The Korea Times

K-beauty accelerator in US hails potential for strong boom in 2026

A major Korean beauty product vendor in the United States has predicted 2026 as the “GOLDEN era” for K-beauty, citing the diversification of popular product categories and expansion into key U.S. offline retail chains. The acronym GOLDEN stands for Growth of the market, Omnichannel, Legacy, Device, Experience and New face, highlighting the sector’s multifaceted potential, the company said. Los Angeles-based Landing International, which has introduced more than 1,000 beauty products from 200 Korean brands into U.S. retailers including Ulta Beauty, Target and Walmart since 2013, said the market is expecting its strongest boom yet this year. As Ulta Beauty’s exclusive vendor, the company emphasized that Korean firms will need localized strategies to sustain growth and fully capitalize on the GOLDEN era. Landing International confirmed that, as of the third quarter of 2025, the United States accounted for more than 51 percent of K-beauty’s global online sales, surpassing China to become the world’s largest e-commerce market in the sector. The company cited a CNBC report showing

Jan 12, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan

K-beauty accelerator in US hails potential for strong boom in 2026

Companies

Halal-certified Korean products remain scarce despite wide-open markets

CHEONGJU, North Chungcheong Province — Korean halal products are so few in number worldwide that the halal certifying agency chief here often feels frustrated. For Muslim visitors to Korea, the variety and availability of halal-labeled Korean foods can be surprisingly limited. Some 3,000 halal food stores here, including Asia Mart and Halal World Mart, are mostly importing to fill their shelves. If the situation is this limited even in Korea, it is even more challenging in overseas markets. To Korea Halal Authority (KHA) Managing Director Mustafa Jin Jae-nam, these stores should be supplied with Korean halal products instead. “Major distributors in Islam nations like Mah Sing Group in Malaysia sell tens of thousands of halal items for local Muslim consumers,” Jin said during an interview with The Korea Times at KHA’s office in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. “Among them, Korean products account for only a few hundred, mostly food and beauty products.” KHA, having a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) or memorandum of understanding with 30 halal-certifying authorities rep

Jan 10, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan

Halal-certified Korean products remain scarce despite wide-open markets

Companies

Louis Vuitton’s flagship store renewal lures travelers

Louis Vuitton’s flagship Seoul store has finished its remodel to become a luxurious spot for exhibiting the fashion house's iconic travel bags in its centenarian signature brand, Monogram. The Louis Vuitton Seoul Dosan Store in Gangnam District’s high-end commercial sector has transformed its interior spaces, with each floor themed around a different kind of hotel experience. The exterior has also gone through a full facelift to evoke the look of a hotel as part of its theme, the Art of Travel. Covering three floors, the flagship displays the company's signature Monogram models, including the Keepall, Speedy, Alma, Neverfull and Noe, each presented in a distinct, uniquely curated setting. The ground floor, reminiscent of a hotel concierge, displays Keepall bags. In one corner, visitors will find a reception window where customers can bring bags in for repairs. Nearby, a storage-themed space shows off their Speedy P9 bags. On an upper floor, a section decked out as a Parisian hotel balcony features the company's Alma bags, while a gym-themed alcove showcases the Neverfull bag, highlig

Jan 8, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan

Louis Vuitton’s flagship store renewal lures travelers

Companies

Nongshim turns K-pop into worldwide instant noodle expansion

Korea’s largest instant noodle company Nongshim is bolstering its drive to incorporate K-pop in promotions of its noodle and snack products worldwide, with the promising strategy emerging from the blockbuster success of "KPop Demon Hunters" last year. Nongshim has long been a leader in Korean instant noodles, surpassing major rivals such as Samyang Foods and Otoki and controlling more than 50 percent of the market. It also competes neck-and-neck with Orion in the domestic snack market. Nongshim is now gearing up to take on its rivals in the global instant noodle market , including Samyang, which has seen worldwide success with its spicy Buldak line of noodles. Nongshim hopes to capitalize on marketing with Korean musicians and artists to appeal to a broader range of consumers. Following Netflix animated hit movie "Kpop Demon Hunters" record-shattering success, Nongshim made a concerted effort to appeal to the film’s 500 million viewers worldwide with special marketing that capitalized on the film's use of foods that resembled some of the iconic brand's biggest hits. At the center of

Jan 8, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan

Nongshim turns K-pop into worldwide instant noodle expansion

Companies

CES 2026 Kolmar Korea's scar-makeup device wins best innovation award

Beauty product manufacturer Kolmar Korea has won Best of Innovation Award at CES 2026 with a device that simultaneously treats and applies makeup over scars. The Scar Beauty Device, based on artificial intelligence (AI), won the award in the Beauty Tech category. The Best of Innovation Award goes to a product with the highest scores across all evaluation categories, including design and technology, among honorees of the Innovation Awards. The device has also been selected an innovation awards honoree in the Digital Health category. The device’s key technology is piezoelectric plating based on AI big data. After scanning a scar using a smartphone camera to analyze and define it among 12 types of skin deformations, the device automatically selects and sprays a remedy. The device then selects a color that most naturally matches the skin tone by using 180 swatches, then sprays makeup powder over the blemish. The treatment is completed in 10 minutes. The process, using electric signals like an inkjet printer, does not generate heat, allowing users to maneuver the device conveniently in a dis

