an offer after a few days and I was so surprised.

Overall, the job search process is really challenging for a foreigner in Korea. Even if your skills are good and everything looks perfect, just being a foreigner can sometimes prevent you from getting a job.

Q. Can you describe your typical workday?

I usually arrive at work around 8:40–8:50. First, I make myself some tea and then check my emails and all our work chats. Lately, I’ve been drawing an NFT character because we’re planning to create a collection for people to buy and trade. I really enjoy it because drawing is my hobby, and it’s also why I started studying design. About 3–4 months ago, I became interested in how to create NFTs and wanted to learn it — thank God my wish came true, lol.

During the day, I mostly draw and sometimes help design for my colleagues. Lunch starts at 11:30, and the company covers the cost, but I try to watch my diet and bring my own food. I usually spend the lunch money on fruits or small treats, haha. Sometimes we have team lunches.

After lunch, the office comes alive and we chat about plans and what could be improved. No one at the company does overwork, so I usually leave at 6 PM if I notice the time, haha. But I get so immersed in design that sometimes I leave around 6:10–6:20.

Q. How does Korean work culture compare to your home country's?

Oh, there's a big difference. In Russia, people are more open — if something is wrong or there’s a problem, we speak up directly so that conflicts don’t happen and work goes smoother. In Korea, this is a bigger issue. People may stay silent until the very end, even when a problem is about to become a disaster, but they won’t risk telling the truth. Also, in Russia, skills and results are valued more, but in Korea, that’s not always the case — communication is considered more important. However, this can be a challenge for Koreans themselves because they often struggle to communicate well with foreigners. In Korea, you need to develop your ‘눈치’ (nunchi) — the ability to sense or anticipate things in advance, or just need to get super power like reading minds, haha.

Q. Do you speak Korean at work? How is communication handled in your team?

I work in a global team, so I mostly communicate in English, but with Koreans I speak Korean. My boss is Korean-American, and we use both languages. My brain works in three languages every day — it used to drive me crazy, but now I’m used to it. It’s even fun sometimes when I can mix Korean and English words in the same sentence.

Q. What challenges have you faced adapting to Korea's work environment?

There were many challenging situations. A big problem is that small companies in Korea sometimes hire foreigners to work on a project and then let them go. All companies in Korea have a three-month probation period, which can be frustrating because some companies take advantage of it. For a foreigner who depends on a work visa, this probation period is a huge source of stress.

There was one case where the company hired programmers and me as a designer to complete a project. We were pressured every day to finish it as quickly as possible, with the expectation that everything should be done in a month. When we completed the project, the company said our work was bad and that we were no longer needed. Yet, they launched the program we built, and it is now running and generating revenue. It was a very unpleasant feeling, like we were just used. Even the Korean colleagues were shocked that we were let go.

Lifestyle & community

Q. What's your life outside of work like? How have you built your social life here?

Outside of work, I ride my motorcycle and visit new places — I think I’ve probably seen more of Korea than many Koreans, lol. Sometimes I meet with friends from my motorcycle team. I also go to church and do volunteer work there, mostly in media and design.

At first, I mainly socialized with Koreans because I thought it was the best way to deeply understand the culture and learn the language. But recently, I’ve started meeting more foreigners and have met many wonderful people, including my boyfriend, so it makes me happy to talk with many people from other countries.

I also stay active through sports and am learning programming. I plan to transition from design to frontend development, and eventually to fullstack. I find it really exciting and motivating.

Q. How much has knowing Korean (or learning it) helped in your daily life?

A lot. Knowing Korean makes life in Korea much easier, even for simple things like going to the tax office or handling documents. Sometimes Koreans even change the way they treat me once they realize I can speak Korean.

In the beginning, learning Korean became essential for me. The first four times I traveled to Korea, I didn’t speak the language at all, and it was really difficult. I often noticed people talking about me, and that actually motivated me to start learning Korean. I began with a private tutor, and by the time I came back to Korea, I could already understand a little. It was funny — people were guessing where I was from and even commenting on the length of my hair, lol.

