From social media trends to economic engines

Who would have thought that a serum infused with snail mucin (the sticky substance secreted by snails) would become part of skincare routines around the world?

Well, it’s happened—according to the TikTok challenge promoting this serum, gooey elasticity is key. It made its manufacturer, the small Korean brand CosRX, go global. It is now owned by Amorepacific, the country’s largest cosmetics company.

The rapid spread of this viscous serum tells you just how successful K-beauty has become. Driven by viral content and trends, it has become one of South Korea’s largest industries, and in a highly competitive society, the pressure to look almost perfect has always been immense.

The domestic market alone will be worth around $13 billion (£9.6 billion) by 2024, with sales of some products expected to grow at double-digit rates. The rest of the world is equally obsessed with K-beauty—perhaps not surprising, since it’s part of Hallyu, or Hallyu, which made K-pop and Korean dramas a global phenomenon.

Korean beauty brands now occupy entire departments of global retailers—from Sephora to Boots to Walmart. In the first half of 2025, South Korea surpassed France, the birthplace of modern cosmetics, and became the world’s second-largest exporter of beauty products after the United States.

Search “Korean skincare” on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube and you’ll see a ton of content from influencers, some of whom have hundreds of millions of followers. They dissect ingredient lists, film unboxing videos, and record “get ready with me” videos around ideas like “glass skin,” face masks, and, of course, snail mucin.

“There are so many products and brands, and a lot of times as a consumer you’re exposed to millions of products and brands that are highly saturated and highly competitive,” said Liah Yoo, beauty influencer and founder of American Korean beauty brand Krave Beauty.

At the heart of K-beauty’s rise is a relentless pace of innovation. New recipes pop up every few months, usually designed to spark the next internet craze.

Ten-step skincare routines, overnight “water sleep masks,” and eye-catching ingredients like salmon sperm were once seen as niche or unappealing. Today, many of the products have become must-haves in bathroom cabinets from London to Los Angeles.

Social media is at the heart of this shift. Products launched in Seoul immediately appear on TikTok and Instagram in the US, UK, India and Australia.

However, there are growing concerns about the social impact of beauty ideals, particularly on young people. Experts warn that constant exposure to online skin care content may fuel anxiety and overconsumption.

“We are fully aware that overuse or abuse of social media can lead to backlash,” Amorepacific CEO Kim Seung-hwan said, adding that brands must strike a careful balance in how they use online platforms.

This challenge will only become more acute as the industry expands to include Western multinationals.

L’Oréal acquired a South Korean conglomerate that includes the Dr.G brand in late 2024, a deal it said would help meet growing demand for effective and affordable Korean beauty products.

Other multinational companies are increasingly incorporating popular ingredients associated with Korean brands, such as centella asiatica and rice water, into their own product lines.

Many of South Korea’s big beauty brands are part of the country’s powerful conglomerates, or chaebols.

Amorepacific holds about half of the domestic market. Its product portfolio spans premium brands such as Sulwhasoo, global mass-market brands such as Laneige, eco-friendly brands such as Innisfree, and fast-growing independent brands. But Amorepacific says even as a conglomerate, it will look to smaller independent brands for fresh ideas.

“Through the founders and the CosRX team, we were able to learn about their approach to formula innovation and how to respond more quickly to consumer needs,” said Amorepacific’s Mr. Kim. “Those lessons learned have been incorporated into our broader organization.”

In 2024, Amorepacific sold approximately US$6.2 billion in products. Another large conglomerate, LG Household & Health Care, has sales of $4.1 billion. The size of the industry also continues to be reflected in South Korea’s export figures.

In the first half of 2025, exports rose 15% to a record $5.5 billion, driven mainly by strong sales in the United States and Europe, putting the country’s annual beauty exports on track to exceed $10 billion.

For Mr. Kim, all clients are different.

“In countries like Japan, South Korea and China, people are more interested in things like perfect skin. In Europe, fragrances are the main category, while in the U.S., cosmetics are more popular,” he said.

“But things are changing,” he added, noting that Western consumers are increasingly interested in youthful skin and sun protection, especially as awareness of climate change and UV exposure grows.

To meet growing demand, approximately 30,000 beauty brands in South Korea rely on a highly complex industrial ecosystem.

They are supported by original development manufacturers (ODMs) who are responsible for the research, formulation and production of thousands of labels.

Even large conglomerates outsource some product lines, while smaller companies rely heavily on ODM to move quickly and reduce costs.

Cosmax is one of the largest manufacturers, supplying approximately 4,500 brands from factories in South Korea, China, the United States and Southeast Asia.

In 2024, South Korea’s cosmetics exports will account for just over a quarter of US$10 billion.

This allows the product to go from concept to sale in as little as six months – a process that can take one to three years for many Western brands.

Automation helps reduce costs. The BBC visited a massive Amorepacific factory outside South Korea’s capital, Seoul, where several workers oversee a fully automated production line filling Laneige Water Sleeping Mask and CosRX Vitamin C 23 Essence.

However, speed comes at a price. Fierce competition has resulted in thin profits and a high rate of business failure. According to government data, more than 8,800 cosmetics brands have closed down in recent years.

“South Korea has the infrastructure to help you create a brand quickly, but developing a successful brand is another story,” Ms Yoo said. “It depends on your brand ethos, your identity, and what makes your product different from others on the market.”

As competition intensifies, brands are under increasing pressure to become more transparent and focus on the ingredients and benefits of their products rather than celebrity endorsements.

“We’re not just buying from big brands now. We’re actually talking about ingredients, where they come from, and what they do,” says celebrity beauty influencer Mia Chen. “A lot of Korean skin care products are derived from natural ingredients, and we all hope it has no side effects on our skin.”

The industry is also affected by changing markets.

China is no longer the largest overseas buyer as domestic brands weaken the dominance once held by imports from Japan and South Korea.

Last year, Amorepacific Group’s North American business surpassed its China business for the first time in 80 years, Mr. Kim said, adding that the company also expected growth in Japan, Europe, India and the Middle East.

The United States remains an important market, importing more beauty products from South Korea than anywhere else. But President Donald Trump’s 15% tariff on South Korean imports has created some uncertainty.

Olive Young, South Korea’s largest cosmetics retailer, plans to open its first store in the United States this year, imposing a 15% tariff on American orders. Amorepacific said it would only consider price increases on a case-by-case basis based on discussions with retail partners such as Sephora and Walmart.

But the companies have the backing of the South Korean government, which in December designated K-beauty a national strategic asset, pledging to support manufacturing and exports.

It’s a telling vote of confidence in an industry that began as a viral trend and has now become an economic force.

Additional reporting by Jaltson follows Chummar and Juna Moon