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Koreatown’s Boba Time to expand to Korea

June 11, 2014
Boba Time Korea Kim Heung-yeon (left) with Boba Time USA CEO Adriana Park.

Boba Time Korea Kim Heung-yeon (left) with Boba Time USA CEO Adriana Park.

Boba Time, a familiar presence around Koreatown in Los Angeles, will soon open in Korea.

Boba Time USA announced Tuesday that it had signed a master franchise contract with Boba Time Korea in an unprecedented agreement for a Koreatown-based company.

Opened in 2003, the company now operates four Koreatown locations and is looking to open more in Irvine and San Diego. The plan is to open 20 more locations by the end of the year, it said.

“Starting with the Korean market, we’re looking to expand globally by forming alliances with capable companies around the world,” said Boba Time CEO Richard Jeon. “We’ll work hard to make Boba Time a worthy global brand.”

Shops will be directly operated by Boba Time Korea before becoming a franchise.

“I’m certain the service and the taste, which is different from other Asian bobas, will satisfy Korean consumers,” said Boba Time Korea CEO Kim Heung-yeon. “Our goal is 200 locations in Korea by 2020. We’ll work toward making Korea a solid foundation for Boba Time to grow into a global brand.”