When I decided to move to Korea, I knew I needed to learn the language properly, so I enrolled in a Korean language program at Yonsei University. And as someone who completed that course, my advice is: you don’t need to pay extra just for a famous university name. Most schools teach the same material, and if the student doesn’t study, even the best school won’t help.

Q. What was your biggest culture shock when you first arrived?

Probably the emphasis on respecting elders. I think it’s sometimes taken too far, and the older generation can take advantage of it. I respect elders, but when it crosses the line and causes harm, I can’t accept it.

Reflections & advice

Q. Do you plan to stay in Korea long-term, and how do you see your career evolving here?

To be honest, life in Korea changes every second, and you never know what might happen tomorrow. For now, I’m staying here and doing my best, but I’m keeping an open mind about the future.

Q. What tips would you give to someone searching for a tech job in Korea?

Learn Korean, because it greatly increases your chances of finding a job. Also, don’t hesitate to apply to any company — you never know which one might be interested in you. At first, I only applied to certain companies, but later I started applying everywhere and ended up receiving unexpected offers.

Q. What can Korean companies do to better support and integrate international employees?

They could try to treat international employees the same way they treat Korean employees — with respect and equal consideration. Companies shouldn’t assume that because someone is a foreigner, their needs can be ignored. Also, investing in English education would help a lot, since Korea is becoming more open, and I’m sure there will be even more foreign professionals in the future.

Q. What's one thing you wish you knew before moving here?

I wish I knew that in Korea you need translated and notarized copies of almost every document. It’s better to prepare several certified translations in advance — and get an apostille if possible — because you’ll be asked for these papers everywhere.

Q. Would you recommend Korea to other international tech professionals, and why?

Yes, I would. Korea is a great place to grow your skills and develop real stress resilience. The work culture is intense, but it pushes you to become faster, more adaptable, and more capable overall.

Rapid fire

• Favorite Korean food: 닭한마리 (dalkanmari which is a South Korean chicken soup dish)
• One must-visit place in Korea: 천상의정원 수생식물학습원 (chonsangijongwon susaengsingmulhaksseubwon, a beautiful lake)
• Most surprising thing about Korean tech culture: One of the most surprising things about Korean tech culture is that your specific job title doesn’t matter as much — you’re expected to be multi-skilled and do many different tasks lol. People often take on responsibilities outside their main role, so being flexible and versatile is really important.
• Favorite Korean word or phrase: ​​천리 길도 한 걸음부터 (cholri gildo han goreumbuto meaning “Even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”)

Connect with Alyona

• LinkedIn: /in/yonavin
• Website: yonavin.github.io/portfolio-new

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email at florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you're an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea's innovation ecosystem.

TL;DR
South Korea is reviewing major updates to the E-7-1 hiring recommendation system (고용추천제).
The government is considering allowing SMEs to hire overseas master’s and PhD-level specialists through the MSS recommendation system, which previously only supported graduates of Korean universities. Proposed improvements include selecting priority recruitment countries, simplifying and speeding up approval steps, strengthening verification, and expanding eligible job types beyond STEM.
If implemented, this could give startups and SMEs more hiring power and create new pathways for global talent.

South Korea is reviewing improvements to the E-7-1 foreign professional hiring recommendation system operated by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and KOSME.

Important clarification: The E-7 visa itself already exists, and companies have always been able to hire overseas talent through the standard E-7 process. The government is not replacing the E-7 visa. It is reviewing improvements to the separate MSS “recommendation track”, which helps SMEs hire talent more easily.

Public information remains limited. One of the few detailed reports comes from Asia Economy (아시아경제), which covered the government’s research project and proposed ideas.
These improvements are under review and not yet finalized.

Many professionals currently working in Korea enter through:

• standard E-7 sponsorship from abroad
• E-7 after a D-10 job-seeking visa
• E-7 after completing a degree in Korea (D-2 → E-7)

So what is actually being reviewed?

The government is exploring ways to expand and simplify the MSS E-7-1 “recommendation” pathway, which is an optional system where MSS issues recommendation letters to help SMEs hire foreign talent when they struggle to meet the requirements of the normal E-7.

Until now, the recommendation track has mainly supported international students already in Korea.
Now, the government is reviewing potential changes to allow SMEs to also attract highly skilled talent from overseas.

