"From Mom's Favorite to Daughter's Must-Have: How She Won Over the Zalpha Generation at Daiso [Interview]"

Bomi Lee, Team Leader of Amorepacific Mamonde Team
The Key Figure Behind the "Mimo by Mamonde" Craze
1 Million Units Sold in Just Four Months at Daiso
"A Brand Born from a Company-Wide Decision
Directly Targeting Zalpha Generation’s Skin Concerns"

Mamonde, once labeled as a "mom's cosmetics brand," has captured the hearts of the "Zalpha Generation" (Generation Z + Alpha Generation). Now entering its 34th anniversary this year, Mamonde had long suffered from a reputation as an outdated brand due to its lengthy history. However, this perception changed dramatically after the brand entered Daiso. Mamonde’s Daiso-exclusive second brand, "Mimo by Mamonde," surpassed cumulative sales of 1 million units within just four months of its launch at Daiso in September last year.

Since then, the products have often sold out as soon as they hit the shelves, generating an enthusiastic response from consumers in their teens and twenties. This has been Mamonde’s "game-changer" in the cosmetics industry. Eight months after its launch, Mimo by Mamonde is now on the verge of reaching 2 million cumulative sales at Daiso.

Bomi Lee, Team Leader of the Amorepacific Mamonde Team, said in a recent interview with Asia Economy at Amorepacific headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, "We initially projected annual sales of 1 million units, but the pace has been much faster than expected." She added, "There were internal concerns about setting such an aggressive price point during the early planning stages."

Mimo by Mamonde is Amorepacific’s clean beauty brand, launched in September last year with the Zalpha Generation as its target. It is the first Daiso-exclusive brand introduced by Amorepacific to target the rapidly growing ultra-low-cost, value-driven beauty market. Mimo by Mamonde offers eight basic skincare products, ranging from toner to ampoule, all priced between 1,000 and 5,000 won.

Because of this, there was considerable deliberation from the planning stage over the balance between "price" and "product quality." Lee explained that Amorepacific’s internal research lab and manufacturing facilities gave the brand a competitive edge, enabling it to differentiate its product quality from competitors. She emphasized, "The more we sell, the lower the price can be," and added, "Because the products are sold at such affordable prices, we were able to lower costs without compromising on quality."

Bomi Lee, team leader of Amorepacific Mamonde team, poses at Amorepacific headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. (Photo by Amorepacific)

In fact, Mimo by Mamonde quickly gained a reputation for outstanding product quality despite its low prices. As reviews of the product’s efficacy spread across various social networking services (SNS), it was even selected as a "hot item" on Daiso Mall’s SNS channels.

One of the main reasons for its popularity is that the brand has perfectly addressed the skin concerns of the Zalpha Generation. The name "Mimo by Mamonde" means "My Minimal Mamonde," signifying that consumers can easily start using Mamonde products. The product lineup includes the "Rosy-Hyalon Line," which maximizes hydration, and the "Peony-Tinol Line," which targets concerns such as pores and breakouts. The intuitive and simple pink and blue packaging, lightweight formulas, and affordable prices have all contributed to the enthusiastic response from the Zalpha Generation.

Bomi Lee, Team Leader of Amorepacific Mamonde Team, is being interviewed by Asia Economy on the 16th at Amorepacific headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. (Photo by Amorepacific)

Lee explained, "The Zalpha Generation tends to have oily skin and frequent breakouts, so heavy ingredients can actually be a burden. That’s why we designed the products to be minimal, focusing on providing light hydration and addressing concerns such as enlarged pores." In particular, the "Rosy-Hyalon Liquid Mask" has become widely known as a "makeup-friendly product," and is now one of the top-selling items in its category on Daiso Mall.

Mimo by Mamonde was created in just six months, starting with a kickoff in March last year. Unlike the usual process, which starts with market analysis and product planning before involving the research lab, relevant departments such as the lab and factory gathered together for a total of ten working meetings, held every Thursday at 10 a.m. Lee recalled, "There were many concerns due to the challenging price point, but one of our company’s ten commandments is 'Go where the customers are.' There was a consensus: 'With so many customers at Daiso, we have to go there too.'"

Looking ahead, Lee’s goal is for Mamonde to become a leading K-beauty brand on the global stage. She said, "While the unique brand values that Mamonde has maintained will remain unchanged, our strategy is to evolve into a brand that speaks to contemporary beauty. We want to go beyond the Korean market and become a brand that spreads the beauty of global K-beauty."