Choosing between .COM and .KR depends on your target audience, branding goals, SEO strategy, and long-term expansion plans. Both domain extensions have strong value, but each serves different purposes.
1. Overview of Each Extension
.COM (Commercial)
- The world’s most recognized and trusted domain extension
- Ideal for global brands, products, and international services
- Strong resale market and premium value
- Easier to remember; universally accepted
.KR (South Korea ccTLD)
- Country-code domain for South Korea
- Trusted locally; signals authenticity to Korean users
- Strong for businesses focused on the Korean market
- Good for SEO within Korea (Naver, Google Korea)
2. When to Choose .COM
Choose .COM if:
✔ You want global reach
.COM is universal — customers worldwide expect it.
✔ You plan to scale internationally
Startups aiming for global expansion almost always prefer .COM.
✔ You want maximum brand protection & resale value
.COM domains consistently outperform others in aftermarket value.
✔ Your brand name needs broad recognition
.COM helps with authority, credibility, and memorability.
3. When to Choose .KR
Choose .KR if:
✔ Your audience is in South Korea
For any local Korean business, .KR immediately signals trust.
✔ You want stronger SEO in Korea
Search engines and users in Korea often prefer .KR sites.
✔ Your brand identity is culturally Korean
If the product, service, or content is tailored to Koreans, .KR is ideal.
✔ You want to outperform competitors in local rankings
Online shops, restaurants, agencies, tech companies, and consultants in Korea benefit from .KR presence.
4. Branding Differences
| Feature | .COM | .KR |
|---|---|---|
| Global recognition | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Local (Korea) recognition | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Trust factor | Very high | Very high (within Korea) |
| Premium resale value | Highest | Moderate to strong in KR market |
| Brand versatility | Universal | Localized |
5. SEO & Marketing Impact
.COM SEO Strength
- Performs well globally
- No geographic limitation
- Works for multilingual sites
.KR SEO Strength
- Strong boost in Korean search results
- Builds local credibility
- Ideal for Naver SEO (Korea’s major search engine)
6. Investment & Resale Potential
.COM
- Top resale value worldwide
- Highly liquid for domain investors
- Ideal for startups and tech brands
- Usually easier to sell internationally
.KR
- Good resale value within Korean buyer pool
- Especially valuable for industries popular in Korea:
- K-Beauty
- Fintech
- Education
- Korean products / local commerce
- Startups expanding locally
However: .KR resale market is much smaller than .COM.
7. Which Should You Choose? (Quick Decision Guide)
Choose .COM if:
- You want global customers
- You want a long-term brand with universal appeal
- You want higher resale potential
- You want the simplest, most powerful extension
Choose .KR if:
- You target Korean users
- You operate a local Korean business
- You want strong local SEO
- You want to build trust in Korean market
8. Best Practice: Own Both if Possible
Many brands purchase both .COM and .KR to protect their identity and cover both markets.
Example:
- BrandName.com → Global site
- BrandName.kr → Local Korean site or redirect
This strategy maximizes traffic, trust, and long-term brand value.
Conclusion
.COM = global power, highest resale value, maximum branding strength.
.KR = local Korean trust, local SEO boost, perfect for Korea-focused businesses.