Introductions, preparation and follow-up can help you make useful business contacts in Korea. These six points are a starting point for planning your meetings.

• Ask for a relevant introduction where possible. A Korean co-investor, the Grand Challenge network or the World FoodTech Council may be able to help. If you reach out directly, explain why your work fits the organisation and propose a focused conversation.
• KakaoTalk is the business layer. It has 49.6 million monthly users in a country of 51 million. After a good meeting you will be asked to "add me on Kakao". Install it before you fly, and put your name and company in English in your profile.
• Business cards still matter. Bring bilingual cards. Give and receive with two hands, and read the card before you put it away. Titles signal who decides.
• Expect more than one meeting. Senior people may join the first meeting, but decisions go through internal review. If the answer is "we will review it internally", ask who is involved in the decision and agree on a follow-up date.
• Language depends on who you are meeting. Startups and VCs are usually comfortable in English. At corporates and government agencies, bring a Korean-speaking colleague or an interpreter, and send a one-page Korean summary with your deck.
• Dinner can help build the relationship. Accept when it suits your schedule, and mention dietary needs in advance. Drinking alcohol is optional; a polite decline is fine.

Before you reach out

Run through this list before you send the first message.

• [ ] Bilingual business cards printed, with your title in both languages.
• [ ] KakaoTalk installed, with your name and company in English in your profile.
• [ ] A one-page Korean summary of your deck ready to send.
• [ ] A relevant contact or programme identified, with an introduction where available and a focused meeting request ready.
• [ ] Proposed dates checked against Korean public holidays, especially Lunar New Year and Chuseok, when business stops for several days.