Opening Ceremony at Oullim Square, Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul
The 2025 Korea Beauty Festival, which offers a variety of Korean tourism experiences centered around K-Beauty, will be held throughout Seoul, with Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) as its main venue, from June 19 to July 18. Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Visit Korea Committee and the Korea Tourism Organization, this event will be held for the second time following last year’s inaugural festival.
As global interest and demand for K-Beauty continue to grow, K-Beauty has established itself as a core attraction for inbound tourism to Korea. The country’s cosmetics exports surpassed $1 billion for the first time in 2012 and reached $10 billion last year, 12 years later. In addition, the number of medical tourists visiting Korea last year reached a record high of 1.17 million.
The Korea Beauty Festival was organized to further highlight the appeal of K-Beauty. The slogan for this year’s event is “NEW ME·Mi·美,” reflecting the festival’s aim to introduce foreigners to “a journey to discover one’s own new beauty through K-Beauty.”
The opening ceremony will take place at 7:00 p.m. on June 19 at the Oullim Square of Seoul’s DDP. The event will feature a musical performance themed around K-Beauty and various celebratory programs. Deputy Minister Jang Miran will attend the opening ceremony, officially launching the festival and encouraging representatives from participating companies both domestic and international.
From June 19 to 22, the indoor and outdoor Art Hall and Oullim Square at DDP will host “K-Beauty Town,” a comprehensive hub where visitors can experience the five major fields of K-Beauty: hair, makeup, fashion, medical, and wellness tourism content.
Art Hall 2 at DDP will be divided into zones for each of the five main K-Beauty sectors-hair, makeup, fashion, medical, and wellness-offering a wide range of hands-on K-Beauty programs.
On the opening day, June 19, the Conference Hall will host one-on-one business meetings for domestic and international stakeholders in the K-Beauty industry, including medical and wellness sectors. Eighty-seven participants, including buyers from 11 countries and content creators, have been invited to facilitate business consultations and real-time promotions, supporting the expansion of K-Beauty products into global markets. Starting June 20, lectures on various K-Beauty topics will also be held.
In the corridors of the Art Hall and at Oullim Square, participating companies and organizations will showcase their products and host a variety of events. On June 20 and 21, outdoor special stages will feature hair shows and fashion shows with renowned hair and makeup artists as well as leading Korean fashion designer brands.
Admission to Art Hall 2 is available by advance reservation through the official website or on-site registration, while all other areas can be accessed freely without prior procedures.
Seven promotional hubs will be set up in popular tourist areas such as Myeong-dong, Dongdaemun, Seongsu, Gangnam, Hongdae, and Cheonggyecheon, in collaboration with corporate spaces, allowing visitors to enjoy various K-Beauty experiences.
More than 520 participating companies and organizations across the five key K-Beauty fields-hair, makeup, fashion, medical, and wellness-as well as aviation, accommodation, and shopping, will offer foreign tourists a range of benefits, including discounts on products and services by sector and prize giveaways.
The tourism industry, including airlines and accommodations, will provide additional benefits to attract more international visitors to Korea. ▲ Seven airlines, including Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air, and Air Seoul, will offer up to 88% discounts on major routes. ▲ Hotels such as The Shilla, Shilla Stay, and The Plaza Hotel Seoul will provide up to 10% off room rates and K-Beauty souvenirs for guests. ▲ Online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Konest and Creatrip will run special promotions offering up to 50% discounts on domestic tourism products related to K-Beauty.
In addition, during the hub operation period (June 19-22), a free shuttle bus will run three times daily for foreign visitors, connecting Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Myeong-dong Welcome Center, and Olympic Park, in conjunction with the large-scale Hallyu festival “My K Festa” at Olympic Park. Foreign tourists wishing to board can register at each stop on the day of travel.
Detailed information about the festival’s various hands-on events and benefits can be found on the official website.
Deputy Minister Jang Miran stated, “This year’s Korea Beauty Festival will become a global K-Beauty tourism hub where people from around the world can see, feel, and experience everything about K-Beauty firsthand. I hope that foreign visitors to Korea will discover their own new beauty through K-Beauty and create lasting memories along their journey.”
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