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Morning of the 18th, at the multi-purpose cultural space XYZ Seoul in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. In front of a sky-blue sign reading 'Mega Beauty Show,' not only foreign customers but also men in their 20s to 40s were lined up. This was because Coupang was hosting the 'Mega Beauty Show Virtual Store' for three days starting that day. Carrying the beige bag received at the entrance, visitors entered the store to find a long stretch of brand booths awaiting them.

A visitor is participating in the "Fill with Ceramide 5000ppb!" event at the TonyMoly brand booth. Photo by JaeHyun Park

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This event was a beauty experience event held exclusively for Coupang Wow Membership members, taking place as an offline pop-up in a multi-purpose cultural space covering about 2,000 square meters (620 pyeong). This was Coupang's fifth time holding such an event. This year, the indoor experience area alone was 892 square meters (about 270 pyeong), more than double the size of last year. The number of participating brands also increased from the previous 9 to 15 to a total of 17. The store was divided into three main areas?Brand Zone, Coupang Zone, and Rooftop Lounge?and a total of eight themed zones, including the 'Mega Beauty Show & Hot Brand Experience Zone,' 'Custom Lipstick Experience Zone,' and 'Catering Party Zone.'

Visitors carried the bags they received at the event and participated in various experience events. The main attraction for visitors that day was the 'Brand Zone.' Comprising 16 brand booths, including Dr.G, Espoir, and AHC, each booth hosted its own unique events. At the 'Ariul' booth, customers who followed the brand's official Instagram account and uploaded a booth photo to their Instagram feed were given the chance to play a gacha machine game. When one customer drew a slip marked 'First Prize' and received a full-sized product, the entire booth erupted in applause and congratulations. At the 'Giverny' booth, there was a whack-a-mole game where customers who scored above a certain threshold were given full-sized products or samples. Customers were seen busily filling their bags with gifts received at each booth.

This is a 'Custom Lipstick Experience Zone' where you can create your own lipstick. You can make lipstick by referring to the color chart. Photo by Jae Hyun Park

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The 'Beauty Box' also drew significant attention from visitors. The Beauty Box, valued at 360,000 won, was given to Wow members who purchased more than 20,000 won worth of beauty products at the event. It contained products from over 20 popular brands, including Mediheal Carrot Moisture Calming Pads and CNP Blackhead Perfect Clear Kit, and has consistently been popular every year. In fact, there was a long line of customers waiting to receive their Beauty Boxes at the 'Beauty Box Pickup Zone' in the store that day.

The 'Custom Lipstick Experience Zone,' where visitors could create their own lipstick, was also popular. On the second floor of the building, at the 'Rooftop Lounge,' staff in white lab coats were making lipsticks using various ingredients. Referring to the color chart in the experience zone, which included pink, burgundy, and cocoa shades, visitors could mix colors drop by drop and add decorations to complete their own lipstick. Additionally, there was an event where Wow members could receive makeup services in an exclusive lounge.

Visitors are waiting to receive beauty boxes at the 'Beauty Box Pickup Zone.' Photo by JaeHyun Park

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Coupang expects about 3,000 visitors to attend the event over the three days. On the first day, only 500 customers (excluding one accompanying person per customer) who had purchased beauty products from Coupang in the past year and were selected by lottery were allowed to enter, making it a 'Family Day.' General admission was held on the 19th and 20th, and tickets sold out within an hour of the pre-reservation opening, reflecting the high level of interest.

Recently, Seongsu has emerged as a 'K-beauty battleground.' Earlier this month, CJ OnStyle held the 'Come On Style Showcase Pop-up' at the same venue from April 4 to 8, while Zigzag hosted a Beauty Festa from April 11 to 13. Next month, CJ Olive Young and Musinsa are also planning to hold large-scale events.

This surge of distribution companies entering the beauty market is due to the growth of the cosmetics industry, led by 'K-beauty.' According to global market research firm Euromonitor, the Korean beauty market in 2023 was valued at 17.3412 trillion won, a 12% increase compared to 2018. Cosmetics exports also hit an all-time high. Last year, Korean cosmetics exports reached $10.2 billion (about 15 trillion won), up 20.6% from the previous year, marking the highest export performance in history. In the first quarter of this year, Korean cosmetics exports reached $2.6 billion (3.7 trillion won), setting a new quarterly record. An industry insider explained, "Cosmetics have high profit margins and high average order values, making them a stable source of revenue. Cosmetics are a highly profitable category for distributors because of their high margins, high average order value, and low inventory risk," adding, "Even during economic downturns, cosmetics consumption is less likely to contract, and seasonality is minimal, making the market attractive from a corporate perspective."