📌 This message applies only to customers in the United States. If your order is being shipped to a country outside the U.S., this notice does not apply to you.

Dear US Customers,

We have made the difficult decision to temporarily halt all shipments to the United States.

This change comes as a result of new US duty and tariff policies that took effect on August 29, 2025 (ending the duty-free “de minimis” exemption). 

In response to this new policy, our shipping partner, Korea Postal Service, has suspended all parcel shipments from Korea to the US. At this time, they are awaiting clarification from US Customs on how tariffs and rates will be applied. Until this guidance is issued, shipments cannot be processed.

Please know that we are monitoring the situation closely and will resume service to the US as soon as it becomes possible. 

While the timeline is uncertain, we hope that Korea Post will resolve these issues within the next 2–4 months.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support 🫡.

With gratitude,

The Gochujar Team

Q1. I already placed an order to the US. What happens now?

If your order has not yet shipped, we will issue you a full refund. Orders that were dispatched before August 29, 2025 will continue to move through the system, but please expect possible customs delays.

Q2. When do you expect shipments to the US to resume?

At this time, it is difficult to know. Korea Postal Service is working with US Customs to clarify tariff rules. 

We hope service will resume within 2–4 months, but this timeline is not guaranteed.

Q3. Does this affect customers outside the US?

No. This suspension only applies to US deliveries. Shipments to all other countries remain unaffected and are operating as normal.

Q4. Can I place an order now to be shipped later?

We recommend waiting until service officially resumes. Orders placed during the suspension period cannot be processed or held in queue.

(Published on Aug 26th, 2025)

Starting August 29, 2025, international packages sent to the U.S. will no longer be duty-free.

Previously, low-value shipments were exempt from import duties under the “de minimis” rule — but this exemption is ending.

This major policy change was announced through a formal Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump.

What this means for your order:

- All shipments to US from Korea (and all other countries) will now be subject to import duties, taxes, or flat customs fees.

- This applies regardless of order value, including small and personal-use packages.

The U.S. may apply either:

- A flat customs fee ($80–$200/parcel), OR

- A standard customs duty based on product type and origin.

Note: It’s currently difficult to give an exact estimate of U.S. customs fees. This is a new policy, and charges may vary depending on the item, shipping method, and how U.S. Customs handles your shipment.

❗ Please read: 

Customers are fully responsible for any import duties, VAT, or customs handling fees charged upon delivery.

It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure duties are paid and delivery can be completed.

We do not offer refunds, returns, or cancellations due to customs-related charges or delivery delays.

Orders that are refused due to unpaid customs fees or returned to us after failed delivery attempts are also not eligible for a refund.

How to Reduce Costs:

- Bundle your items into one larger order to reduce repeat fees.

Gochujar Editor Note:

If you're planning to order from Gochujar, please do so as soon as possible to ensure your parcel arrives before the new policy takes effect.

📌  This message applies only to customers in the United States. If your order is being shipped to a country outside the U.S., this notice does not apply to you.

The average delivery time to U.S. addresses is currently about 1~1.5 weeks.

We offer a flat-rate international delivery fee of $5 for U.S. addresses. 

However, if you order two or more items, shipping is completely free!

Sure! Please take a screenshot of your cart and email it to daniel[at]gochujar.com. 

We'll then send you a PayPal invoice for quick and easy payment with just one click.

You can apply your store credit on the 'Cart' page. 

Simply use the drop-down box at the bottom of the page (see below).

You can apply discount codes on both mobile and web.

On mobile, enter the discount code in the final step of checkout, under the 'Payment' section

On the web, enter the discount code in the first step of checkout, under the 'Information' section

All reviews are genuine. 

However, we periodically import customer reviews from our international store, Gochujar Global, which serves non-U.S. customers. 

Since these orders are placed outside of Gochujar, they do not receive the 'verified' label.

Rest assured, they are real customer reviews.

Your product reviews make a meaningful impact!

They help other customers decide whether to purchase a product and provide us with valuable feedback on whether to continue sourcing it.

We understand that writing a review takes time, so as a thank-you, we’ll credit your account with $1.50 for each product review!

To leave a review, simply visit the product page and click the 'Write Review' button. 

You can also check your email (including your spam folder) for a direct review link.

Sure! Let me explain how tracking updates work:

While your parcel is in Korea, tracking updates are provided by Korea Postal Service.

Once the parcel leaves Korea, updates are handled by United States Postal Service (USPS).

Note: USPS updates the tracker only after the parcel has cleared U.S. Customs.

However, if there are no updates for more than 3 weeks, please contact daniel[at]gochujar.com for assistance.

- For Korea Postal Service Tracking Tool, click here.

- For USPS Tracking Tool, click here.

Yes, we receive this request often, and we can deliver to Korea!

At checkout, please enter the recipient's address in English. 

We'll convert it to Korean to ensure smooth delivery. 

Orders typically deliver within 2–3 days within Korea.