Joongna
Joongna (중고나라) is a South Korean C2C mobile-first marketplace for second-hand goods, connecting individual buyers and sellers across 20+ categories including fashion, electronics, vehicles, and luxury items. It monetizes via transaction commissions on its escrow-based secure payment system, supplemented by seller advertising.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSeocho, South Korea
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Joongna does
Joongna (legal entity: 주식회사중고나라; consumer brand also rendered as Joonggonara / 중고나라) is a South Korean consumer-to-consumer (C2C) online marketplace for second-hand goods, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Seocho, Seoul. The platform connects individual buyers and sellers across 20+ categories ranging from imported luxury goods, fashion, beauty, and baby/kids products to mobile devices, home appliances, furniture, books, tickets, motorcycles, and used vehicles (중고차). It also serves professional or high-volume sellers through a verified/certified seller (셀러) program with logistics and shipping support. The platform is mobile-first, available via web (web.joongna.com) and dedicated iOS and Android apps, and includes a separate seller portal at seller.joonggonara.co.kr.
The underlying technology stack is a C2C marketplace platform hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS), with three proprietary differentiators: an escrow-based secure payment system (안심결제 / Ansim Payment) that holds buyer funds until sellers confirm delivery; the umbrella "Safe Guarantee Project" (안심보장프로젝트) that combines escrow with dispute resolution and fraud protection; and a price market-check (시세조회) feature for pre-transaction price discovery. The platform holds ISMS (Information Security Management System) certification from the Korea Communications Commission, valid May 2026 through May 2029. No public APIs, SDKs, or documented AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.
Joongna's revenue model is built on a transaction commission (take-rate) charged on completed sales through its secure payment system, supplemented by an advertising/inquiry service for sellers and businesses looking to promote listings. Pricing is pay-as-you-go at the transaction level with no publicly disclosed fee schedules. Following a 2021 consortium acquisition led by Eugene Asset Management (the largest investor and effective controlling parent), the company restructured around the Safe Guarantee Project, which drove a 1.5x increase in monthly active users, a 3.1x increase in payment commission revenue in Q4, and consecutive monthly profitability in January and February 2026 — a notable transition from the platform's historical deficit operations. A further undisclosed follow-on investment from Eugene Asset Management was announced on March 17, 2026 to fund technology, security, and operational enhancements.
Joongna firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Joongna
- Legal name
- (주)중고나라
- Website
- https://joongna.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Joongna (중고나라) is a South Korean C2C mobile-first marketplace for second-hand goods, connecting individual buyers and sellers across 20+ categories including fashion, electronics, vehicles, and luxury items. It monetizes via transaction commissions on its escrow-based secure payment system, supplemented by seller advertising.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Joongna industry classification
Industry- Product category
- C2C Second-Hand Online Marketplace
- NAICS
- Used Merchandise Retailers (459510)
- SIC
- Retail-Nonstore Retailers (5960)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Generalist C2C Classifieds Marketplaces (CRAFAKAA)
Keywords
Where Joongna is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seocho
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Joongna business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transaction Commission Fees (Payment Commission): Platform earns commission fees on each transaction processed through its secure payment system. The 'Safe Guarantee Project' drove 3.1x increase in payment commission revenue in Q4, demonstrating this as a core revenue stream.
- Advertising Services: The platform offers advertising inquiry services to sellers and businesses looking to promote their listings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Commission-based marketplace fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Joongna product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Joongna operates a consumer-to-consumer (C2C) online marketplace where individual users buy and sell pre-owned goods across 20+ categories including luxury goods, fashion, electronics, furniture, vehicles, and books. The platform provides an escrow-based Safe Payment system (안심결제), the Safe Guarantee Project for dispute resolution, market price research tools, in-app chat, and a Certified Seller (셀러) program to facilitate trusted peer-to-peer transactions.