Jan 7, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan

[CES 2026] Kolmar Korea's scar-makeup device wins best innovation award

Companies

CES 2026 Amorepacific's beauty tech glitters at CES

Beauty product company Amorepacific is using CES 2026 as a stage to reveal its latest consumer beauty devices, with its AI Beauty Mirror, developed in collaboration with Samsung Electronics, gaining spotlight. By showcasing tech-oriented beauty devices at the show, Amorepacific — known for brands such as Laneige, Sulwhasoo and Aestura — seeks to improve its global presence as a player across the entire beauty industry. Showcased at Samsung Electronics’ exclusive pavilion at Wynn and Encore Las Vegas during CES 2026 which kicks off Tuesday (local time), AI Beauty Mirror has implemented Amorepacific’s artificial intelligence (AI)-based skin analysis technologies into Samsung's latest device. The vanity mirror, equipped with camera-based real-time optical diagnosis technologies, magnifies skin conditions like pores, redness, pigmentation and wrinkles. Based on over 450,000 case datasets, the mirror proposes customized skin care solutions. The solutions are integrated with ONFACE LED Mask and Skin Light Therapy 3S under Amorepacific’s beauty device brand makeON. Amorepacific’s Sk

Jan 6, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan

[CES 2026] Amorepacific's beauty tech glitters at CES

Companies

Hyundai Engineering, GS E&C 'very poor' in safety management: government

Hyundai Engineering and GS E&C received “very poor” ratings in a government safety management assessment conducted on agencies and contractors involved in public construction projects. The two builders are among 19 Korean construction firms rated in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's on-site safety management evaluation of project managers, construction firms and contractors in 2025. The two major builders scored below 40 out of 100 and were categorized the lowest in the five-grade rating system. The annual evaluation by the government, using a score-based grading system, lowers a score by one grade when a firm saw up to two workers' deaths at construction sites during the year. Two grades were deducted for up to four deaths, three grades for up to six deaths and those with seven or more deaths received the lowest grade. Hyundai Engineering saw at least seven deaths last year at construction sites, including a new highway connecting Sejong and Anseong and apartment projects in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Work sites run by GS E&C also saw multiple deaths in Busan

Jan 6, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan

Hyundai Engineering, GS E&C 'very poor' in safety management: government

Companies

Gov't to audit KCCI over spending on APEC events

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) faces a government audit over alleged misappropriation and misuse of the budget for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) events held in October and early November last year. On Thursday, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources will start looking into the lobby group, which led the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The KCCI said on Monday it had launched its own investigation over the issue and will cooperate with the government’s audit. The allegations stemmed from a report that said one of the organizing committee’s team leaders attempted to obtain a rebate from a hotel the committee booked to provide accommodation for participants of the CEO Summit held from Oct. 28 to 31. An internal KCCI report showed the person got the hotel to issue an invoice charging 48.5 million won ($33,500) when the actual amount was 45 million won. He then tried to have the hotel wire the surplus 3.5 million won to his personal bank account. KCCI said the act did not go beyond the attempt stage, and the official has been su

Jan 5, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan

Gov't to audit KCCI over spending on APEC events

Others

Korea Green Foundation appoints new head to bolster environmental campaigns

Environmental activist group Korea Green Foundation has appointed a new chief to bolster its Vision 2030 campaign to empower the country's eco-friendly activists and grow its influence over the government and companies. The non-profit organization said on Monday Jung Tae-yong became its new secretary general starting this year. The appointment came after Vision 2030 set goals to nurture 10 million “green leaders” in Korea, promote digitization across all fields and strengthen professional partnerships based on environmental benefits. The objective was announced during an event last November to celebrate the organization’s 23rd anniversary of foundation. Becoming part of the organization in 2003, Jung has been very active, fulfilling duties as external relations director, head of the planning office, green social contribution bureau chief and head of the corporate social responsibility center. He has been a key force behind the annual Seoul International Eco Film Festival and directed the organization’s partnerships with companies in Korea and Asia, proving his leadership capabil

Jan 5, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan

Korea Green Foundation appoints new head to bolster environmental campaigns

Companies

Almonty boosts US national security with Sangdong tungsten mine

Almonty Industries, a global producer of tungsten concentrate in conflict-free regions, is digging deep to form an alliance with the United States by becoming an exclusive provider of the strategic earth mineral for the country. The U.S.-based company is currently restoring the closed Sangdong mine in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, to make it a key tungsten production facility. Outside China, which supplies over 80 percent of the mineral to the world, the Korean mine has the world’s most promising reserve of scalable quantity and rare quality, according to the firm, which spent years testing samples from the mine and the mountainous region around the mine. As the U.S. is seeking to reduce its need for tungsten and other critical minerals from China, Russia and North Korea for defense purposes starting 2027, Almonty has become a critical partner for the U.S. government and firms. Lewis Black, chairman of Almonty Industries, joined a Nasdaq Opening Bell event on Nov. 26 (local time) alongside key company executives. The event, livestreamed on Nasdaq Watch and CNBC, came months after the co

Jan 4, 2026By Ko Dong-hwan

Ko Dong-hwan

Read more

K-beauty accelerator in US hails potential for strong boom in 2026

Halal-certified Korean products remain scarce despite wide-open markets

Louis Vuitton’s flagship store renewal lures travelers

Nongshim turns K-pop into worldwide instant noodle expansion

CES 2026 Kolmar Korea's scar-makeup device wins best innovation award

CES 2026 Amorepacific's beauty tech glitters at CES

Hyundai Engineering, GS E&C 'very poor' in safety management: government

Gov't to audit KCCI over spending on APEC events

Korea Green Foundation appoints new head to bolster environmental campaigns

Almonty boosts US national security with Sangdong tungsten mine

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