K-Beauty Experience Space 'Beautyplay' Opens 2nd Branch in Hongdae

Ministry of Health and Welfare Strengthens Support for Promoting Excellent Products of Small and Medium Cosmetics Companies

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 31st that it will open a second location of 'Beauty Play,' a K-beauty experience and promotion center currently operating in Myeongdong, in Hongdae.

On the same day in the morning, the Ministry held an opening ceremony for Beauty Play's second branch in Mapo-gu, Seoul.

Beauty Play is a K-beauty experience and promotion center designed to support domestic small and medium-sized cosmetics companies that have excellent products but lack the capacity to bear costs for promotion and marketing, by allowing their products to be exhibited and experienced.

It is operated by the Korea Cosmetic Industry Institute and offers both online and offline programs such as product exhibitions, beauty education, and hands-on experiences.

Since opening the first branch in Myeongdong in October 2021, it has continuously exhibited products from small and medium-sized cosmetics companies and provided consumers with opportunities to experience them. It is especially regarded as a vital promotional and marketing channel for companies that possess excellent technology in quality and formulation but have faced difficulties in market expansion due to cost issues.

Since its opening, Beauty Play Myeongdong (1st branch) has welcomed approximately 110,000 tourists, with about 20,000 using the beauty experience services. Among these participants, 13,000, or 68%, were foreign tourists, indicating strong popularity among overseas consumers. Last year, 205 small and medium-sized enterprises participated in the exhibition, attracting around 60,000 visitors and about 15,000 experience participants.

Starting from February this year, the second branch will be opened in Hongdae and operated on an expanded scale. Beyond visitor-centered promotion, the plan is to strengthen word-of-mouth marketing reflecting recent consumer trends and to hold consultation meetings targeting major overseas buyers (big buyers), pursuing a more proactive and active approach to supporting companies.

Jung Eun-young, Director of the Health Industry Policy Bureau, said, "This has been a great opportunity to hear diverse opinions from companies participating in the promotion center who hope to strengthen the global competitiveness of our cosmetics." She added, "The government will also do its best to help our cosmetics take a further leap forward in the global market."