Architect Legal Advisory, a boutique corporate and commercial law firm, has launched in Seoul on 1 July 2025, targeting foreign entrepreneurs or startups operating in South Korea as their main client base.
Jeonghwan JK Kim and Juno Cho, who were formerly associates at HMP Law, founded the boutique law firm.
“Based on my experiences with foreign clients at HMP Law, I decided to start my own firm because I believed there would be demand from foreign companies that are not large enough to engage major law firms in the country,” Cho told Asia Business Law Journal.
Architect Legal Advisory currently has a team of two, Cho and Kim. During their stint at HMP Law, Cho and Kim have advised foreign clients, making inbound investments into Korea.
At Architect Legal Advisory, Cho and Kim are set to focus on foreign direct investment, corporate establishment, startup advisory and regulatory compliance. However, Cho adds there are also plans to expand into litigation matters involving foreign entities in Korea.
“The main task will be providing FDI-related advisory services, primarily assisting foreign clients entering Korea in selecting the most suitable form to best achieve their objectives in the Korean market,” said Cho.
When asked about hiring plans, Cho said the firm had flexibility to recruit more attorneys depending on how well they performed.
