Privacy Policy

UpKorean (upkorean.com) is a Korean-learning web app for English-speaking learners, operated by Valuecore Labs (밸류코어 랩스) from South Korea. Operator and customer-service details are on our Business Information page. For privacy questions, contact hello@upkorean.com.

This policy describes how we handle personal data when you use our website, Progressive Web App (PWA), waitlist, accounts, lessons, and microphone-based speaking practice. It is written in English to match our product UI.

Depending on how you use UpKorean, we may process:

• Waitlist / contact email — if you join the launch waitlist or email us.
• Account data — email address and profile details from Google sign-in or email magic link (via Supabase Auth). We do not offer password signup.
• Learning progress — completed lessons, placement/goal choices, review queue state, and related preferences (stored locally and/or synced when you are signed in).
• Speaking practice audio — short clips you record for pronunciation assessment. Audio is sent to our speech scoring provider to return scores and may be stored briefly as needed to operate the feature. On your device, we may also keep your first and latest attempt per practice line for the optional “voice journey” (then vs now) playback — clearable with browser site data.
• Technical data — IP address, device/browser type, approximate location derived from IP, and logs needed to run and secure the service (hosting, auth, APIs).
• Payment data (when paid plans launch) — billing is handled by Paddle as merchant of record. We receive subscription status and limited account identifiers needed to unlock Plus; we do not store full card numbers.

• Provide lessons, progress, review, and pronunciation feedback.
• Create and manage your account; send auth magic links.
• Operate the waitlist and send launch or product emails you requested.
• Secure the service, prevent abuse, and debug outages.
• Comply with law and respond to lawful requests.
• When paid: fulfill subscriptions and customer support related to billing status.

We use trusted providers to run UpKorean, including:

• Vercel — website hosting and delivery.
• Supabase — authentication and database (progress / profiles when synced).
• Microsoft Azure Speech — pronunciation assessment for Korean speaking practice.
• Email delivery (e.g. Resend) — waitlist and transactional mail.
• Paddle — merchant of record for paid checkout (when enabled).

These providers process data on our instructions and may store or process data outside South Korea (including the US/EU), subject to their security and transfer mechanisms.

Speak attempts exist so we can score pronunciation and improve your practice loop. We aim to retain attempt audio only as long as needed for scoring, support, abuse prevention, and product quality — then delete or de-identify it.

Voice-journey clips (first vs latest take) stay in your browser’s local storage on that device and are not uploaded for cloud sync in the current version.

You may request deletion of your account-linked speaking data by emailing hello@upkorean.com. We will respond within a reasonable period. Local-only progress on a device can also be cleared by clearing site data in your browser.

We use cookies and similar storage that are necessary for authentication, security, and core product features (including remembering install-prompt dismissals on your device).

When product analytics is enabled, we may use PostHog (or a similar provider) to understand lesson completion, speaking practice outcomes, and retention. That may set first-party analytics cookies or local storage. We do not currently run third-party advertising cookies. You can request analytics-related deletion via hello@upkorean.com.

Depending on where you live (for example under GDPR in the EEA/UK or CCPA/CPRA in California), you may have rights to access, correct, delete, export, or restrict certain processing of your personal data, and to object to certain uses. You may also lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

To exercise rights, email hello@upkorean.com. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.

UpKorean is aimed at adults and older teens learning Korean. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided data, contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

If you access UpKorean from outside South Korea, you understand that we and our processors may process your data in South Korea and other countries. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards offered by our providers and applicable law.

We may update this policy as the product evolves (for example when Plus billing launches). The “Last updated” date at the top will change. Material changes will be highlighted on this page or by email when appropriate.

Privacy contact: hello@upkorean.com
Related: Terms of Service