We were able to learn about the journey of a French businessman, Arthur Mademba-sy, who successfully established a cross-cultural business in Europe and Korea. It provides us with valuable insights into cross-cultural business tactics and the growing influence of Korean products, such as K-pop and K-beauty.
Before founding his company, Mademba-sy began his business reselling USBs from Alibaba on eBay. After studying business in Paris, he went to Daegu. Although he returned to France to complete his master’s degree, he kept returning to Korea and eventually moved there without a job supporting himself by teaching French. Driven by entrepreneurial spirit he tried various ventures, including resume templates and Daegu themed merchandise, but failed. A turning point came in 2016 after his father’s death, motivating him to launch My Little Korea (Ma Petite Corée): a site selling Korean products to French customers. To address cash flow issues he introduced a K-beauty subscription box in France. This success led him to join the Seoul Global Startup Center in 2017, where he founded MPC Trace.
My Little Korea
My Little Korea is an e-commerce platform offering a wide range of Korean products—K-beauty, K-pop, snacks, and clothing—targeting primarily European markets like France and Germany. Launched in 2018 with support from the Seoul Global Startup Center, it quickly grew reaching sales of about 9 billion won by 2019 and serving over 65,000 customers with 30,000 orders by 2024. The platform aims to export “all things cool” from Korea and plans to obtain SHIBLOCK certification for credibility. Its success stems from capitalizing on the Korean Wave and partnering with small Korean brands to offer competitive prices. Products are sold through multiple channels including its own website, eBay, and Amazon, supported by customer service in French and German, personalized options, and 24/7 assistance. In 2019, the business expanded with Let’s Buy Korea: a B2B platform targeting bulk sales to Korean brands.
My K-pop Market
Alongside My Little Korea, Mademba-sy launched My K-pop Market focusing on the US market with a K-beauty subscription box. Eventually efforts consolidated into My Little Korea, which generates stable monthly sales between 40,00 and 60,00euros offering over 10,000 products and supported by a Seoul-based team. In 2024 attracted by Cambodia’s young population and business-friendly environment, Mademba-sy expanded by launching Kool Seoul: a Khmer-language version tailored to local shopping habits. Partnerships with Korean brands, the Korean embassy and local logistics providers enable smooth shipping from Seoul to Cambodia.
Afterwork Seoul
In 2023, leveraging his experience representing the French startup community in Korea, Mademba-sy founded Afterwork Seoul to create an inclusive networking platform uniting professionals from diverse nationalities and industries. Unlike traditional chambers of commerce, Afterwork Seoul hosts monthly events every first Thursday bringing together CEOs, students, and professionals to foster cross-cultural connections. Events attract around 5Mademba-sy participants evenly split between foreign professionals and Koreans. The business model benefits venues by bringing new clients, helps attendees expand networks and discover new places, and generates commissions for organizers ensuring profitability. Afterwork Seoul has grown steadily, moving to weekly events and plans to expand to the UK and Cambodia through local partnerships. Afterwork Seoul reported revenues of about 1Mademba-sy million won in 2019, with projections of 1 billion won in 2024. The platform has served over 65,000 customers and processed around 30,000 orders.
website text: Hyun Soyeon, Lee Seungyeon, Seo Minju, Lee Eunji
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Mr. Mademba-Sy is originally from Paris, France. He first came to Korea in 2011 as an exchange student at Kyungpook National University. Later, he married a Korean and ended up living here. He said that when he started living in Korea, he noticed there were not many chances for Koreans and foreigners to meet and talk. That's why he created Afterwork Seoul - to help people network and share ideas.
He also runs an online platform called Ma Petite Corée. It's a subscription service where people in Europe get boxes with Korean items like cosmetics, snacks, or music merchandise. He said the goal isn't just to sell products, but to let people experience Korean culture in a more personal way.
He also mentioned that he is expanding his business to Cambodia now. And he added that students might have the chance to intern or work on projects at Afterwork Seoul, which could be a good experience.
After the talk, there was a short Q&A session. Here are some of the questions students asked:
Q: Do you need permission from the main company to export famous brand products?
A: Not always. Sometimes, you can do it through a contract with the supplier, not the headquarters.
Q: When you first started exporting, did you work directly with the brand's main office?
A: No, I made deals with smaller companies that supply to the main brand. That's how I got started.
Q: Is France a good place to start a business?
A: Yes. There are startup incubators and lots of support programs from the government and private groups.
Through this lecture, students learned more about starting a business and working internationally. It was helpful to hear from someone who has done it, and many students said it made them think more about global careers.
Text: Kim Yeongjae, Shim Gaeun, Kim Eunhyeok, Jeon Hayun
