In Korea
You list the business on Naver Place, hand out flyers, and the neighborhood knows.
In the U.S.
Customers look at star ratings and photos on Google Maps and Yelp before they come. There are rules on how you ask for reviews, how you send text messages, and even how you advertise drink discounts.
Basic channels
| Channel | Rules | To do |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | Reviews given in exchange for a discount or a free item, and asking only satisfied customers for reviews, are prohibited. | Register as soon as your address is confirmed. Ask every customer for a review in the same way, with no reward. One QR code at the register is enough. |
| Yelp | Yelp states that you should not ask anyone for reviews. Reviews that appear to have been solicited are left out of its recommended reviews. | Do not ask. Fill in photos, business hours and your price list, and reply to reviews. |
| Instagram · TikTok | Business accounts cannot use general music commercially and must use only tracks cleared for commercial use. | Film mainly the room atmosphere, lighting and food. If customers appear, get their written consent. |
| Korean-American media | — | Check the Korea Daily business directory and the business listings and advertising packages of Korean-language radio stations. Ask each outlet for its rates. |
Ways to widen your customer base
- Packages — Private-room karaoke venues in the U.S. list birthdays, company team gatherings, pre-wedding parties and children's parties as separate menu items.
- Online booking — Let customers book and pay for rooms online. Example: one venue in Portland charges no cancellation fee but bills for the full reserved time even if the party arrives late.
- Filling slow hours — Lower the room rate or offer a flat per-person price on weekday early evenings and daytimes. Example: some venues advertise a $12 flat rate per person on Tuesdays and half-price rooms on Wednesdays.
- Groups — Set up a single point of contact for group bookings from church small groups, alumni associations, golf groups and nearby companies. Make any benefit for the organizer a room upgrade or extra time, not alcohol.
- English-language information — Prepare your price list, song search instructions and booking policy in both Korean and English.
Caution: what not to do
- Fake reviews and rewarded reviews — Since October 2024, a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule has prohibited writing and buying fake reviews, rewards conditioned on a particular rating, and insider reviews that do not disclose the relationship. Civil penalties can apply for each violation.
- Promotional texts without consent — The general interpretation is that promotional text messages require prior written consent (Telephone Consumer Protection Act, TCPA). Obtain consent to receive messages separately on your booking screen.
- Email — Include a physical address, explain how to opt out, and process opt-out requests within 10 business days (CAN-SPAM).
- Advertising free or discounted alcohol — This varies by state. Example: Massachusetts prohibits drink discounts (happy hours) and advertising them, and California prohibits licensed venues from giving prizes or free goods in connection with the sale of alcohol. It is safer to attach discounts to the room rate rather than to alcohol, and you should confirm even that with your licensing lawyer.
- Customer photos and video — California and New York give a person a right to bring a claim if their likeness is used in advertising without consent. Prepare a written consent form.
Timeline before and after opening
| When | To do |
|---|---|
| 12 weeks before | Finalize the business name and its English spelling. Secure the domain and social media account names. Write a one-line description in Korean and English. |
| 10 weeks before | Register a Google Business Profile as opening soon. Claim your Yelp business page. Put up a one-page website with your address and booking information. |
| 8 weeks before | Post the build-out progress twice a week. |
| 6 weeks before | Decide your booking method and no-show policy. Complete the price list. Set three packages: birthday, company and group. |
| 4 weeks before | Register with Korean-American media and get advertising quotes. Contact group organizers and nearby companies directly. Prepare photo and video consent forms. |
| 2 weeks before | Photograph the rooms. Open online booking. Hold two or three trial runs with acquaintances and neighboring businesses as guests. |
| Opening week | Do a final check of business hours, photos and the booking link. Put a Google review QR code at the register. |
| 1 month after opening | Reply to every review within two days. The worse the review, the sooner. Record bookings by day of the week and time slot. |
| 2 months | Discount room rates in slow hours. Promote packages with photos you have consent for. Start collecting consent for texts and email. |
| 3 months | Tally the answers to "How did you hear about us?" and cut the channels that are not working. Rebuild next quarter's budget from actual results. |
A figure of 3–6% of revenue for the marketing budget, and somewhat more in the first six months after opening, circulates widely in the restaurant industry, but the original study has not been identified. Set a fixed amount at first, then reset it after three months based on results.
Sources for this section
- Google, review policy — support.google.com · Yelp, Don't Ask for Reviews — yelp-support.com
- Meta Music Guidelines — facebook.com · TikTok Commercial Music Library — tiktok.com
- FTC, rule banning fake reviews — ftc.gov · CAN-SPAM guide — ftc.gov
- Massachusetts 204 CMR 4.03 — law.cornell.edu · California B&P §25600 — california.public.law
- Venue examples — Voicebox, Insa, Songbird Karaoke
- Korea Daily report on its business directory — koreadaily.com · Radio Seoul advertising information — radioseoul1650.com
Limits of this guide
This guide is general information for people preparing to open a business. It is not legal, tax, immigration or real-estate advice. Permits and rules differ by state and city and change often. This text reflects what we found as of October 2026; confirm it with the relevant agency and with your own attorney and accountant before you sign or file anything.
Before you open
You can ask us first
It is fine if you are still looking at sites. Tell us how many rooms you plan and we will tell you the music licensing fee to put in your budget. Registration is free.