Musinsa launches Pharmacy Beauty
A rendering of Musinsa Beauty, which is set to open near Hongdae in Seoul’s Mapo District, Friday / Courtesy of Musinsa
Upcoming Hongdae store to offer medicinal expertise
Musinsa Beauty will introduce a new retail format combining beauty products and pharmacy services through a partnership with Onnuri Pharmacy, as consumers show growing interest in high-performance cosmetics and inner beauty products.
The Pharmacy Beauty service will debut at Musinsa Beauty Hongdae, which is set to open near Hongdae in Seoul’s western Mapo District on Friday. The initiative combines pharmacists’ expertise with beauty retail, offering personalized product recommendations focused on functional cosmetics and inner beauty products.
Musinsa Beauty Hongdae spans four floors, while Onnuri Pharmacy will occupy the entire basement level. The two companies signed a partnership last month to collaborate in the pharmacy beauty sector.
Onnuri Pharmacy is one of Korea’s largest pharmacy-chain brands, with more than 2,200 affiliated pharmacies nationwide. Onnuri H&C, which operates the brand, offers pharmacy-exclusive cosmetics and functional health supplements based on pharmacists’ professional expertise.
The partnership reflects a broader shift in the beauty market, with consumers placing greater emphasis on product functions and efficacy. Musinsa Beauty and Onnuri Pharmacy aim to create a one-stop shop where customers can browse makeup, skin care and fragrance products, while also exploring pharmacy-exclusive products and other products suited to their individual skin concerns.
The companies said their cooperation will go beyond simply operating a pharmacy inside a beauty store. Musinsa Beauty will draw on customer data and its understanding of beauty trends to work with Onnuri Pharmacy in selecting products and brands from its high-functionality cosmetics and inner beauty lineup.
Pharmacists from Onnuri Pharmacy will be stationed at the store to help customers select products based on their individual skin concerns and needs. Dedicated curation zones will focus on hair and scalp care, as well as acne and other common skin concerns.
Musinsa Beauty also expects the partnership to help meet increasingly diverse K-beauty demand from both domestic and overseas consumers. Korean pharmacies have recently attracted greater attention from foreign visitors seeking functional cosmetics and other beauty products.
“Demand is rising for more specialized beauty shopping experiences as more customers carefully consider product functions and efficacy before choosing what suits them,” a Musinsa Beauty official said.
“As we introduce Pharmacy Beauty with Onnuri Pharmacy in Hongdae, a district actively visited by both domestic and overseas customers, we will further develop the partnership so customers can enjoy a broader and more professional K-beauty shopping experience in one place.”