1. Moving beyond domestic graduates

The current MSS/KOSME E-7-1 recommendation system prioritizes:

• foreign students who earned degrees in Korea
• candidates working in 24 designated job categories chosen by MSS (Important: these 24 categories are specific to the MSS recommendation program, not the full E-7 list.)

While companies can already hire overseas talent directly using the normal E-7 route, the MSS recommendation system did not support overseas applicants.

The reform being reviewed would allow MSS to recommend:

• overseas master’s and PhD talent
• high-level specialists from reputable universities
• candidates with strong technical or R&D backgrounds

This does not replace the normal E-7.
It creates a second, more supportive path specifically for SMEs.

2. Selecting key countries for global recruitment

The government plans to select at least five “priority source countries,” based on:

• talent availability
• academic/career verification reliability
• connection with Korean industries
• administrative stability
• cultural compatibility

This would help SMEs recruit globally with more confidence and structure.

3. Faster hiring with a simplified process

The standard E-7 process can be:

• slow
• paperwork-heavy
• strict about major/role matching
• unpredictable, especially for SMEs

The upcoming MSS reforms review options for:

• reducing administrative bottlenecks
• shortening the review timeline
• designing a fast-track process for exceptional candidates
• simplifying documentation

This would make E-7 hiring more accessible for smaller companies.

4. Stronger document verification

To prevent fraud, the government is reviewing ways to enhance verification of:

• degrees
• academic credentials
• employment history

Possible methods include:

• partnerships with global verification agencies
• direct cooperation with overseas universities
• using official certification platforms

This would improve trust and predictability in the process.

5. Expanding beyond STEM fields

The MSS recommendation track historically focused on STEM fields.
The government is now reviewing whether to include non-STEM roles such as:

• international sales
• product planning
• marketing
• cross-cultural business roles
• global operations

This would help SMEs recruit for global expansion, not only engineering.

Why these improvements matter

These changes do not create a new visa type.
They extend and upgrade the existing government-supported pathway for SMEs.

If implemented, they could:

• make hiring overseas talent faster and easier
• increase visa approval predictability
• open opportunities for global master’s/PhD talent
• reduce paperwork
• strengthen Korean SMEs’ global competitiveness

What this means for Dev Korea

If the MSS recommendation track expands to include overseas talent:

• Dev Korea companies gain access to a larger pool of qualified global applicants
• Overseas candidates gain a clearer pathway into Korea
• SMEs can hire with more confidence using MSS-backed recommendations
• Dev Korea can provide clearer guidance, tools, and support to both sides

In short, these reforms could help Dev Korea match even more companies with highly skilled global professionals, and help talent navigate Korea’s hiring system with far fewer uncertainties.

What happens next

The government is currently conducting research and reviewing design options. We’re watching for official updates on:

• which countries will be selected
• which job categories will be added
• how the fast-track will operate
• documentation requirements
• expected launch timeline

When official details are released, Dev Korea will share them immediately.

Note: Visa rules may change. Always verify current requirements with Korean immigration authorities or a qualified immigration specialist.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you’re an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea’s innovation ecosystem.

Profile snapshot

• Name: Matroziyeva Gulchiroy Mamurjon Kizi
• Nationality: Uzbek
• Current role: Front-End Developer
• Years in Korea: 9 years
• Visa status: F2
• Languages spoken: Uzbek, English, Korean
• Previous countries worked in (if any): None

Background & career

Q. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your current role?

Hi, I'm Gulchiroy, but most people call me Guli.
I'm a software developer, and I like to think of myself as a proud one.

My background covers full-stack and even a bit of iOS development, but these days I'm mainly focused on front-end engineering. I currently work at a fully Korean-speaking company, which has been both a challenge and a blessing. Navigating cultural and language differences has pushed me to grow, not just as a developer but also as a communicator and problem-solver. At this point, I sometimes joke that I'm almost Korean!

I've lived in Korea for about nine years and graduated from Sejong University in Seoul, the place that gave me my start in tech. Since then, I've worked on everything from complex dashboards to performance-heavy UI systems.

