KoreaTechDesk | Korean Startup and Technology News

Thu, September 25, 2025

Sign in

Virtual Demo Day
Menu
  • Home
  • Startup News
    • AI & Big Data
    • AR & VR
    • Blockchain
    • Clean Technology
    • Content & Games
    • Cybersecurity
    • Enterprise & SaaS
    • FinTech
    • Gadgets & Electronics
    • Health & Bio
    • Manufacturing
    • Press Release
    • IoT
    • Marketplaces & E-commerce
    • Robotics
    • Transportation
    • Investments
    • Ecosystem & Lists
  • Governments
    • Artificial Intelligence Industry Cluster Agency
    • Daegu Technopark
    • GANGNAM-GU
    • Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator
    • Hwaseong Industry Promotion Agency
    • Invest Seoul
    • Korea Creative Content Agency
    • Korea Internet & Security Agency
    • Korea Information Security Industry Association
    • Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development
    • Korea Tourism Organization
    • Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency
    • Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
    • Ministry of SMEs & Startups
    • National IT Industry Promotion Agency
    • Pangyo Techno Valley
    • Seoul Business Agency
    • Seoul FinTech Lab
    • South Gyeongsang Province
    • Seoul Metropolitan Government
  • Events
    • COMEUP
    • Korea Fintech Week
    • K-Content Expo
    • NextRise
    • Try Everything
  • Interviews
    • Investors’ interviews
    • Founders’ interviews
  • Programs
    • Asan Voyager
    • CAPA Global Program
    • Campus Town Program
    • SGSC Global Bootcamp
    • Gangnam-gu Global Roadshow
    • Global SaaS Marketplace Support Project
    • LAUNCHPAD
    • COMEUP STARS 120
    • K-Startup Grand Challenge
    • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
    • SFL Global Program
    • KTO Global Showcase
    • Yonsei Univ Global Class
    • KOSME Global Program
  • Partner With Us
    • Press Release
    • Startup Scouting
    • Business Agencies
    • Global Mentorship Program
    • Investment Opportunities
    • K-Scouter Program
  • Lists
  • Virtual Demo Day
  • Home
  • Startup News
    • AI & Big Data
    • AR & VR
    • Blockchain
    • Clean Technology
    • Content & Games
    • Cybersecurity
    • Enterprise & SaaS
    • FinTech
    • Gadgets & Electronics
    • Health & Bio
    • Manufacturing
    • Press Release
    • IoT
    • Marketplaces & E-commerce
    • Robotics
    • Transportation
    • Investments
    • Ecosystem & Lists
  • Governments
    • Artificial Intelligence Industry Cluster Agency
    • Daegu Technopark
    • GANGNAM-GU
    • Gyeonggido Business & Science Accelerator
    • Hwaseong Industry Promotion Agency
    • Invest Seoul
    • Korea Creative Content Agency
    • Korea Internet & Security Agency
    • Korea Information Security Industry Association
    • Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development
    • Korea Tourism Organization
    • Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency
    • Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
    • Ministry of SMEs & Startups
    • National IT Industry Promotion Agency
    • Pangyo Techno Valley
    • Seoul Business Agency
    • Seoul FinTech Lab
    • South Gyeongsang Province
    • Seoul Metropolitan Government
  • Events
    • COMEUP
    • Korea Fintech Week
    • K-Content Expo
    • NextRise
    • Try Everything
  • Interviews
    • Investors’ interviews
    • Founders’ interviews
  • Programs
    • Asan Voyager
    • CAPA Global Program
    • Campus Town Program
    • SGSC Global Bootcamp
    • Gangnam-gu Global Roadshow
    • Global SaaS Marketplace Support Project
    • LAUNCHPAD
    • COMEUP STARS 120
    • K-Startup Grand Challenge
    • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
    • SFL Global Program
    • KTO Global Showcase
    • Yonsei Univ Global Class
    • KOSME Global Program
  • Partner With Us
    • Press Release
    • Startup Scouting
    • Business Agencies
    • Global Mentorship Program
    • Investment Opportunities
    • K-Scouter Program
  • Lists
  • Virtual Demo Day
Home Startup AI & Big Data

Upstage’s Solar Pro 2 Beats GPT-4.1 in Global AI Rankings — Korea’s First-Ever AI Frontier Model

by KoreaTechDesk Writer
July 22, 2025
in AI & Big Data
0

Korean AI startup Upstage (업스테이지) has made global AI history. Its next-generation large language model (LLM), Solar Pro 2 (솔라 프로 2), ranked above GPT-4.1 and other leading big tech models in the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, becoming Korea’s first-ever global AI frontier model.

