Joongna

About Joongna

Joongna, which translates to “used country,” is one of South Korea's largest peer-to-peer online marketplaces for secondhand goods. The platform originated in 2003 as an online community on Naver Cafe, an internet portal service, created by Lee Seung-woo and two friends. It gained popularity through word-of-mouth and grew into the nation's biggest platform for trading used items, with millions of users. The online community was incorporated as a venture company in January 2014 to expand its services and better manage its growing user base.

In 2021, Lotte Group, a major South Korean conglomerate, acquired a significant stake in Joongna through its affiliate Lotte Shopping, becoming a strategic investor with the potential to become the largest shareholder. This acquisition was part of Lotte's strategy to bolster its e-commerce presence and tap into the rapidly growing online secondhand market, which expanded from approximately 4 trillion won in 2008 to around 20 trillion won in 2020. As of early 2026, Joongna reported substantial growth in transaction volume and value, attributing the success to app improvements and a “Safety Guarantee Project” aimed at increasing user trust and making transactions more transparent.

The platform functions as a consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace where users can buy and sell a wide array of new and used products, including electronics, furniture, luxury items, and K-pop merchandise. While initially relying on advertising for revenue, Joongna has evolved its business model. The company launched a mobile app in 2016 and has also ventured into the used car market. Transactions on the platform are primarily conducted in Korean, and payment is often made via bank transfer. For users outside of South Korea or those without a Korean phone number for verification, accessing the platform and making purchases can be challenging, often requiring the use of proxy or concierge services.