Instant gratification isn't soon enough!  The expectation for speed in Korea is phenomenal.  Conversely, a late response indicates total lack of interest. Amazon's 'one-day-delivery' fell flat – Korean consumers were already accustomed to 'one-hour-delivery'. With 25 million people crowded into the capital city area, one-hour-delivery is not only feasible but the norm. 

Ppali ppali is one of the first words that foreigners learn when they come to Korea.  Literally, it means fast, fast but what it actually means is faster, faster.

To understand the ppali ppali culture (PPC) one needs to know Korean history. Following the Korean war, Korea was a basket case.  The rival North Korea was creating more wealth and had a better economy. There was a near pathological need to compete and overcome the North and results were needed fast. They were needed yesterday. Impatient for a better quality of life, Koreans worked day and night to achieve faster results. This proud development was called the ‘Miracle on the Han.’ PPC has become embedded in the general psyche of Koreans; "Do it now!".

The PPC permeates every aspect of the culture and drives consumer trends. Koreans are curious consumers and eager to try new products as soon as they are available. For example, when mobile phones were introduced, new models were released every other month and consumers would quickly upgrade to the latest one.  In 2014, the average life of a new cell phone was 14 months. Now that prices of phones have skyrocketed, this has fallen to 31 months but still shorter than the 33 months average in the US. 

Flash and Crash, the rapid uptake of a new product only to abandon it and move on to the next is a unique characteristic of Korea's economy.  As an example, a company launched a new snack item but in a small volume to test the market.  Popularity soared and they could not keep up with demand. People stood in lines to purchase the product. The manufacturer responded by investing heavily to increase production but no sooner was the line in operation when interest in the product dropped and consumers went on to something else. The manufacturer was 'left holding the bag'.

Rapid response to your Korean counterpart is one of the simplest methods of signaling your interest. However, this market is far more complex than ppali ppali and full of unique practices and subtle nuances. When investing in this market, let IRC Consulting guide your way.