SALGOO FAQ: photo specs, price, delivery, and compensation
By Yu Ik-joo · Owner of Jaeil Studio, serving Cheongdam for 45 years
Published · Updated
Answers about photo requirements, pricing, delivery, and refunds.
Upload a photo and our experts retouch it naturally for the document you need. For ₩9,900, you get a digital file within 24 hours of payment and six prints shipped free in Korea in 2–3 business days. If an eligible Passport / Driver's license order is rejected for photo specs, you can receive conditional compensation of 10× what you paid (₩99,000 on a ₩9,900 order).
About SALGOO
01What is SALGOO?
SALGOO is an online photo service for people living in Korea. Upload a photo you already have, and studio experts retouch it naturally for the photo type you choose: Passport / Driver's license, ARC (Alien Registration Card) / Visa, or Resume / ID. We check your photo against the specs before you pay, then retouch it and give it a final expert review, drawing on 45 years at Jaeil Studio in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. You get a digital file plus six prints delivered to your home in Korea. Take it at home. The pros finish it.
02Can I use a photo I already have?
Yes. No need to book a studio session; just upload a photo you have. Our experts adjust the lighting and white background to the specs for your photo type, with natural retouching and no reshaping. For government applications, the photo must have been taken within the last 6 months.
03Will I still look like me?
Yes. We work from your original photo and adjust only skin tone, lighting, and the background, naturally and with no reshaping. A studio expert gives every photo a final review. ID photos must show what you really look like, and issuing offices can reject photos that are heavily altered or composited.
Photo requirements
04Can I take my photo at home with my phone?
Yes. Use a front-facing photo taken within the last 6 months that meets the specs for your document. Face a window with a plain white wall behind you, keep your face and shoulders square to the camera, close your mouth, and turn off filters and beauty mode. Have someone else take the photo from a few steps away, then upload the original from your photo library. Our detailed at-home photo guide (in Korean) is at /guide/home-passport-photo.
05What are the photo requirements for ARCs and passports?
ARC (Alien Registration Card) photos are 3.5 × 4.5 cm on a white background, with a face length of 2.5–3.5 cm. Korean passport photos are the same size but need a face length of 3.2–3.6 cm, and digital files should be 413 × 531 px (recommended) and no larger than 500 KB. For both, face forward with a neutral expression and open eyes, with no glare on glasses and no hair over your eyebrows. Choose the right photo type and check your issuing office's requirements. We don't currently offer other countries' passport formats, such as the US 2 × 2 inch photo.
06Can I wear glasses or smile?
Face forward with your eyes open and a neutral expression. If you wear glasses, there must be no glare on the lenses. We can naturally adjust color, brightness, and the background, but we can't fix an expression or gaze that doesn't meet the rules. Our check before payment flags photos that may not meet the requirements.
07Which photo type should I choose for an ARC, a visa, or a job application?
Match the type to your application: ARC (Alien Registration Card) / Visa (3.5 × 4.5 cm), Passport / Driver's license (3.5 × 4.5 cm), or Resume / ID (3 × 4 cm). ARC and Korean passport photos have different face-length rules. Resumes and job applications may accept either 3 × 4 cm or 3.5 × 4.5 cm, so check the employer's instructions first. Daycares and private academies usually accept 3 × 4 cm.
Price and delivery
08How much is it? Are retouching and prints included?
A single ₩9,900 payment covers expert retouching, a high-resolution digital file, six premium prints, and free shipping in Korea. There are no paid add-ons. We send your digital file within 24 hours of payment, and your prints arrive in 2–3 business days.
09Can I get just the retouched file, without prints?
No. SALGOO offers one ₩9,900 package that includes retouching, prints, and shipping. There's no digital-only or print-only option, so you'll receive six prints even if you only need the digital file.
10How long does delivery take?
Your digital file comes first: we send it within 24 hours of payment and let you know. Your six prints arrive at your home in Korea in 2–3 business days, shipped free.
Rejection compensation and refunds
11What if my passport photo is rejected?
If you ordered the Passport / Driver's license type and the issuing office rejects our photo for photo specs when you apply for a passport or driver's license, we pay 10× what you paid: ₩99,000 on a ₩9,900 order, including your refund. You can choose one free retouch instead. Send us written proof from the issuing office (a rejection or refusal notice, or a request for correction, stating the photo-related reason) within 7 days of the rejection notice date. Your application must have been filed within 60 days of when we sent your digital file. Verbal feedback or an official's contact details alone aren't enough. ARC / Visa and Resume / ID orders aren't covered. See the refund policy for all conditions.
12What if the counter won't accept my application because of the photo?
Ask the counter to formally accept your application. Under Article 9 of the Civil Petitions Treatment Act, government offices can't refuse to accept a civil petition. If they ask you to submit a different photo, ask for that request in writing (Article 22 of the Act and Article 24 of its Enforcement Decree). If an application is rejected or refused after it's accepted, you must be notified in writing with the reason (Article 27). For Government24 online applications, the rejection notice screen showing the reason counts as an electronic document, and you can request a paper copy (Article 27(2)).
13I'm worried an online passport photo will get rejected.
We lower that risk in two ways. Before you pay, we check your pose, expression, background, and more, and flag likely problems. And if an eligible Passport / Driver's license order is still rejected by the issuing office for photo specs, our conditional 10× compensation pays ₩99,000 on a ₩9,900 order. Send us written proof within 7 days of the rejection notice. A change of mind, wanting a different expression or angle, or an original photo more than 6 months old isn't covered. See the refund policy for full eligibility; ARC / Visa and Resume / ID orders aren't covered.
14When can't I get a refund or compensation?
We don't offer refunds or compensation for a change of mind, for wanting a different expression or angle, or for prints lost or damaged after delivery. Rejections by unofficial recipients, such as daycares, private academies, or employers, and rejections for reasons other than photo specs don't qualify for 10× compensation. Originals more than 6 months old or clearly outside passport guidelines (closed eyes, a hat, or a side-facing pose) aren't covered either. You can get a full refund before we send your file. After that, refunds are limited because the product includes digital content. See the full refund policy for cancellation timing and exceptions.
Privacy and order tracking
15How do you store my photos and facial data?
Korean privacy law treats face photos as sensitive biometric information, so we collect and use them only with your separate consent. They're permanently deleted automatically 30 days after retouching and delivery are complete.
16How do I check on my order?
Go to salgoo.kr/en/order/lookup, enter your order number, and verify your phone details to see its status. After you pay, we also text you your order number and a tracking link.