The achievement puts Korea alongside AI giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta in the top 10 of the world’s most advanced frontier model developers—a major leap for the nation’s AI competitiveness.

Solar Pro 2 Outperforms GPT, Mistral, and Chinese AI Leaders

Released on July 21, 2025, Solar Pro 2 scored 58 points in the Intelligence Index — the highest among all Korean-developed LLMs and five points above GPT-4.1.

Performance Highlights:

  • Mistral Small (55 points)
  • GPT-4.1 (53 points)
  • Llama 4 Maverick (51 points)
  • GPT-4o (41 points)

Not only that, but it has also successfully surpassed Chinese models like DeepSeek V3 (53 points) and Moonshot AI’s Kimi K2 (57.59 points). 

The Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index evaluates models across seven key benchmarks, including reasoning, general knowledge, mathematics, and coding. The platform is widely cited in the industry for its transparency and credibility.

Upstage’s Solar Pro 2 ranks above GPT-4.1 in global AI benchmarks, making it Korea’s first AI frontier model and a breakthrough for the nation’s AI industry.
Source: Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (July 2025)

Small Model, Big Results: 31B Parameters vs. 1.7T in xAI’s Grok-4

While most global AI frontier models operate on 100B–200B parameters, the highest-performing, xAI’s Grok-4, uses a massive 1.7 trillion parameters. In contrast, Solar Pro 2 achieves its results with just 31B parameters, making it highly efficient and cost-effective.

Why it matters for businesses:

  • Lower infrastructure costs
  • Faster deployment
  • Comparable or better accuracy than models with far larger architectures

This makes Solar Pro 2 a competitive option for enterprises looking to balance top-tier performance with operational cost savings.

Why This Win Matters for Korea’s AI Industry

This recognition positions South Korea as a serious contender in the global AI race, proving that Korean innovation can rival and even outperform models from the largest tech companies in the US, Europe, and China.

Upstage CEO Kim Sung Hoon stated:

“We are proud that Solar Pro 2, a foundation model developed entirely with Korean technology, stands shoulder to shoulder with the world’s top models. We will continue to refine our models using our proprietary technology, ensuring Korea not only participates in but leads the global AI market.”

What’s Next for Upstage

Upstage plans to release a 100B-parameter LLM aimed at pushing Korea even higher in the global AI frontier rankings. If successful, this could further strengthen Korea’s position as a global AI powerhouse.

– Stay Ahead in Korea’s Startup Scene –
Get real-time insights, funding updates, and policy shifts shaping Korea’s innovation ecosystem.
➡️ Follow KoreaTechDesk on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Threads, Bluesky, Telegram, Facebook, and WhatsApp Channel.

Tags: AIArtificial AnalysisArtificial IntelligenceKorean AI startupSolar Pro 2South KoreaUpstage
Previous Post

Korean Startup Suriwang Manager Gains 70+ Clients in a Month: AI Revolution in Repair Marketing

Next Post

Naver ‘Round Up League’: Connecting Korean Brands with VC Firms, Investors, and Accelerators to Reach Global Markets  

Next Post
Naver Round Up League participants

Naver ‘Round Up League’: Connecting Korean Brands with VC Firms, Investors, and Accelerators to Reach Global Markets  

POPULAR POSTS

Top Korean Dating Apps That Can Help You Make New Conne…
Dating has indeed evolved with the advent…
by KoreaTechDesk Writer · 29 May 2019

10 K-Dramas to watch for some ‘money matters&#821…
K-Dramas are quite a lot in demand globally, with many exciting series streaming on international online entertainment platforms. K-Dramas serve…
by Jinju Jeon · 24 Apr 2020

Top Restaurant Apps to try out for a fine dining experi…
If you are visiting South Korea, then you would want to taste the local cuisine, relish amazing food preparations at…
by KoreaTechDesk Writer · 28 May 2019