But there's more to me than just code. I love talking to people, sharing ideas, and exploring the world — whether it's hiking through mountains, traveling to new cities, or brainstorming projects that might never get built (but still spark my imagination).

For me, development isn't just about software — it's about connecting ideas, cultures, and people, and finding beauty in how small lines of code can create something meaningful in this big, unpredictable world.

Q. What was your career path before moving to Korea?

It's a long story! (laughs)

Before 2016, I got into fashion design. It started as a small hobby — sketching, sewing, experimenting with fabrics — but soon my neighbors began asking me to make clothes for them. Suddenly, I had real customers trusting me with their outfits. For about three years, I designed and sewed everything by hand. It was rewarding to see people wear something I made, but it was also stressful. Everyone had different tastes and expectations, and trying to make them all happy often left me anxious and exhausted. Still, that time taught me so much patience, precision, and how small details can completely change how something feels.

Q. What inspired you to work in Korea?

I came to Korea to study Computer Science and Engineering at Sejong University. When graduation came closer, I asked myself:

Have I really experienced everything I came here for — to learn, to grow, to prove myself?

The honest answer was not yet.

I didn't want to return home with just a diploma; I wanted to become a professional who had tested herself in the real world. So I stayed. I was curious about Korean work culture, how teams operated, and what “speed and precision” truly meant here.

And secretly, I had a small dream — to work in one of those tall, glass-walled buildings I used to pass by on my way to class.

Now, that dream quietly came true.

Experience working in Korea

Q. How did you find your current job? Was the hiring process challenging as a foreigner?

I found my job through Saramin, one of Korea's major job platforms.

Finding a job as a foreigner in Korea isn't easy — especially if you don't speak the language. But even though I do, it still comes with challenges. Sometimes, hiring managers can't quite believe that a foreign applicant truly speaks Korean fluently, or they hesitate simply because of nationality. Many also worry about the visa process; they're unsure how it works and prefer to hire local candidates to avoid the extra paperwork. Because of that, many of my applications were declined even when my background and skills perfectly matched the job description.

Still, I kept applying again and again — until one day, the phone finally rang.

Q. How does Korean work culture compare to your home country's?

Oh, that's a big one! (laughs)

In Uzbekistan, life moves at a softer rhythm. Being five minutes late isn't the end of the world. But in Korea, even three minutes late can feel like a scandal. Punctuality equals respect.

The hierarchy is another difference. In Korea, you listen first, speak later. Age and title shape the flow of conversation. Back home, communication feels warmer and more personal, and we mix humor with formality.

And then, of course, after-work gatherings. In Korea, company dinners and drinks are seen as part of team bonding. In Uzbekistan, socializing is more casual; you can skip without guilt.

Korea taught me precision, responsibility, and discipline. Uzbekistan keeps me simply human.

Q. Do you speak Korean at work? How is communication handled in your team?

Yes, almost everything at work happens in Korean.
Meetings, messages, documentation — even the jokes in our group chat — all in Korean. At first, it was tough. Tech terms are one thing, but office humor and subtle expressions? That's another level. (laughs)

Q. What challenges have you faced adapting to Korea's work environment?

When I first started, I could understand Korean — but professional Korean? That was a new world. I used to write down every new phrase I heard and tape it to my desk. Those sticky notes became my mini Korean dictionary — and also proof that I was trying.

It took patience, but now, communication feels natural. Those notes turned into habits — and those habits built my confidence.

Lifestyle & community

Q. What's your life outside of work like? How have you built your social life here?

It's quite full! Thanks to meetup apps and travel groups, it's easy to connect with people who share similar interests. I love hiking, exploring new cities, and attending tech meetups.

Some of my close friends have moved away, but we still keep in touch — distance doesn't erase real connections.

Q. How much has knowing Korean (or learning it) helped in your daily life?

A lot.
Back in university, I told myself:

either be an A+ student or learn Korean

At first, I learned it for fun — but it soon became the bridge to everything.

When I started applying for jobs and sent my résumé in Korean, I finally got interview calls. Companies appreciated the effort.

