Kia’s top salesman focuses on compact sedans, SUVs for sales milestone

Kim Yoo-hyun, a sales "great master" at Kia / Courtesy of Kia

Kim Yoo-hyun, a sales "great master" at Kia, has adopted a strategy of maximizing sales for compact sedans and SUVs for his target customers, the elderly, who often have less purchasing power than other age groups.

He became the carmaker’s 12th "great master" by achieving accumulated sales of more than 5,000 cars over the course of 32 years. The title is the company's highest honor, given to those who attain high sales figures.

Kim is based in Yeongdo District in the southern port city of Busan. The elderly population is higher Busan than in Seoul or any other metropolitan area in Korea.

“I focused on selling compact vehicles, such as the Morning, K3 small sedans and the Sportage compact SUV,” he said during a telephone interview. “Demand for such low-priced vehicles remains high in the region.”

He joined Kia in 1993, and by February 2025, he had sold 5,016 cars, which is approximately 156 vehicles a year.

Kim keeps in contact with his customers even after the sale is complete by helping them with their auto maintenance.

“When I get a phone call from customers complaining about any defects in their vehicles, I visit them and pick up their vehicles for repair and maintenance,” he said. “This is beyond my role as a salesman, but I have done the same work for more than three decades for my customers, which I believe is the driving force behind my robust sales figures.”

Customers satisfied with his trustworthy after-sales service recommended him to their acquaintances in the same region, Kim said.

“My sales philosophy is simple: take care of my customers for good,” he said. “I followed the rule for my entire life. One of my core strengths lies in the ability to resolve customers’ complaints.”