The second wave of K-beauty has been a “rocket ship” and much more is to come, according to Amorepacific chief executive officer Sean Kim.
“Five years ago, K-beauty was still seen as a niche, and now it’s reshaping how the world thinks about skin care,” he said at the WWD Beauty CEO Summit.
Kim partly attributed the rise in interest in K-beauty to the fact that Korean entertainment continues to reach global audiences in powerful ways. Think Korean food, Korean fashion and, of course, K-pop.
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“It’s rare to see one culture become this popular across so many fields in such a short time,” he said. “Among them all, I believe K-beauty has shown the most consistent and fastest growth for the last five years. Especially in skin care, K-beauty is no longer just a passing trend. It has now become a more established force in global beauty.”
According to Kim, Korea is now the world’s second-largest exporter of cosmetics and in 2025, it became the number-one source of imported cosmetics in the U.S.
This has been helped by strong infrastructure in Korea, which has more than 4,000 cosmetics manufacturers and around 30,000 beauty brands. “If you have a great idea, you can move from concept to shelf fast,” said Kim, using his own company as an example, highlighting innovations such as cushion foundation and Laneige’s Sleeping Mask.
Nevertheless, as K-beauty continues to enter into its next phase, Kim stressed that sustaining this momentum becomes a different kind of challenge and requires a shift from speed to more structured growth.
“K-beauty must build lasting brands, not just viral moments. Trends cycle quickly, but brands endure,” he said.
On top of this, category expansion beyond skin care and value-focused offerings into the premium segment is key, as is continued scientific innovation.
Then there’s personalized experiences. “Consumers now expect products and services that match their personal tastes and skin needs. Digital technology and AI will make this personalization possible,” Kim said.
For Amorepacific, North America is the largest and most important market outside Korea, representing 33 percent of global sales, and growing at an annual pace of around 30 percent since 2021. Its goal is to become a top five player in the U.S. prestige market by 2030, led by the likes of Laneige and COSRX, as well as Sulwhasoo and Aestura among others.
“The next chapter of K-beauty will be defined by stronger brands, categories beyond skin care, deeper science, and more personalized experiences, and we are proud to shape that future,” Kim said.