Reflections & advice

Q. Do you plan to stay in Korea long-term, and how do you see your career evolving here?

Honestly, I don't have a fixed "expiry date" for Korea.
So for now, I'd say: I can see myself staying at least another five years — after that, it's "to be decided". I love the idea of eventually working as a freelancer, keeping a stable income while traveling and building something of my own. The good thing about being in tech is that our work doesn't have to be tied to one location.

As for my career, Korea is actually a good place to keep evolving.
The tech scene here is fast, competitive, and very product-focused from e-commerce and fintech to AI and startups. It pushes you to actually ship, not just talk about "ideas". Staying longer, I see myself growing from "just a developer" into someone who can lead projects, design better systems, and eventually build a product or company that can live both in Korea and beyond.

And the fun part for English speakers (including me): we write the code in english, that's a nice combo in a market that's opening more to global talent. That's also why my next step will probably be a more English-friendly environment. I miss speaking in full sentences without mixing three languages in one stand-up.

Q. What tips would you give to someone searching for a tech job in Korea?

Learn the language. That's the key.

And then just keep coding, keep learning, and surround yourself with people who inspire you. That's really it. Simple, but powerful.

Q. What can Korean companies do to better support and integrate international employees?

Korea is facing a declining population, so attracting international talent isn't just a choice — it's the future. Programs like KIIP (Korean Immigration and Integration Program) are great starts, but companies can go further.

Offer English communication training for local staff, and encourage foreigners to learn Korean deeply. Integration works both ways.

And importantly, create safer spaces for conversations about diversity and race. Many foreigners still stay silent when they face bias — not because they're weak, but because they don't feel heard.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to one rule:
Be kind.
Kindness builds trust faster than any policy — and that's where true inclusion begins.

Q. What's one thing you wish you knew before moving here?

Well, I came to Korea when I was 19, thinking that speaking English and getting into a Computer Science program would be enough. I had no idea what CS actually was. I still remember the first class where everyone had Visual Studio open and was printing "Hello World", and I didn't even know what a console was. Because I didn't understand what I was getting into, I lost my scholarship once and had to decide very seriously whether to quit or fight through it.

That's when I realized I needed to learn how computers "think", and for me, math became the key that suddenly made programming, compilers, loops, and problem-solving make sense. I also wish I had learned basic Korean before coming; as a student it was hard to find part-time jobs and support myself without it.

Finally, I wish I had started applying for jobs earlier instead of waiting for the "perfect" portfolio or timing. I was more ready than I believed, but I didn't have the right community or support system, so I doubted myself and delayed. If I could start again, I'd study what I'm choosing more deeply, learn Korean sooner, find a supportive tech community, and never let other people's doubts define my potential.

Q. Would you recommend Korea to other international tech professionals, and why?

Of course! I definitely would.

But I'll add one condition: learn at least basic Korean. It makes daily life smoother and shows respect for the culture, which will open many doors.

If you asked me ten years ago, I might have hesitated. But today, Korea is much more international — new communities are forming, workplaces are diversifying, and it's one of the safest countries in the world.

Rapid fire

• Favorite Korean food: Definitely 닭갈비 (Dakgalbi, meaning “marinated chicken stir-fried with vegetables”) — with extra cheese on top
• One must-visit place in Korea: 제주도 (Jeju-do) — Jeju Island, for sure
• Most surprising thing about Korean tech culture: Even with a fever, the deadline still wins. (laughs)
• Favorite Korean word or phrase: 징글징글하다 (jinggeuljinggeulhada) → It's hard to translate, but it basically means "I'm so done with this" or "This is driving me crazy".

Connect with Guli

• LinkedIn: /in/gulchiroy-matroziyeva-b42420175

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email at florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you're an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea's innovation ecosystem.

Profile snapshot

• Name: Hiskias Dingeto
• Nationality: Ethiopian
• Current role & company: AIM Intelligence, Senior Research Scientist
• Years in Korea: 6 years
• Visa status: D10 -> E7
• Languages spoken: English, Amharic, Korean (basic)
• Previous countries worked in (if any): Ethiopia

Background & career

Q. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your current role?

