Quick answer: The biggest Korean companies in California are Hyundai Motor America (Fountain Valley), Kia America (Irvine), Samsung’s semiconductor and research teams (San Jose and Mountain View), SK hynix America (San Jose), Korean Air and the Hanjin-owned Wilshire Grand (Los Angeles), Nongshim America (Rancho Cucamonga), CJ’s food business, and HYBE America and CJ ENM America in LA. Korean-American banks such as Bank of Hope, Hanmi, and PCB Bank are major LA employers too, but they are U.S. banks, not subsidiaries of Korean groups.
California has more Korean employers than most people realize, and they are not all in Koreatown. Korean companies in California run car company headquarters in Orange County, chip design teams in Silicon Valley, food plants in the Inland Empire, and entertainment offices in Los Angeles.
The mix is very different from the factory-heavy South. Here, most jobs are corporate, technical, or creative. This guide maps the main players by region, explains which ones are Korean-owned versus Korean-American, and shows you how to approach them.
Key takeaways
- Orange County is the auto hub: Hyundai, Kia, and their finance arm are all within a short drive.
- Silicon Valley is where Samsung and SK hynix do chip, software, and research work.
- Samsung is moving its U.S. headquarters to Texas, but its California tech teams are a separate story.
- Korean-American banks are not the same as Korean bank branches, and the culture can differ.
- Most corporate roles at Korean companies in California are English-first, with Korean as a plus.
Why Korean companies in California cluster where they do
Three things drive the map. Southern California has the largest Korean-American community in the U.S., which built a deep base of Korean banks, food brands, and service firms around Los Angeles. Orange County became the U.S. home of Hyundai and Kia decades ago. And Silicon Valley pulls in Korean tech giants that need to be near American chip customers and engineers.
So when you search for Korean companies in California, think in three regions: Orange County, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, and the Bay Area.
Orange County: Hyundai, Kia, and the auto cluster
Hyundai Motor America has its U.S. headquarters in Fountain Valley. Kia America is based in nearby Irvine, along with a design center. Hyundai Capital America, which handles auto financing for both brands, is also based in Irvine.
These are corporate offices, not plants. Many people who work there are American hires with no Korean background, while senior leaders and some coordinators rotate in from Korea. Typical roles at these Korean companies in California include:
- Marketing, product planning, and dealer operations
- Finance, credit risk, and collections
- IT, data, and digital sales
- HR, legal, and compliance
- Parts, service, and connected car programs
Hanwha’s solar company, Qcells, also has a large office in Irvine, which makes Orange County one of the denser spots for Big 5 group employers outside of factory states. For more on how these groups hire nationally, see our guide to hiring at Samsung, LG, Hyundai, SK, and Hanwha.
Silicon Valley: Samsung and SK hynix
The Bay Area is where Korean companies in California do their most technical work.
Samsung Semiconductor and Samsung Research America
Samsung’s U.S. semiconductor business is headquartered in San Jose, on North First Street. Samsung Research America runs its main campus in Mountain View, with labs working on software, AI, and devices, according to Samsung’s newsroom.
You may have read that Samsung is moving its U.S. headquarters to Plano, Texas by the end of 2026. That move is about Samsung Electronics America, the consumer electronics side based in New Jersey. Reporting on the move has focused on the New Jersey headquarters, and Samsung’s chip and research teams in California are separate organizations. Still, check each job post for location before you apply.
SK hynix America
SK hynix, the memory chipmaker in the SK group, runs its U.S. subsidiary from San Jose. Roles lean toward sales, field application engineering, product marketing, and customer support for big tech companies buying memory chips.
California candidates are the hardest to move. Legal and compliance issues get more attention here than anywhere else I recruit, and the cost of living means people rarely change jobs unless the offer is clearly better.
It’s not just rent. California is huge, you drive everywhere, and many Korean companies here don’t want to pay far above market. That makes benefits a bigger part of the conversation than in other states.
If you’re negotiating in California, look at the whole package: health plan, commute, PTO and bonus, not only the base.
Los Angeles and the Inland Empire
Airlines and real estate
Korean Air has long had a major presence in Los Angeles. Its parent, Hanjin Group, owns the Wilshire Grand Center downtown, where the Korean Air logo has lit up the crown.
