Taking Korean Local Revitalization to the Global Stage: Inside Localinsa’s Mission
Empowering Korea’s Local Economies with a Glocal Vision
Amid efforts to address urban decline in Korea’s regions, Korea’s placed-based or locally-anchored brands (widely known as ‘local brands’ domestically)—those that draw on unique cultural, social, and natural assets—are emerging as powerful drivers of renewal. Over the past few years, a wave of Korean local brand businesses has emerged across Korea, many fueled by government subsidies aimed at revitalizing local economies. While debates continue about whether these small, community-rooted ventures can sustain their impact without such financial support, one fact is clear: in several regions, these brands have gone beyond survival—they have shaped unique cultural and social identities that make people want to visit and have driven tangible change on the ground.
Seoeun Jeon, founder of Localinsa, has dedicated her career to highlighting the distinctiveness and transformative potential of these local brands as a uniquely Korean model of regional development. Since 2020, she has shared her insights through research, lectures, and columns, advocating for the vital role of young local entrepreneurs in shaping the future of regional economies.
In 2022, she formally established Localinsa as a business entity, followed by incorporation in December of that year. By 2025, she launched Local X-Pass, a new venture connecting international residents and visitors with Korea’s most vibrant local revitalization sites. This pioneering model earned recognition from the Korea Tourism Organization(KTO), which selected Local X-Pass as one of its “Outstanding Early-Stage Tourism Ventures” in 2025.
Why do we Curate K-local Business Cases?
Our approach brings together a vibrant mix of experts, creators, and residents—spanning diverse backgrounds, languages, and experiences—to co-create and execute locally-driven business models. These collaborative efforts lay the groundwork for differentiated, scalable, and impactful business enabling both financial sustainability and lasting social impact.
Our Founder’s Journey
Driven by the conviction that mission-driven regional businesses can spark new life into declining areas, Seoeun embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in 2022—leaving behind a respected role as an ESG consultant and researcher at a leading public company. With over a decade of hands-on experience spanning social entrepreneurship, research, tour operations, and impact assessment, she set out to build solutions at the intersection of local vitality and global connection.
Today, she is actively pursuing opportunities to bridge Korea’s rich regional assets with global talent, firmly believing that attracting and engaging diverse talent into Korea’s local towns can be a powerful solution to regional decline.
Seoeun leads with conviction: turning passion into action and building scalable models of regional revitalization powered by local businesses. Her work is setting benchmarks that extend well beyond Korea’s borders.