My name is Hiskias Dingeto, and I’m from Ethiopia. I moved to Korea to pursue my graduate studies, where I recently completed my PhD in Information Security at Dongguk University. My research focused on AI Safety and Security, which closely aligns with AIM Intelligence’s mission. I’ve been working as a Research Scientist at AIM Intelligence for about seven months now.

Q. What was your career path before moving to Korea?

I studied Software Engineering for my undergraduate degree in Ethiopia and worked as a full-stack developer before relocating to Korea. Even after moving here, I had the opportunity to continue working part-time/freelancing as a developer. Having a strong technical background has given me an edge as I transitioned into AI-focused research and development.

Q. What inspired you to work in Korea?

I initially moved to Korea to pursue my graduate studies. At the time, I didn’t know much about the country, but I was curious to experience it. My university also offered me a full scholarship, which was a major incentive to make the move. Looking back, I wish I had done more research about what life in Korea would be like, but the experience has been very rewarding.

After graduating, I felt that staying here was the right choice so I could continue contributing to either academia or the industry. I initially leaned toward pursuing an academic path, but as a non-Korean researcher, it was a bit challenging to find long-term opportunities. At the same time, I wanted to explore research roles in the industry. I was fortunate enough to connect with one of the co-founders of my current company through LinkedIn, which led me to my current position. It wasn’t easy finding a job at first, as my research area is quite niche and the AI job market is very competitive, but I’m glad I was able to find a meaningful role that aligns with my expertise.

Experience working in Korea

Q. Tell us briefly about your company (size, industry focus, notable achievements).

AIM Intelligence has around 15 members working across different areas, including research, product development, and management. We primarily focus on AI Safety, especially red teaming AI systems and developing monitoring and guardrail tools for enterprises. Our clients include major companies such as LG, KT, and leading banks like Woori and KB. We’re currently in the pre-Series A funding stage and expanding our client base both in Korea and internationally, helping organizations make their AI systems safer and more secure. We also engage in frontier research, publishing papers in top-tier conferences such as ICML, ACL, and AAAI, work that my team and I are actively working on. In the long term, we aim, no pun intended, to become a global leader in AI safety infrastructure, enabling enterprises to deploy AI systems responsibly and securely.

Q. How did you find your current job? Was the hiring process challenging as a foreigner?

As mentioned before, I found my job through LinkedIn. I was lucky enough that one of the founders of AIM Intelligence replied to my message, checked out my profile, and gave me a chance to prove myself. Things worked out from there, I interned for a while and eventually transitioned into a full-time role.

If anything, I’d say having a polished LinkedIn profile and not being afraid to reach out directly can make a big difference, especially as a foreigner in Korea.

Q. Can you describe your typical workday?

My workday usually starts around 11 a.m., which is when most of the team arrives. Before heading to the office, I have a small routine: I grab a coffee, take a moment to look outside, and mentally plan what I want to accomplish for the day. As someone who appreciates structure, this helps me set my priorities and start the day with clarity.

Once I get to the office, I put on my headphones and dive into my work. We have meetings from time to time where we discuss project progress and how to approach different challenges. I really enjoy those brainstorming sessions because they broaden my perspective on AI Safety and help connect our research to real-world applications. Toward the end of the day, I like to review my progress and list down tasks for the next morning. It helps me stay organized and wrap up feeling productive.

Q. How does Korean work culture compare to your home country's?

In Ethiopia, work culture tends to be a bit more flexible and people generally communicate a bit more casually. In Korea, I’ve noticed there is more emphasis on structure, hierarchy, and being very considerate in how you communicate, especially in professional settings. Things move fast here, and there’s a strong sense of responsibility toward the team and the company.

At first, it took some adjustment, but over time, I came to appreciate the focus, organization, and teamwork mindset. It pushes you to stay sharp and deliver at a high standard. At the same time, I find that bringing a bit of open and direct communication from my background helps create a good balance.

Q. Do you speak Korean at work? How is communication handled in your team?

Our main working language is English, and most of my coworkers speak English really well, which makes collaboration smooth. My Korean is still beginner level, but I’m learning, and even a little Korean helps in day-to-day moments and team interactions.

