We bring European design hardware
into South Korea — properly.

We are a research-led import and distribution company based in Seoul, South Korea. We import European architectural and furniture hardware, lighting and home textiles — and we check every product against Korean door and certification standards before we bring it in.

Who we are

We are a small, research-led operation. Before approaching any brand we built our own database of European hardware, lighting and homeware manufacturers, verified which of them are already represented in South Korea, and analysed each product against Korean door and certification standards — rose diameter against the Ø54 mm domestic bore, spindle interface, door thickness, and the KC requirements that would apply. We also mapped the Korea–EU FTA documentation needed to clear goods at zero duty. We did this before contacting anyone, because we would rather know whether a product can actually be installed in a Korean home than find out after it ships.

We build brands, not listings

We run our own consumer brand — product planning, photography, copy, campaigns and fulfilment in house. We present a brand with its own story intact rather than as a commodity line item.

Small on purpose

We are deliberately small. You deal directly with the founder, decisions are fast, and we take on a limited number of brands so that each one gets real attention rather than becoming one line in a catalogue.

We do the homework first

Before we approach a brand we check whether its products can actually be installed in Korean homes, and what import documentation will be required. Most importers find this out afterwards.

Why most European hardware never reaches Korea

It is not a demand problem. It is a technical one, and it is specific enough that most importers miss it.

European interior door backset	55 mm
Korean interior door backset	60 mm — they do not match
European door structure	Mortise lock (DIN 18251), ~235 mm faceplate
Korean door structure	Tubular latch through a Ø54 mm face bore
What this means	A handle whose rose is smaller than Ø54 mm leaves the existing hole exposed

So we measure. For every product we consider, we check rose diameter against the Korean bore, the spindle interface, and the door-thickness range, and we record whether it retrofits an existing Korean door, needs a domestic latch, or is new-construction only. We do the same for certification (KC) and for import documentation.

This is also why we ask, early in any conversation, whether a supplier can issue a statement of origin under the Korea–EU FTA — with it, import duty on your products is zero. For consignments under EUR 6,000 no approved-exporter number is even needed.

What we are looking for

Brands that are not yet properly represented in South Korea, where the design deserves more than a parallel-import listing. We would rather build one brand well than carry a catalogue.

How we work with a brand

1 · Understand your terms

Trade conditions, minimum order, lead time, and whether Korea is open. In writing, so nothing is lost across the time difference.

2 · Sample and verify

A small order first. We install it, confirm it fits Korean doors, and photograph it properly.

3 · Launch and grow

Localised brand story in Korean — not a literal translation — agreed with you before anything goes live. Then volume commitments once sell-through is proven.

Contact

Company Soongbly Lab (숭블리랩)
Representative Soongsun Shin
Location Seoul, South Korea
Email —

We reply to email within one business day, and we are happy to complete a distributor application form or answer a written questionnaire in as much detail as you need.