Pearson & Partners Korea: 2025 in Review

Building Conversations That Turn Insight into Action

At Pearson & Partners Korea, 2025 was less about ticking boxes and more about building meaningful dialogue. Throughout the year, we engaged with students, founders, and international business leaders at different stages of their cross-border journeys. Each conversation, whether formal or spontaneous, sharpened our understanding of what global companies truly need when entering or expanding in Korea and Singapore: clarity, structure, and trusted guidance.

Alongside these outward-facing activities, our team continued the technical work that defines our practice. We supported entrepreneurs and global teams as they navigated incorporation, immigration, compliance, and operational setup, turning strategic intention into execution.

Creating Practical Learning Environments

One of the year’s highlights was hosting over 30 students from the Carlson School of Management in May as part of their Korea–Japan study abroad program. Rather than a one-directional lecture, the session became an exchange focused on real-world challenges in entrepreneurship, scaling, and cross-border operations.

These discussions reinforced the value of mentorship, not only in shaping future leaders, but in refining our own thinking through thoughtful questioning and shared experience.

In early June, we hosted Vines & Vibes, a smaller, more informal gathering designed to encourage connection rather than immediate outcomes. By combining light structure with open conversation, the event created space for genuine exchanges between founders and professionals. These brief, candid, and human moments, often become the starting point for longer-term collaboration.

Delivering Action-Oriented Insights Through Partnerships

Co-creating events with chambers and expert partners was a key focus throughout the year. In November, we partnered with the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea to co-host a market entry information session covering company registration, visa pathways, licensing, and compliance.

The emphasis was deliberately practical. Participants left with clear next steps and a better understanding of how to move forward, a benchmark we believe defines the value of any effective business seminar.

Earlier in September, we co-hosted a session with the Italian Chamber of Commerce at High Street Italia, pairing HR strategy with updates on legal and regulatory developments. Addressing people management alongside compliance reflected the realities international companies face when entering the Korean market.

Strengthening Global Networks Through Chamber Engagement

In 2025, Pearson & Partners Korea became active members of six chambers of commerce: American, Australian, British, European, German, and Italian. Chamber participation provided consistent access to peer organisations, regulators, and embassy networks, while enabling collaboration beyond one-off meetings.

Throughout the year, we participated in leadership forums, sector-focused discussions, and community events across these chambers. Informal gatherings, from garden parties to networking evenings, played an important role in building trust and facilitating introductions that often lead to future collaboration.

Engaging with Korea’s Innovation Ecosystem

We also deepened our engagement with Korea’s startup and innovation landscape by attending major exhibitions such as NextRise. These events offered practical insight into government-backed programs, accelerators, and funding pathways available to foreign founders and scaling companies.

For international businesses, understanding who supports pilots, where innovation is funded, and how introductions are made is often more valuable than high-level summaries. These insights allow us to guide clients with precision and realism.

What We Took Away from the Year

Several themes emerged consistently:

• Specificity matters: Audiences value sessions that address real decisions they need to make.

• Format drives outcomes: Events that balance structure with open interaction generate stronger follow-up.

• Partnerships amplify impact: Combining convening power with subject-matter expertise moves conversations from theory to execution.

• Practical guidance saves time: Clear explanations of registration, visas, and hiring can significantly reduce uncertainty for international firms.

Looking Ahead

As we move into the year ahead, our focus is on depth rather than scale. We aim to foster sustained dialogue, strengthen mentorship pathways, and continue integrating practical guidance with cultural understanding. Korea rewards those who understand both its regulatory framework and its business rhythm, and our role is to help clients navigate both with confidence.

Above all, we remain committed to listening closely, to shifts in the market, to the concerns of founders, and to the questions international teams are asking as they enter Korea and Singapore.

Closing

2025 was a year of showing up in ways that were useful, thoughtful, and human. From workshops and seminars to informal gatherings and chamber forums, each engagement contributed to a broader understanding of how international businesses can succeed in Korea.

While expanding these conversations, we continued our core work: supporting founders, SMEs, and global teams as they built and scaled their operations across Korea and Singapore.

If you are exploring market entry or expansion in the region, we welcome the opportunity to continue the conversation.

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