"KRW 2,900 per Month, Up to KRW 70,000 in Rewards"... Gmarket to Launch 'Kkok Membership' Next Month

Gmarket announced on March 30 that it will launch a new reward-based membership program called ‘Kkok’ on April 23 and will hold a pre-registration promotion in advance.

This marks Gmarket’s first independent membership program in nine years since the introduction of ‘Smile Club’ in 2017. The monthly fee is set at KRW 2,900, which the company says is the lowest in the industry. Key benefits include “up to KRW 70,000 in monthly rewards across all products” and a “cash guarantee (difference compensation).” The name ‘Kkok’ signifies a membership that frequent Gmarket shoppers “must not miss out on.”

Gmarket 'Kkok' Membership Mobile Screen. Provided by Gmarket

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Kkok membership members can receive up to 5% payback based on their total monthly purchase amount. Specifically, purchases up to KRW 200,000 per month earn 5% back in Smile Cash, while amounts over KRW 200,000 up to KRW 3.2 million receive 2% back. The company explained that this structure particularly benefits heavy Gmarket users (loyal customers) who shop frequently.

The cash guarantee is a service in which the company compensates the difference in Smile Cash if a member’s monthly rewards are less than the membership fee. For example, if a member earns KRW 1,000 in rewards from KRW 20,000 in purchases, the remaining KRW 1,900 (the difference from the KRW 2,900 monthly fee) will be given as additional Smile Cash. If there are no purchases in a given month, the monthly fee is provided as Smile Cash. This system, which reduces the risk of loss for members, is the first of its kind among major e-commerce platforms.

Gmarket also plans to strengthen external membership partnerships, such as by launching co-branded credit cards with enhanced benefits. The pre-registration promotion for the Kkok membership will run until April 20. Those who sign up during this period will receive the first month free and a 10% discount coupon (up to KRW 10,000 off).

A Gmarket representative said, “Kkok membership is a subscription service designed specifically for loyal Gmarket customers, allowing those who shop more to receive greater benefits. We have also alleviated the burden of membership fees to maximize the perceived value, and we hope to attract significant interest from our regular users.”

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