Seoul-backed K-beauty brands set to make global mark

As Korean beauty products continue to captivate global consumers, five Seoul-based cosmetics and wellness companies are gearing up to penetrate deeper into the worldwide market with the backing of South Korea’s capital city government.

In a strategic move to reinforce Seoul’s status as a global beauty hub, the Seoul Business Agency (SBA) selected five distinguished beauty and wellness brands under its “Seoul Edition Members” program last year to champion Korean innovation and excellence across international beauty markets.

Its inaugural members include VT Cosmetics, which has generated a sensation with its at-home microneedling treatment, the Cica Reedle; Kim Jeong Moon Aloe Co., a pioneer of Korea’s functional foods market; Round Lab by Seorin Company, known for its internationally popular sunscreen; BeautySkin Co., the force behind Wonjin Effect and Glow Loudey; and ModaModa, the innovator behind Korea’s first polyphenol-based hair darkening shampoo.

The selectees will leverage SBA’s extensive promotional platforms, from online and offline marketing campaigns to global market access, in a bid to win the hearts of consumers worldwide.

Under the initiative, the brands are also granted the right to use the Seoul Edition emblem on their products, which is expected to further boost their credibility on the global stage.  

"These brands boast unparalleled product excellence and competitive distinction, destined to captivate global consumers,” said Kim Sung-min, head of SBA’s Beauty Industry Division. “SBA will continue to provide various supports for K-beauty's advance into the global market and help them shine on the international stage.”

VT COSMETICS

Redefining skincare simplicity with innovation

VT Cosmetics stands at the forefront of K-beauty innovation with its signature “Reedle Shot” line, an advanced microneedling treatment enabled by next-generation liposome technology that delivers skincare beneath the surface. The technology breaks down active ingredients into smaller molecules for deep absorption.

The Cica Reedle, its non-invasive at-home skincare solution, distinguishes itself from acid-based spicule products by using naturally derived ingredients, such as Centella Asiatica.  

Spicules are microscopic, needle-like structures derived from marine sponges, plant extracts or synthetic bioactive materials. They create micro-channels, which facilitate targeted delivery into the dermis.

Its Reedle Shot collection offers products for different skin types, ranging from the acne line to the calming, dryness and pore care lines in an array of product types: cream, ampoule, mask, lip, spot and hair care.  

Founded in 2014, VT Cosmetics launched the VT brand in 2016, when its exports to China surpassed $10 billion in value. Its annual revenue jumped to 125.5 billion won ($90.4 million) in 2022 from 30 billion won in 2017, according to the company.

Its products are available in 31 countries.  

With the Seoul Edition badge, VT Cosmetics aims to further enlarge its global reach.

KIM JEONG MOON ALOE

Pioneer of South Korea’s functional foods and natural cosmetics market   

Founded in 1975, Kim Jeong Moon Aloe is credited with pioneering Korea’s functional foods industry.  

Its founder and late Chairman Kim Jeong-moon was the first to import aloe from the US and introduce aloe-based cosmetics and functional foods to Korea.

The company has been operating its own aloe farms since 1976 and maintains an in-house research lab.  

Today, its offerings include functional foods, cosmetics and medical devices designed to deliver the various medicinal and cosmetic benefits of aloe.

Its flagship products are premium aloe vera gels, functional skincare items and wellness supplements focused on natural healing, said the company.

The company first went global in the early 1980s, and expanded more broadly starting in 2000. 

Kim Jeong Moon Aloe has since diversified its distribution model beyond its traditional door-to-door sales to include modern retail and online platforms at home and abroad.

As it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2025, the company aims to reinforce its identity as Korea’s leading “K-Wellness Brand,” promoting holistic well-being worldwide with the Seoul Edition seal.  

SEORIN COMPANY

Clean beauty powered by nature’s purity

Founded in 2017, Seorin Company champions the clean beauty movement, which seamlessly blends natural ingredients with sleek, modern aesthetics.

Its flagship brand, Round Lab, draws inspiration from the pristine environments of the Korean Peninsula, where the mountains meet the sea and strong breezes purify the land.

It sources ingredients from Korea’s most undisturbed areas, such as Ulleungdo’s deep-sea waters, Inje’s birch tree sap, Geomundo’s sea breeze-nurtured mugwort and Jeongseon’s nutrient-rich black soybeans.

Its popular products include “1025 Dokdo Toner,” famous for its deep hydration and mineral infusion, and “Birch Juice Moisturizing UV Lock” sunscreen, often the top pick by fashion and beauty magazine editors around the world.

Round Lab is dedicated to developing clean, effective solutions for sensitive skin through tireless efforts to discover the finest natural ingredients.

With a growing presence in more than 50 countries, Seorin Company upholds sustainable beauty practices while honoring Korea’s unique natural heritage.

With Seoul Edition’s backing, the company plans to push further into new markets across the world.  

BEAUTYSKIN

Advancing healthy beauty beyond borders

BeautySkin is a Seoul-based beauty powerhouse committed to creating healthy beauty through continuous research and development.

Over the two decades since its founding, the company has become a K-beauty frontrunner on the global stage with its renowned cosmetics original development and manufacturing (ODM) services for other cosmetics companies.

Separately, it has its own brand, Wonjin Effect, which is renowned for such popular products as Hydro Vial Serum and Hydrogel Masks, crafted with clinical-grade precision to nourish and rejuvenate the skin, the company said.

It also owns Glow Loudey, which sets itself apart by utilizing flower water — a gentle, nutrient-rich botanical essence — at the core of its formulations.

By prioritizing genuine efficacy and safe formulations, BeautySkin has strengthened its presence across major international markets, including the US and Europe, as well as across Asia and continues to vigorously pursue worldwide expansion.

It is pinning its hopes on the Seoul Edition program to gain further traction in its journey to reach out to a broader group of international consumers.

MODAMODA

Revolutionizing haircare through science

ModaModa created a huge buzz when its hair darkening shampoo first hit the market in 2021, when it was dubbed a “miracle shampoo” at home.

Despite some controversies over its ingredients upon its launch, the shampoo, now in its third generation, has cemented its leading position among Korea’s hair darkening shampoos after proving the safety of its ingredients.

Initially co-developed by ModaModa and Korea’s top science university KAIST’s chemistry professor Lee Hae-shin, the shampoo, containing polyphenol which causes the natural browning reaction of fruits, sold out on the day it debuted on Amazon in 2022.

As the trailblazer of Korea’s hair dyeing shampoo market, ModaModa has expanded its product lineup beyond its flagship hair darkening shampoo, the Zero Gray Black Shampoo 10, which is the third generation.

It now offers other haircare products, including hair-loss prevention shampoos and conditioners and styling products such as hair root touch-ups.

Its ingredients are certified by renowned bodies from around the world, such as Germany’s Dermatest, defying earlier concerns about the safety and efficacy of its ingredients.  

ModaModa will continue to enlarge its global footprint through its revolutionary science-based products, and expects the Seoul Edition badge to help it achieve a huge push toward achieving its global ambitions.

LONG-TERM COMPANION OF SEOUL-ORIGINATED SMES

Established in 1998, the Seoul Business Agency (SBA) offers a wide range of supports for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based in Seoul.

Funded and managed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, it nurtures startups and seeks to accelerate innovation across the cultural, digital and manufacturing sectors.

Through diverse programs — market expansion, global branding programs and industry-specific hubs — SBA serves as a launchpad for SMEs seeking to enter the global market and a catalyst for economic growth.  

(This content is an advertorial sponsored by the Seoul Business Agency.)

Write to Sookyung Seo at skseo@hankyung.com
Joel Levin edited this article.