Sulbing Franchise Cost: US vs Korea (2026)
Sulbing, founded in Busan in 2013 and now headquartered in Seoul, is Korea's signature dessert-cafe franchise, built around injeolmi bingsu — shaved-ice desserts topped with roasted soybean powder — alongside teas and toasts. The chain counts roughly 586 stores, including about 12 outlets across 6 overseas markets, and expands abroad through master-franchise partnerships [3]. Sulbing now publishes cost information in two very different regulatory systems: a fresh US Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) issued in October 2025 and Korea's domestic disclosure figures. This guide lays out what each discloses — and why the two markets are not directly comparable.
Sulbing at a glance
- Founded 2013 in Busan; franchising since 2013; now headquartered in Seoul [3]
- Roughly 586 stores, with about 12 overseas across 6 countries [3]
- Overseas growth runs through master-franchise partnerships; operating in Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand, with a 2025 Philippines debut at SM Mall of Asia [3]
- A US arm — Sulbing Franchise LLC (Carrollton, Texas) — filed a US FDD in October 2025 to sub-franchise stateside [3]
US franchise costs
In the United States, Sulbing's costs come from the FDD issued 2025-10-31 by Sulbing Franchise LLC [2]. It discloses a total initial investment ranging from $489,960 [2] to $979,960 [2] — a spread that typically reflects location size, market, and build-out condition. The initial franchise fee is disclosed as $62,000–$64,000 [2]. Because this FDD is brand-new, it is the controlling document for any US conversation; ongoing royalty and advertising terms appear in its Items 6 and 11 and should be read directly from it.
Korea franchise costs
In Korea, the reported startup-cost breakdown puts the franchise fee (가맹비) at ₩10,000,000 [1]. Total startup cost scales with store size: ₩151,500,000 for a 30-pyeong store [1] up to ₩209,500,000 for a 60-pyeong store [1] — both excluding real estate: the premises deposit and key money (권리금), which in Korea are often the single largest outlay, are not included. The summary does not state a disclosure year, so treat the vintage as unconfirmed.
US vs Korea: side by side
| Cost item | United States (Oct 2025 FDD) | South Korea (reported disclosure) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $62,000–$64,000 [2] | ₩10,000,000 [1] |
| Total initial investment (low) | $489,960 [2] | ₩151,500,000 (30-pyeong) [1] |
| Total initial investment (high) | $979,960 [2] | ₩209,500,000 (60-pyeong) [1] |
| Disclosure basis | US FDD issued 2025-10-31 [2] | KR breakdown, year not stated [1] |
How to read these numbers
Three caveats before comparing across the table:
- The ranges mean different things. The Korean low and high are the SAME scope at two store sizes — 30-pyeong versus 60-pyeong [1] — while the US Item 7 range reflects varying market and build-out conditions [2]. Don't read either as a small-print/large-print version of the other.
- The scopes differ. The Korean figures exclude the premises deposit and key money [1]; US FDD Item 7 ranges treat real estate variably. Neither is "everything you will spend."
- A dessert cafe is a heavy build. Bingsu production means refrigeration and prep equipment on top of standard cafe fit-out — one structural reason the US totals ($489,960 [2] to $979,960 [2]) run high for the category.
Other markets
Beyond the US and Korea, Sulbing operates in Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand through master-franchise partners, with a 2025 Philippines entry at SM Mall of Asia; the brand states the US and Southeast Asia as its priority regions [3]. Master-franchise terms for those markets are negotiated case by case and are not published in the disclosures cited here.
How to verify
Before making any decision, confirm every figure directly in the franchisor's current disclosure document: in the United States, request the latest Sulbing Franchise LLC FDD — the October 2025 filing at this writing [2] — and read Items 5-7; in Korea, pull the current 정보공개서 from the KFTC franchise disclosure system. Third-party summaries — including this guide — can lag the most recent filing, and the only binding numbers are those in the disclosure document and franchise agreement you are actually offered.
Figures are historical, come from the named source, and are not a promise or projection of your results. Costs and outcomes vary by market, site and operator.
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This website is not an offer to sell a franchise. We are an independent consultancy, not a franchisor, and we do not offer or sell franchises. A franchise is offered only through the franchisor's own disclosure document in jurisdictions where such documents are required. Investment figures are compiled from the named public sources; costs and results vary.