
Seoul’s sheer size and density, conducive to logistical infrastructure, was the perfect breeding ground for digital commerce. Growing up in Seoul, Kim saw the combination of South Korea’s well-educated, high-income population and broad internet and smartphone penetration as an opportunity to build a South Korean version of online marketplace Groupon. Bom Kim, a graduate of Seoul National University and a dropout from Harvard Business School, founded Coupang in 2010. Often referred to as the ‘Amazon of South Korea,’ Coupang is known for its exceptional customer experience offering next-day delivery for millions of products. It was the largest listing by a foreign company since Alibaba in 2014.

South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange on March 11 with a market cap of more than C$125 billion.
