Short answer: Printing in Korea follows the same steps as printing anywhere until the books are finished; the main difference is freight, so plan for about a week of production on a typical run (longer for hardcover and very large runs) plus freight of about one to two weeks by air or about five weeks by ocean.
Some publishers in the U.S. and Canada print books and magazines at Korean offset plants because, on longer runs, the cost per copy can be lower than at a domestic printer, depending on the spec. The tradeoff is that the finished books have to travel, so the schedule has to include freight.
The workflow from quote to delivery
- Get a quote. Choose binding, trim size, paper, page count, color, and quantity. With Printseoul the instant quote tool prices this live, line by line, with no lump-sum estimate.
- Choose freight. Air Express, Air Economy, or Ocean + Trucking, priced per delivery address. You can split one order across several addresses and methods.
- Place the order and pay. Wire transfer (3% discount) or PayPal.
- Upload print-ready PDFs. 300 dpi minimum, fonts embedded and outlined, 0.125" bleed. How many files you upload depends on the binding.
- Approve the E-Proof. A PDF proof is included free with every order; production starts once payment and the proof approval are in.
- Production, packing, and shipping. The order page shows the shipping method and, when available, the carrier and tracking number.
What changes compared with a domestic printer
Three things. First, time zones: Korean business hours fall in the U.S. evening and night, so questions are usually answered overnight rather than within minutes. Second, freight is its own line item and its own schedule. Third, the books arrive door to door: Printseoul arranges delivery to the address you provide, and printed books are generally duty-free in the U.S.
When it makes sense
Overseas printing can pay off for runs in the thousands rather than the hundreds, for full-color books and magazines where paper and press time dominate the cost, and for projects that are not tied to an urgent on-sale date. For short runs with a hard deadline, a domestic digital printer is often the better fit.
To see how your own spec prices out, build it in the instant quote tool. The quote shows setup, material, finishing, and freight separately, so you can see what is driving the number.
Frequently asked questions
Is the quality of Korean offset printing comparable to U.S. printing?
Print quality depends mostly on your files, the paper, and the proof rather than on the country of the press. Approve the E-Proof carefully, and order a physical proof or a paper sample kit if color on a specific stock matters.
What is the minimum order?
In the Printseoul instant quote the minimum is 100 copies, and 200 copies for hardcover.
Do you deliver to my door?
Yes. Printseoul arranges door-to-door delivery to the address you provide through freight forwarding partners, by air, by ocean, or split between the two.
Related reading
- Air vs. Ocean Freight for Printed Books from Korea
- How Long Does Overseas Book Printing Take? From Files to Your Door