fluentlocal

Design localization · CJK (China · Japan · Korea)

Translated —
still foreign?

Your translator made the words correct — but the page still reads imported, and that quietly costs trust. I rebuild the design so it reads native. Not a word changed.

The method

Authority comes from evidence, not nationality.

I reference dozens of proven local sites in each market — and prove the result with a before/after.

See the before / after ▸ Start a project

Design only — translation & native-text quality stay with you and your reviewers.

Just translated
Japanese — just translated, imported design
Localized
Japanese — localized to native conventions

Japanese, same content — only the design changed. See all markets in the demo →

The gap

Translation isn’t the problem. Design is.

Typography

CJK text inherited from your English font reads as “no one local touched this” — the type was never set for the script.

Density & layout

Western spacing rarely fits CJK markets — each has its own density and rhythm.

Trust signals

★ ratings, badges, QR, certifications — the shape of trust differs by market.

The work

The same page, rebuilt to feel native.

A before/after on a sample brand (SÉVA, illustrative) — English original, a naive translated fallback, and a market-localized design. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

Open the before / after ▸

Live demo. Editable source is shared after we start a project.

How it works

01

Audit

I read your current localized page against dozens of proven native sites in that market — where it still reads imported.

02

Localize the design

Typography, spacing, density, trust-signal layout rebuilt for local eyes. Your content and translation stay yours.

03

Build & hand off

Production-ready pages, delivered. Run it through escrow if you like — your call.

Markets

Built for CJK — one craft, three markets.

CN

Chinese

Simplified & Traditional — distinct markets. Density, red/gold, WeChat/QR, ICP.

JP

Japanese

Gothic + Mincho mix, density, ★-rating trust bars.

KR

Korean

Toss/Naver-era minimalism, bold weight, mobile-first.

Authority comes from evidence, not nationality: I reference dozens of proven local sites in each market and prove the result with a before/after.

You keep your translator.
I localize the design.

This is design adaptation, not translation. Your copy and its native-language review stay with you and your local reviewers — I rebuild how the page looks and reads for the market. Two specialists, not a turf war.

FAQ

Do you translate my text?

No. I localize the design — layout, typography, density, trust signals. You (or your translator) provide the copy.

How is this different from a translator?

A translator makes the words correct. The page can still look imported. I fix how it is spaced, sized, and structured for local eyes.

Which markets?

CJK — China (Simplified & Traditional), Japan, and Korea: the East-Asian markets where web design genuinely differs from the West.

Who is responsible for the wording?

You. This service is design adaptation only — translation, native-text quality, and final local review are the client (and the client’s local reviewers).

Who you work with

A founder-led studio.

fluentlocal is a one-person, founder-led design-localization studio. I’m Heonki Lee — you work directly with me, start to finish.

I don’t claim to represent a whole market. I work from evidence: studying dozens of proven local sites in each CJK market, and proving every result with a before/after. Design only — translation and native-text review stay with you and your reviewers.

Start a project

Entering China, Japan, or Korea?

Send your live URL and the target market. I’ll reply with a quick read and a before/after direction.

founder@fluentlocal.com

New to working together? Start with a 30% deposit and run it through escrow (Upwork or Escrow.com) — you release the balance only for work you’ve approved.