Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
KGC red ginseng cosmetics Donginbi advances onto Amazon
By Baek Byung-yeul
Actress Han Ji-min promotes KGC's Donginbi essence product. / Courtesy of KGC
By Baek Byung-yeul
Korea Ginseng Corporation's (KGC) red ginseng cosmetics brand Donginbi has opened a brand store in Amazon, the world's largest online shopping mall, the state-run corporation said Monday.
“Donginbi opened an independent brand store in Amazon to meet American consumers who are interested in K-beauty and Oriental medicine-based cosmetics products,” KGC said. “With more than 300 million users in over 180 countries, Amazon has especially established its dominant market position in the United States.”
Donginbi is a brand of premium red ginseng cosmetics based on the technology of its 121-year-old red ginseng brand, Cheong Kwan Jang.
At its brand store, Donginbi sells about 20 kinds of skincare products that contain red ginseng extract such as the 1899 Single Essence and the 1899 Signature Oil.
KGC said Donginbi's skincare lineups are made of three core raw materials ― red ginseng oil, red ginseng sap and red ginseng condensate. The corporation said Donginbi is securing an increasing number of customers with its distinguished effects and quality.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cosmetics market has been witnessing increasing demand from online markets. KGC said it is also expanding its online channels as demand for Korean beauty products is rising.
“By establishing a brand store in Amazon, we are now securing a powerful online channel in the U.S market. We will expand cosmetics product lineups so that consumers there can meet more Donginbi products,” the corporation said.
Seen is Donginbi's brand store in e-commerce platform Amazon. / Courtesy of KGC
Lee Jeong-hoon, chief of cosmetics business at KGC, said selling its Donginbi products via Amazon “could become a great opportunity to promote superiority of the ginseng-based cosmetics products to global consumers.”
He added, “We will continue to expand in the global e-commerce market to meet more overseas consumers.”
KGC has not only been selling cosmetic products but also red ginseng products under the Cheong Kwan Jang brand via Amazon since 2015. Now with around 40 red ginseng products available through Amazon, KGC is further expanding its customer base in the U.S.