Now ranked No. 2 worldwide, Korea's beauty industry eyes next surge at flagship Seoul expo

Korea's beauty industry, now the world's second-largest cosmetics exporter with $11.4 billion in exports last year, will host the fifth annual Seoul Beauty Week from Aug. 22 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, featuring a record 152 companies including AI-driven beauty-tech firms, as announced by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Korea’s multibillion-dollar beauty sector is operating at full throttle. Last year, the nation exported $11.4 billion in cosmetics, surpassing the United States to become the world’s second-largest exporter behind France. Surprisingly, this boom hasn't been driven by corporate conglomerates, but by independent brands — small-to-mid-size startups that now generate 72.5 percent of all Korean beauty exports. Now, as the global appetite for Korean cosmetics shifts from internet popularity to a permanent fixture of daily skin care, Seoul is preparing to lay the groundwork for the industry's future. Municipal officials announced Tuesday that the fifth annual Seoul Beauty Week will open on Aug. 22 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza. The four-day trade showcase, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will gather a record 152 companies spanning skin care startups, aesthetic medical firms, wellness brands and artificial intelligence AI -driven beauty-tech pioneers. Long serving as a crucial launching pad for niche Korean labels expanding overseas, the fair is sharpening its focus on commer