How K-beauty went from a viral trend to an economic power...

What’s Happening

Breaking it down: Inside the K-beauty industry that has made South Korea a major player in worldwide beauty market.

How K-beauty went from a viral trend to an economic powerhouse 3 hours ago Save Suranjana Tewari Asia Business Correspondent, Seoul, South Korea Save Watch: Korean skincare is a multi-billion dollar industry - what makes it so solid? Who would have thought serums infused with snail mucin - the sticky substance they secrete - would become a part of skincare routines around the world? (and honestly, same)

Well, its happened - and the gooey elasticity is key, according to a viral TikTok challenge promoting the serum.

The Details

It made its manufacturer, the small South Korean label CosRX, go global. It is now owned by Amorepacific, the countrys biggest cosmetics company.

The rapid spread of that sticky serum tells you just how wildly successful K-beauty has become. Fuelled and trends, it is one of the biggest industries in South Korea, where the pressure to look almost flawless has always been huge in a highly competitive society.

Why This Matters

The domestic market alone was valued at about $13bn (£9. 6bn) in 2024, with sales of some products expected to grow at double-digit rates. And the rest of the world is just as obsessed with K-beauty - which is perhaps unsurprising given its part of the Hallyu, or Korean Wave, which has made K-Pop and K-dramas a global phenomenon.

This reflects broader trends we’re seeing in the business world right now.

The Bottom Line

Search for “Korean skincare” on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube and youll be met with a deluge of content from influencers, some of whom have hundreds of millions of followers. They dissect ingredient lists, film unboxings and record “Get Ready With Me” videos built around ideas such as “glass skin”, sheet masks and, of course, snail mucin.

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