[Global Mega Hit Item] Krem, Pebble Soap 'Popular'... Hallyu Wave Hits Bathrooms Too

40% Increase in Overseas Sales in the First Half of This Year

Yerin Kim, CEO of Krem

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] "Overseas sales in the first half of this year increased by 40% compared to the same period last year. I am not just a seller of daily necessities, but a platform entrepreneur delivering the content called soap to the world."

Kim Yerin, CEO of Krem, said in an interview with Asia Economy on the 28th, "At Alchemistore, a fashion and living select shop in London, UK, which sells clothing, accessories, and daily necessities from around the world, the demand for pebble soap and glass soap has increased significantly," adding, "The exact product name of this soap is Sea Glass Soap, a hit item already well known to those in the know. It has also been sold at Nordstrom department store in the US and Galleria luxury mall."

The product design, reminiscent of pebbles or jewels, was created to provide positive energy just by looking at and holding it. CEO Kim explained, "Before starting the business in 2016, I researched commonalities in lifestyles across countries to find an item that would resonate both in Korea and overseas," and added, "As the answer, I first focused on the concept of relaxation in the bathroom and developed the current soap as the main product."

In overseas markets where most soaps are opaque, the transparent color and design of Sea Glass Soap are differentiating factors. Kim said, "We took the design motif from sea glass, which is glass fragments discarded into the sea that have been worn smooth by waves into pebble shapes," and added, "Like real sea glass, it shines transparently when wet and fits comfortably in the hand, which has attracted attention overseas." She continued, "We enhanced the functional completeness of the soap itself by adding subtle scents of different herbal extracts for each soap and ingredients tailored to skin types," revealing, "We invested over two years in research and development."

Krem is expanding its range beyond soap to lifestyle products such as tableware and vases. In particular, it is focusing on increasing sales in Japan following North America and Europe through an online shopping mall built on the global e-commerce platform Cafe24. CEO Kim emphasized, "The consumer trend to use solid soap instead of liquid soap due to environmental pollution concerns is interpreted as a positive signal for Krem’s business," and added, "We will continue to strive to grow lifestyle content products made in Korea into popular Hallyu items."