Korean Webtoon Companies that are giving the Audience A…
The Korean webtoon industry is experiencing remarkable growth, buoyed by the success of K-Drama, K-Pop, and K-movies, alongside the increasing…
by Aditi Dave · 7 May 2022

541 Ventures Has Won The Nomination For Rising Star By …
LOS ANGELES, CALIF., January 23, 2024 – 541 Ventures – a Los Angeles-based frontier tech VC for Asian founders, has…
by KoreaTechDesk Writer · 29 Jan 2024

Register for Event

[the_ad id=”18508″]

MOST READ ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

1.
South Korea’s Ministry of SMEs and Startups Unveils $2.23 Billion Support Plan for Startups in 2025
3 Jan 2025
2.
South Korea Shines at CES 2025: Global Innovation Champion, Record-Breaking K-Startup Pavilion, Award-Winning Innovations
10 Jan 2025
3.
South Korea Opens Applications for the 10th K-Startup Grand Challenge 2025 – Korea’s Flagship Market-Entry Program Offering ₩950M (US$633K) in Government Support 
7 May 2025
4.
K-Startup Grand Challenge : Empowering Global Startups and Driving Innovation in South Korea
28 Apr 2025
5.
AI in South Korea: Startups Leading the Generative AI Revolution
1 Apr 2025

List Article

1.
6 Reasons Why Seoul Is Poised to Become a Top 5 Global Economic Hub by 2030
20 Aug 2024
2.
Top Co-working Spaces for Startups & Companies to Explore in South Korea
3 Apr 2024
3.
Top Accelerators in South Korea Shaping Startup Success
29 Nov 2023
4.
Top Korean Venture Capital Firms Backing Startup Success
26 Oct 2023
5.
Top Apps for Seamless Korean to English Translation
14 Aug 2023

Similar Articles

AI & Big Data

Global AI Infrastructure Future: Efficiency, Orchestration, and Abstraction — Why CB Insights Sees Korean Startups Leading the Charge

More
AI & Big Data

Korea’s Rebellions Scales Up with RebelQuad — Positioning as a Non-U.S. Alternative in the Global AI Chip Race

More
AI & Big Data

FuriosaAI Showcases RNGD at OpenAI Korea Launch — A Step Toward Solving AI’s Power and Cost Bottleneck

More

Topics

Menu
  • AI & Big Data
  • AR & VR
  • Blockchain
  • Clean Technology
  • Content & Games
  • Cybersecurity
  • Enterprise & SaaS
  • FinTech
  • Gadgets & Electronics
  • Health & Bio
  • IoT

Program

Menu
  • Asan Voyager
  • CAPA Global Program
  • SGSC Global Bootcamp
  • LAUNCHPAD
  • COMEUP STARS 120
  • K-Startup Grand Challenge
  • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
  • SFL Global Program
  • KTO Global Showcase
  • Yonsei Univ Global Class
  • KOSME Global Program

About

Menu
  • About Us
  • all articles
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Cookie-policy
  • twitter

Subscribe and be informed first hand about actual Korean startup news.

All the day’s headlines and highlights, direct to you every morning.

Contact us : [email protected]

Topics

Menu
  • AI & Big Data
  • AR & VR
  • Blockchain
  • Clean Technology
  • Content & Games
  • Cybersecurity
  • Enterprise & SaaS
  • FinTech
  • Gadgets & Electronics
  • Health & Bio
  • IoT

Program

Menu
  • Asan Voyager
  • CAPA Global Program
  • SGSC Global Bootcamp
  • LAUNCHPAD
  • COMEUP STARS 120
  • K-Startup Grand Challenge
  • TIPS X beSUCCESS Global Project
  • SFL Global Program
  • KTO Global Showcase
  • Yonsei Univ Global Class
  • KOSME Global Program

About

Menu
  • About Us
  • all articles
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Cookie-policy
  • twitter

Subscribe and be informed first hand about actual Korean startup news.

All the day’s headlines and highlights, direct to you every morning.

© 2023 Koreantech News & Media Korea Zrt. All rights reserved.

Our Spring Sale Has Started

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

Our Spring Sale Has Started

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

We hope you enjoy our content, May you please give us Feedback regarding our website!

Single Post Feedback

dgdfgfdgdf

What you think about Koreatechdesk, Share your idea with us!

feedback popup

Invitation submission has been closed

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.