Sometimes internal conversations or company-wide messages happen in Korean, so I have to rely on automated translators and ask questions when needed. Our team has a good culture of helping each other out, so communication hasn’t been as much of a barrier. As my Korean improves, I’m sure it’ll become even smoother.

Q. What challenges have you faced adapting to Korea's work environment?

The biggest challenge for me has been the language. Even though my colleagues speak English very well, I sometimes feel like I miss subtle context or important details when discussions happen in Korean. I also believe that communicating ideas in the local language can be more effective in a Korean company, so I’m actively working on improving my Korean to contribute more smoothly and confidently in team discussions.

Lifestyle & community

Q. What's your life outside of work like? How have you built your social life here?

Outside of work, I usually spend time with my partner or work on side projects. I’ve always enjoyed building things. So whenever I run into a problem, I naturally start thinking about how to create digital solutions that can help me and others. My hope is that, over time, some of these projects will grow into a self-sustaining business.

When it comes to social life, it was challenging at first. As a foreigner in Korea, building a network isn’t always easy, and that was definitely true when I first moved here six years ago. But over time, I met great people, formed meaningful friendships, and even met my partner here, something I’m very grateful for. Outside of tech, I enjoy working out, exploring new cafes, and occasionally playing guitar, which always helps me recharge after a long week.

Q. How much has knowing Korean (or learning it) helped in your daily life?

My Korean is still at a beginner level, but even that little bit has helped me a lot in day-to-day life. Just being able to understand small things, like signs, basic conversations, or what people around me are talking about, really makes a difference. Over time, I’ve also honed my nunchi (눈치) to get a feel for what’s going on and follow along, which I think is an important skill anywhere in Korea. I’m sure I’ll have a lot more to say on this once my Korean improves over the next few months.

Q. What was your biggest culture shock when you first arrived?

I’m not sure if it counts as a major culture shock, but one of the first things that surprised me was how quiet public spaces are here. Subways, cafés, even the streets, they’re much quieter compared to cities I’d been to before, including Addis Ababa, where I grew up.

There were also smaller differences that stood out at first, like taking shoes off before entering homes and the lack of trash cans on the streets. They were surprising at the beginning, but I’m getting used to them over time.

Reflections & advice

Q. Do you plan to stay in Korea long-term, and how do you see your career evolving here?

For now, my plan is to continue working in Korea for the foreseeable future. I feel like I’ve found my niche at AIM Intelligence, and I’m learning and growing a lot here. Long-term, my goal is to build my own AI company and eventually combine that with a path in academia, contributing to research while also running a business. Korea has been a supportive place for my career so far, and I see a lot of potential to keep building here.

Q. What tips would you give to someone searching for a tech job in Korea?

My best advice for anyone searching for a tech job in Korea is to really sell yourself and actively reach out to companies and people you’re interested in. These days, it’s not enough to just submit an application and wait. Be courageous and message recruiters, founders, and like-minded people. Building those connections expands your reach and opens doors that traditional applications alone might not.

Q. What can Korean companies do to better support and integrate international employees?

I think Korean companies can make things easier for international employees by keeping communication more accessible. Even small things like providing opportunities for Korean lessons, sharing key docs and meeting notes in English, and pairing new hires with an English-speaking Korean employee really helps. Clear expectations around career growth also matter; I believe this gives you confidence about where you're headed.

And honestly, little bits of support with everyday things like visas or office processes make a huge difference when you're new. None of this has to be complicated, it's really just about making sure people feel included and able to do their best work. I appreciate what AIM Intelligence has done in this regard.

Q. What's one thing you wish you knew before moving here?

Learn Korean whenever you get the chance — it makes daily life so much more comfortable. I also think it’s important to prepare yourself for the work or academic culture here. Understanding what qualities Korean colleagues value and how communication works can really help you adjust faster. For anyone thinking of moving here, I’d recommend spending time researching these things beforehand.

Also, prepare yourself for the pali-pali (빨리 빨리) culture. Things move fast here, and getting things done quickly is often expected. It’s very important to remember that adapting early will make the transition much smoother and help you enjoy your life in Korea more fully.

Would you recommend Korea to other international tech professionals, and why?