Product overview
Joongna is a second-hand trading marketplace platform that connects buyers and sellers of used goods across diverse categories including fashion, electronics, furniture, vehicles, and collectibles. The platform operates as a mobile-first marketplace with a web interface, offering features such as the Safe Payment system (안심결제) for secure transactions, in-app chat functionality, price comparison tools, fraud detection, and seller verification services. The core platform is complemented by the Safe Guarantee Project which provides transaction protection and dispute resolution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 안심결제 (Ansim Payment): Safe payment service - an escrow-based payment protection system for secure transactions on the platform
- 안심보장 프로젝트 (Safe Guarantee Project)
Products and services
- Joongna C2C Marketplace Platform (중고나라)
- Certified Seller (셀러) Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 1.5x growth in monthly active users following Safe Guarantee Project implementation
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Joongna
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Joongna technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Joongna partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Joongna competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Karrot Market (당근마켓): Korea's leading hyperlocal C2C marketplace operating on mobile. Competes directly with Joongna across secondhand goods categories and has begun layering in payment, escrow, and safety features that overlap with Joongna's Safe Guarantee Project.
- Bungaejangter (번개장터): Major Korean C2C marketplace focused on secondhand goods, including fashion, electronics, and collectibles. Closely comparable to Joongna in business model, customer base, and trust-and-safety positioning.
- Mercari: Japan-headquartered C2C marketplace with a broad horizontal category mix and escrow-based payments. Comparable as a regional peer with similar C2C resale mechanics and a similar evolution toward safe-payment features.
- Vinted: European C2C resale marketplace, primarily in fashion but expanding into broader categories. Comparable as a horizontal C2C marketplace monetizing through buyer protection fees and value-added services.
- Poshmark (Naver): US C2C resale marketplace acquired by Naver, Korea's largest internet company. Direct comparable as a category-leading C2C resale platform with social commerce features; ownership by Naver creates Korean-market strategic relevance.
- Wallapop: Spanish-headquartered C2C marketplace with strong mobile engagement and shipping/escrow services. Comparable as a horizontal secondhand platform investing in trust and shipping infrastructure.
Broad incumbents
- Coupang: Korea's largest e-commerce platform, with a growing resale/used-goods offering (Coupang Play, used electronics trade-in). Incumbent scale, logistics, and capital pose a competitive risk to niche C2C players like Joongna.
- Naver: Korean internet platform that owns Poshmark and operates Smartstore commerce. As a broad incumbent with commerce, payments, and traffic assets, Naver represents both an indirect competitor and a potential strategic acquirer of Joongna.
- Gmarket / Auction (eBay Korea): Established Korean online marketplace operated by Emart (with eBay heritage). Overlaps with Joongna in C2C and used goods categories but with a broader e-commerce portfolio.
Emerging players
- Kream: Korean C2C marketplace focused on sneakers, streetwear, and luxury resale with authentication services. Comparable as a vertical C2C resale platform with strong trust/verification mechanics in Korea.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Joongna social profiles
Digital presenceJoongna compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Joongna financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Joongna leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Joongna funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Joongna M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Joongna
What does Joongna do?
Joongna operates a consumer-to-consumer (C2C) online marketplace where individual users buy and sell pre-owned goods across 20+ categories including luxury goods, fashion, electronics, furniture, vehicles, and books. The platform provides an escrow-based Safe Payment system (안심결제), the Safe Guarantee Project for dispute resolution, market price research tools, in-app chat, and a Certified Seller (셀러) program to facilitate trusted peer-to-peer transactions.
Is Joongna a public or private company?
Joongna is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Joongna founded?
Joongna was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Joongna based?
Joongna is headquartered in Seocho, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Joongna make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Transaction Commission Fees (Payment Commission) is the primary driver. The others are advertising Services.
Who are Joongna's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Karrot Market (당근마켓), Bungaejangter (번개장터), Mercari, Vinted, Poshmark (Naver) and Wallapop. Broad incumbents are Coupang, Naver and Gmarket / Auction (eBay Korea). Kream is listed as an emerging player.
Does Joongna have an API?
No public API is recorded for Joongna.
What industry is Joongna in?
Joongna's product category is C2C Second-Hand Online Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAKAA, Generalist C2C Classifieds Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 459510 and its SIC code is 5960.