Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Korea Beauty Festival blends K-pop glamour with wellness trends
Foreign visitors visit K-beauty brands' promotion booths at Seoul's Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Thursday, during the second edition of the Korea Beauty Festival organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Visit Korea Committee. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
By Lee Hae-rin
Seoul transforms into K-beauty mecca as festival embraces new vision of beauty
For 22-year-old Shaantika Bhat, coming to Korea has always been her biggest dream. Growing up as one of the few Asians in her Baltimore neighborhood, she found community and identity through Korean culture — especially Korean food, K-pop and K-dramas — during her teenage years.
But as she began planning her first trip to Seoul, she quickly discovered that navigating the latest Korean beauty trends was more daunting than she had imagined.
“We were having a hard time finding the personal color analysis or skincare program. As English speakers, Naver was a whole new platform and the beauty-related experiences we found on Klook were expensive,” she said, referring to the international travel and experiences booking company.
That changed when she and her friend landed at Incheon International Airport last week and picked up a leaflet for the Korea Beauty Festival. Their visit to the festival’s main venue at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on Friday exceeded all expectations, offering a wide range of K-beauty events and promotions — all for free, in one place.
Foreign visitors participate in a personal color analysis session at Seoul's Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Thursday, during the second edition of the Korea Beauty Festival. Yonhap
“This event made everything more accessible and easier for foreigners to navigate. We could experience Korea’s makeup, fashion, hairstyle and all the dimensions of K-beauty,” she said.
Kristian Wolf, 33, and his wife arrived in Seoul on a rainy Friday — the final stop on their around-the-world trip. While wandering through Myeong-dong, the city’s iconic fashion and tourism district, they stumbled upon the Korea Beauty Festival’s welcome center. Curious, they boarded a shuttle to Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Although newcomers to K-beauty, they embraced the experience, enjoying personalized skincare consultations and hair styling sessions.
Tourists visit the Korea Beauty Festival's welcome center at the Myeong-dong shopping district in downtown Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
Organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Visit Korea Committee and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), the Korea Beauty Festival is a month-long showcase aimed at promoting K-beauty to international audiences both in Korea and abroad.
Now in its second year, the festival offers immersive experiences across Seoul — from hair and makeup to fashion, health and wellness — inviting visitors to explore and define their own sense of beauty.
This year, organizers are pushing beyond conventional standards, embracing a more holistic, inclusive vision of beauty.
On Thursday, the festival held one-on-one B2B meetings, connecting Korean hospitals, beauty brands and service providers with global buyers and influencers.
Foreign buyers attend a business networking session with Korean beauty industry brands and hospitals at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Thursday, during the Korea Beauty Festival. Yonhap
“In the past, beauty was largely defined by plastic surgery, cosmetics and skincare, but we want to show that beauty isn’t just about enhancing appearances — it’s also about improving quality of life through health and well-being,” Kim Do-hui, a deputy director at the medical and wellness team at the KTO said.
Health and wellness procedures like vision correction or dental work can enhance not only appearance, but also overall well-being, she explained.
Throughout the month-long festival, 527 beauty and tourism-related companies — including airlines and hotels — are offering exclusive discounts and prize giveaways. From Thursday to Sunday, Dongdaemun Design Plaza hosted “K-Beauty Town,” where visitors could explore five core sectors of K-beauty: hair, makeup, fashion, health and wellness.
Dubbed "K-beauty trend spots," seven promotional hubs also sprang up at major tourist destinations across Seoul — including Myeong-dong, Dongdaemun, Seongsu, Gangnam, Hongdae and Cheonggye Stream — offering hands-on beauty experiences and activities.
Korea Beauty Festival banners are displayed in Seoul’s Myeong-dong shopping and tourism district, Thursday. Yonhap
Carriers including Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air and Air Seoul are offering up to 88 percent discounts on major route tickets, while hotels such as The Shilla, Shilla Stay and The Plaza are providing up to 10 percent discounts on rooms and giving out K-beauty souvenirs.
Online travel agencies Konest and Creatrip are running special exhibitions offering up to 50 percent discounts on domestic tourism products related to K-beauty.
One of the highlights of the festival so far was an exclusive outdoor hair show by Jennyhouse, a leading Korean beauty brand, themed around K-pop idol style. The show brought to life the moods of five top K-pop groups — IVE, BLACKPINK, aespa, i-dle and Stray Kids — through a high-end performance blending K-pop, K-beauty, fashion and entertainment.
Jennyhouse, home to more than 80 hair and makeup artists, styles more than a thousand celebrities, including actresses Han So-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Son Ye-jin and Suzy.
The opening ceremony at Dongdaemun Design Plaza was attended by Jang Mi-ran, the second vice minister of culture, sports and tourism and Lee Boo-jin, chairperson of the Visit Korea Committee.
Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Jang Mi-ran, second from right, Visit Korea Committee Chairperson Lee Boo-jin, center, and Korea Tourism Organization acting President Seo Young-choong, right, pose during the opening ceremony of the Korea Beauty Festival in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
“K-beauty has attracted travelers worldwide and is now recognized as an integral part of K-culture,” Jang said at the ceremony on Thursday.
That surging interest is reflected in the numbers: Korea’s cosmetics exports, which first topped $1 billion in 2012, soared past $10 billion last year. Meanwhile, the number of medical tourists hit a record 1.17 million — nearly double the previous year’s total, the minister explained.
“The Korean government is committed to developing the Korea Beauty Festival into a global hub of K-beauty tourism, where people can experience everything K-beauty has to offer. We will ensure K-beauty becomes a key pillar of both international and domestic tourism demand,” the minister said.
“For many years, Korea has developed its own beauty, health and wellness culture rooted on unique traditions of beauty and Korean medicine,” said KTO acting President CEO Seo Young-choong.
“Last year’s Korea Beauty Festival in Gwanghwamun drew more than 110,000 visitors and generated 4,400 business consultations, helping attract 150,000 international visitors to Korea.
“This year, we will present a new beauty paradigm with the theme of a ‘journey to my own beauty in Korea,’” he said. “I hope this event inspires everyone to discover a new beauty within themselves.”
The Korea Beauty Festival runs until July 18. Visit koreabeautyfestival.com for detailed information on the festival’s programs and promotions.