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After jolting misconceptions in first year, BYD Korea eyes '10,000 club'

Published: 26 Jan. 2026, 14:26 Updated: 27 Jan. 2026, 11:31

Cho In-chul, head of BYD Korea’s passenger vehicle division, is interviewed by the JoongAng Ilbo at a BYD showroom in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Jan. 22. [WOO SANG-JO]

After selling more than 6,000 cars in Korea in its first year, Chinese EV maker BYD is aiming to break into the “10,000 club” this year, banking on new model launches and a wider sales-and-service network.

“If last year was BYD’s warm-up in Korea, this year our goal is to join the ‘10,000 club,’” said Cho In-chul, managing director of BYD Korea's passenger car business, in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo on Thursday.

The Chinese brand, which entered Korea’s passenger car market last year, sold 6,107 units in its first year, outpacing Tesla's debut year. BYD Korea rolled out its lineup in stages, starting with the Atto 3 compact SUV, followed by the Seal midsize sedan and the Sealion 7 midsize SUV.

Cho, a marketing specialist who previously led Mini Korea, recalled that when he first took the job in April 2024, the situation felt “pitch-black.”

“When we surveyed BYD brand awareness, it came out at around 20 percent,” Cho said. “Outside of industry circles, people barely knew what BYD was. We had no staff and no organization, and we were preparing for the launch, so we essentially worked like a startup.”

“Even so, when we saw sales surpass 6,000 units, it wasn’t so much satisfaction as the thought, ‘At least people are taking an interest.’”

Cho In-chul, head of BYD Korea’s passenger vehicle division, is interviewed by the JoongAng Ilbo at a BYD showroom in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Jan. 22. [WOO SANG-JO]

Cho pointed first to cost competitiveness when asked what helped BYD break into the Korean market. The Atto 3, for example, was priced in the 30 million won range ($20,800), and with EV subsidies, it could fall to the upper 20 million won range.

“I repeatedly pressed headquarters to keep prices 'reasonable' to improve accessibility for Korean consumers,” the director said.

Cho also said BYD had to overcome Korean consumers’ wariness toward Chinese brands. “There were a lot of distorted views — like, ‘Wasn’t it only Chinese residents in Korea buying them?’ — so we actually analyzed the purchase data,” he said. “It turned out 98 percent of buyers were Korean, and only 2 percent were foreigners.”

With that in mind, BYD Korea prioritized improving brand awareness. “We decided it was important to let as many people as possible know BYD exists and give them more chances to actually drive our cars,” Cho said. “Rather than focusing on sales, we chose a strategy of building trust in service first.”

The brand set up 29 showrooms and 16 service centers nationwide last year, and plans to expand that network to 35 showrooms and 26 service centers this year.

Cho In-chul, head of BYD Korea’s passenger vehicle division, speaks during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at a BYD showroom in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Jan. 22. [WOO SANG-JO]

BYD Korea’s goal this year is to join the “10,000 club” — raising sales by around 60 percent from last year. To that end, it plans to launch the Dolphin compact hatchback and a rear-wheel-drive version of the Seal in February or March, and introduce a plug-in hybrid model within the year.

Cho described the Dolphin as a key model aimed at younger buyers. Its price is expected to land in the high 20 million won range.

“We expected a lot of buyers to be in their 20s and 30s, but surprisingly, many were in their 40s and 50s,” he said. “This year, we want to target young, early-career buyers through the Dolphin, which offers both practicality and design.”

With other Chinese EV brands such as Zeekr and Xpeng also expected to enter Korea, competition is likely to intensify. “I welcome a broader EV market," Cho said, adding, "if other Chinese brands help change perceptions of Chinese cars, it could also benefit BYD.”

He also said BYD hopes, over the medium to long term, to bring premium sub-brands such as Yangwang to Korea.

“Unlike other imported-car brands, BYD first brought in a practical lineup rather than a premium brand,” he said. “Once awareness rises, we want to realize plans not only for Yangwang but also for ways BYD can move forward together with Korean society and industry.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY NA SANG-HYEON [[email protected]]