Seoul– Coupang, one of the largest South Korean online retailer platforms, confirmed that nearly 34 million customers’ names, phone numbers, addresses, and order histories had been accessed without authorization. The company said credit card information and passwords were not leaked, but cybersecurity experts warned that the exposed data could still increase risks of scams and targeted fraud.
But despite rising privacy concerns, interviews with single-person households and couples suggest the incident has done little to change shopping behavior.
“I always got spam calls even before this,” said a college student who lives alone in Seoul. “I don’t trust any platform with my data, but I still need things delivered by tomorrow morning.” She said she continues to use Coupang’s dawn delivery service, which brings groceries and daily goods before 7 a.m.
Several young adults living alone shared similar views, saying they were uneasy about home addresses being exposed but were not surprised by the leak. Many said they had long assumed their personal information was vulnerable online and saw the breach as part of a broader privacy problem rather than a Coupang-specific issue.
Couples and families expressed anxiety, especially about family information being included in leaked order histories. But they also reported little change in their reliance on the platform.
“We buy food and cleaning supplies almost every week,” said a couple. “Even if we’re worried, we can’t stop using Coupang. Other services just don’t match the speed.”
Analysts say the reactions reflect a growing contradiction in South Korea’s digital economy: users distrust major platforms yet depend on them for daily life. Coupang dominates the online retail market with its same-day and dawn delivery network, which competitors have struggled to match.
For most users, convenience has become the most important thing. Even significant privacy incidents aren’t enough to push users away if no comparable alternative exists.
Despite concerns about future misuse of their data, most interviewees said they would continue using Coupang unless another platform offered the same service level.
“I’m worried,” One of the interviewees said. “But the reality is, I’ll still order from Coupang.”