Food and consumer brands
Food is one of the fastest-growing areas for Korean companies in California.
- Nongshim America has its U.S. headquarters and noodle plant in Rancho Cucamonga.
- CJ CheilJedang, the maker of Bibigo, runs a large dumpling plant in Beaumont, about 78 miles east of LA, with more than 600 workers on site daily, according to Edaily. CJ also has food operations in Orange County.
- Daesang runs a kimchi plant in the City of Industry.
These companies hire for plant operations, quality, food safety, supply chain, sales, and brand marketing. As Korean food sells into more mainstream U.S. grocery chains, food makers have become some of the most active Korean companies in California for hourly and supervisor roles.
Entertainment and K-content
HYBE America, the U.S. arm of the company behind BTS, is headquartered in Los Angeles, according to a January 2026 company release. CJ ENM America, part of the media group behind many Korean films and shows, is also based in LA. These offices are small compared with automakers, and roles are competitive, but they are real options if you work in music, marketing, or content.
Korean companies vs. Korean-American companies
This difference matters more in California than anywhere else.
| Type | Examples | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Korean-owned subsidiary | Hyundai Motor America, Kia America, Samsung Semiconductor, SK hynix America, Nongshim America | Reports to a parent in Korea; Korean expat managers are common |
| Korean bank’s U.S. arm | Shinhan Bank America, Woori America Bank | Owned by a Korean bank; often Korean-speaking customers |
| Korean-American company | Bank of Hope, Hanmi Bank, PCB Bank, Open Bank | U.S.-founded and U.S.-listed or U.S.-owned; Korean-American leadership |
Korean-American banks are major employers in LA. Bank of Hope alone reported more than $18 billion in assets at the end of 2025 and agreed in 2026 to buy a commercial banking unit with eight Southern California branches. These banks often value Korean language skills for branch and lending roles, but decisions are made in the U.S., not in Seoul. That usually means faster hiring and a culture closer to a typical American bank.
Where Korean skills matter most
Among Korean companies in California, bilingual skills carry the most weight at bank branches, food and trading companies, and coordinator roles that support expat managers. At big tech and auto offices, they are a plus rather than a requirement.
If you speak Korean, our guide to listing Korean on your resume shows how to describe your level honestly.
How to land a job at Korean companies in California
Most Korean companies in California post openings on their own careers sites and LinkedIn, and many mid-size firms also use recruiters. Here is what tends to work:
- Pick a region first. An Orange County auto job and a San Jose chip job are completely different searches.
- Research the parent group. Know whether the company belongs to Hyundai, Samsung, SK, Hanwha, CJ, or another group, and what it does in Korea.
- Show long-term interest. Many Korean employers worry about turnover in California’s competitive market. Explain why you want to stay.
- Prepare for slower decisions. Final approvals sometimes involve headquarters in Korea, so the timeline can stretch.
- Know your number. California pay expectations are high. Read how to negotiate salary at a Korean company before you discuss compensation.
Getting ready for interviews? Get the free Korean Company Interview Playbook for the questions that come up most and how to answer them.
If you are open to moving, compare options in other hubs. Our guides to Korean companies hiring in Texas and Korean companies in New Jersey and New York cover the other big clusters.
FAQ
Do I need to speak Korean to work at Korean companies in California?
For most corporate and technical roles, no. Hyundai, Kia, Samsung, and SK hynix hire many English-only staff. Korean helps for bank branches, food companies, and roles that work closely with headquarters.
Is Samsung leaving California?
Samsung Electronics America is moving its U.S. headquarters from New Jersey to Plano, Texas. Samsung’s semiconductor headquarters in San Jose and Samsung Research America in Mountain View are separate organizations based in California.
Are Korean-American banks considered Korean companies?
Not exactly. Banks like Bank of Hope, Hanmi, and PCB Bank were founded in the U.S. by Korean-Americans. They serve the Korean community but are American companies, unlike Shinhan Bank America or Woori America Bank, which are owned by Korean banks.
Where should a new grad start?
Orange County auto companies and the larger food brands often hire coordinators and analysts. Bay Area chip companies hire new grad engineers, though competition is strong.
California’s Korean business community is big, varied, and spread across the state. Pick your region, learn the parent company, and you will find that Korean companies in California offer more paths than most job seekers expect.
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