A landmark anniversary and record export figures signal that Korean beauty’s global moment is far from over
Korea’s longest-running professional beauty trade show returns this spring for its most ambitious edition yet. COSMOBEAUTY SEOUL 2026 will take place from May 27 to 29 at COEX in Seoul, organized by Korea International Exhibition Co. Ltd., marking the event’s 40th anniversary.
The 2026 edition will expand across more than 15,000 square meters, spanning Hall A, Hall B1, and additional lobby areas at COEX, with over 820 booths covering the full beauty value chain from skincare and makeup to raw materials, packaging, and smart beauty technologies.
The exhibition is structured as a B2B platform connecting Korean manufacturers and international exhibitors with global buyers. In 2025, the event drew 53,728 visitors including 31,690 buyers, facilitated over 25,000 business meetings, and generated approximately USD 300 million in consultation volume.
That same year, 225 hosted buyers from 161 companies across 50 countries took part in around 1,900 curated meetings. The 2026 edition will again feature the Open-Network matchmaking program, the International Hosted Buyers initiative, professional seminars, and a product awards program including a Rookie of the Year category.
Visitor pre-registration remains open through May 25, 2026 via the official event website. The exhibition arrives at a moment of sustained momentum for the Korean cosmetics industry across global markets.
Korean cosmetics exports reached USD 10.2 billion in 2024, a 20.3 percent increase year-on-year, positioning South Korea third globally behind France and the United States. Total domestic production that year reached approximately USD 12.8 billion, up 20.9 percent from the previous year.
In 2025, export growth continued. Full-year figures from Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety confirmed exports rose 12.3 percent to USD 11.4 billion, the highest annual total on record. The United States became the largest single export market at USD 2.2 billion, followed by China at USD 2.0 billion and Japan at USD 1.1 billion.
Geographic diversification also accelerated. The number of countries importing Korean cosmetics grew from 172 in 2024 to 202 in 2025, with notable growth recorded in Europe, the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and Latin America. By category, skincare led at USD 8.54 billion, while color cosmetics reached USD 1.51 billion and body cleansing products rose to USD 590 million.
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