I think the Korean tech ecosystem can be challenging to navigate for international professionals, especially at first. The language barrier, cultural differences, and certain workplace norms can make the adjustment period harder compared to more globally-oriented markets. That said, the government is making real efforts to support foreign talent, and things are steadily improving.

For people who are willing to put in the effort, learn the culture, build relationships, and bridge those gaps, Korea has a lot to offer. It’s a fast-moving tech environment, and I believe it will only become more accessible and attractive for international talent in the coming years.

Rapid fire

• Favorite Korean food: Fried chicken
• One must-visit place in Korea: Gangneung-si (강릉시)
• Most surprising thing about Korean tech culture: How fast things move. Korean tech culture mirrors the rest of Korean society in how quickly people work and execute ideas.
• Favorite Korean word or phrase: “김칫국 마시지 마,” which basically means “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” I find the expression amusing, but it also reminds me to stay grounded and not jump ahead of myself. It’s a good reminder to focus on the present and be prepared for unexpected outcomes.

Connect with Hiskias

• LinkedIn: /in/hiskias-dingeto-5b05a2120

If you want to be next and contribute, send us an email at florian@dev-korea.com.

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you’re an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea’s innovation ecosystem.

🚀 Developer-first analytics, explained simply

We opened the evening with a surprise greeting video from James Hawkins, co-CEO of PostHog, who welcomed the Dev Korea community and encouraged developers to build fast, stay curious, and make data-informed decisions. It was a fun start and set the tone for the rest of the night.

Then Melvin Oostendorp took the stage to break down developer-first analytics in a way that felt simple and actionable.

He showed how developers can:

• track meaningful events
• use session replay to understand real user behavior
• experiment safely with feature flags
• avoid “vanity metrics” and focus on what really matters
• make decisions based on user insights instead of assumptions

His talk made analytics feel less like a chore and more like a superpower for product teams.

📊 Real app examples from a Korean product team

Next, Max Wiersma shared how he uses analytics inside TOPIK Easy6, a React Native product built here in Korea.

He walked through:

• how they built a type-safe analytics system
• how they track dozens of custom events
• how these insights shaped product decisions
• real examples of finding problems early and prioritizing what users actually care about

It was a practical, honest look at how analytics works in real life. Not theory, but actual product stories.

The Q&A naturally led to discussions about feature prioritization, user journeys, and how teams can stay aligned when making decisions.

🎁 Swag, stickers & the PostHog raffle

After the talks, we shared a few Dev Korea community updates, and then it was time for swag.

Everyone picked up PostHog stickers, and we held a raffle for PostHog T-shirts and caps.
The winners celebrated like champions, of course.

The speakers stayed around to chat, answer questions, and meet people across the community — one of the best parts of every Dev Korea evening.

🍕 Pizza, drinks & the Dev Korea vibe

As always, we wrapped up the night with pizza, drinks, and free-flowing conversations.

People talked about the apps they’re building, product challenges, startup ideas, and life in Korea’s tech scene.
Newcomers made their first friends.
Old friends reconnected.

It was warm, open, and full of energy, exactly the Dev Korea vibe we aim for every time.

🙌 Huge thanks

This event wouldn’t have been possible without:

• PostHog for the support, stickers, swag, and greeting video
• Google for Startups Campus for allowing us to use their great event space
• Melvin Oostendorp and Max Wiersma for their thoughtful and practical talks
• Our 3 incredible volunteers Ashton Reed, Azizbek Umidjonov, Bertijn Pauwels who made everything flow seamlessly from start to finish
• And all 75+ attendees who brought curiosity, kindness, and conversation

You’re what makes Dev Korea special.

👀 What’s next

We’re lining up even more exciting meetups with global startups and local innovators. Stay tuned — and don’t miss the next one! Check out dev-korea.com/events to stay updated on what we're cooking up next.

Want to stay connected with what we're building? Follow us on LinkedIn, X, join our Discord server, and subscribe to our Weekly Dev Korea Digest Newsletter for all the latest updates.

Here’s to more nights of learning, building, and meaningful community in Seoul. 🍻✨

Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you’re an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea’s innovation ecosystem.