'Pretty', Targeting Europe with Korean Cosmetics
Produced in Korea, Sold in Germany
Milano Pop-up Store, Huge Popularity on SNS
The cosmetics brand 'Yeppeuda' is contributing to the K-beauty wave. [Source='Yeppeuda' official Instagram]
As Korean cosmetics gain great popularity in the global market, a leading Italian daily introduced the K-beauty craze.
On the 2nd (local time), the Italian local media Il La Repubblica featured an article titled "A New Era of Korean Cosmetics," introducing the K-beauty craze. The media cited data from the global market research firm Statista, highlighting the growth trend of the Korean cosmetics industry. According to Statista, the Korean cosmetics market recorded sales of over $5 billion (approximately 6.875 trillion KRW) in 2022, and it is expected to reach $12.6 billion (approximately 17.325 trillion KRW) by 2032. Currently, Korea ranks second in the world in terms of beauty product exports.
Popup store of 'Yeppeuda' opened at Milan Central Station, Italy. [Source='Yeppeuda' official Instagram]
Next, the beauty brand "Yepoda," which recently opened a pop-up store at Milan Central Station, was cited as an example confirming the continuous growth of Korean cosmetics. This brand is not a Korean company but a cosmetics brand of a German company that foresaw the success of K-beauty. The founder, Sander Junyoung, has a Korean mother and a Dutch father and currently resides in Berlin, Germany. He said, "After entering university, I visited Korea several times. Each time, relatives, friends, and colleagues around me asked me to buy cosmetics, so my luggage was always full of cosmetics. That made me think that instead of filling my luggage, I should create a brand in Germany for the European market."
Subsequently, in 2020, "Yepoda," targeting Europe with Korean cosmetics, appeared on the scene. Yepoda's products are produced in Korea but sold only in Europe. Co-founder Nika said, "The global success of K-beauty is thanks to the innovation and technology of Korean cosmetics," adding, "Korean cosmetics have become a symbol of excellence like Swiss watches, German cars, and Italian leather products."
Furthermore, the media explained, "Korea focused on clear and transparent skin without blemishes like glass, but 'Yepoda' placed more emphasis on sustainability, natural ingredients, and efficacy for the European market." This strategy of Yepoda succeeded in capturing the hearts of locals and is gaining popularity across Europe as K-beauty. In response, Sander Junyoung expressed his joy, saying, "I never imagined that there would be long lines at the pop-up store and that it would become such a hot topic on social media (SNS)."
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