[Report] "Purple" Waves at Dongdaemun DDP... Kurly Beauty Festa Captivates Even Foreign Visitors

Kurly Beauty Festa 2025
Four-Day Event at DDP Art Hall Starting October 30
60 Brands Participating, 16,000 Visitors Expected

"Boldly apply touches to the most three-dimensional areas of your skin."

On October 30, the Art Hall at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Jung-gu, Seoul, was filled with energy despite the chilly weather. Small groups of visitors gathered at the "Pressian" brand booth inside the venue to watch a live makeup demonstration.

The host in charge of the product demonstration held Pressian's "Pepta Serum Cushion" in her hand and applied it to the model's skin, saying, "Gently cover the areas with pores, and if you apply the remaining amount to the jawline, you will see the model's skin shine even more beautifully." When asked, "Can you feel the difference in the skin?" the audience unanimously responded, "Yes."

On the 30th, a makeup demonstration took place at the "Pressian" brand booth inside the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) Art Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jae-Hyun Park

From this day, the e-commerce platform Kurly will host its Beauty Festa for four days. This is the second year for the Kurly Beauty Festa. The slogan for this year's event is "Where Beauty Meets Curation," reflecting the idea that beauty emerges the moment you discover your own preferences and confidence.

From the entrance, the venue was decorated with the colorful "The Garden of Me" exhibition space to highlight the meaning of curation, and the space was filled with the scent of the "Centellier" brand to welcome visitors.

The event space was even more comfortable than last year. The number of brand booths was reduced from 94 to 60, and a total area of 4,300 square meters was prepared, allowing for larger booth sizes. Over the four-day event, a total of 16,000 visitors (about 4,000 per day) are expected, which is a significant decrease from last year's 20,000 attendees. A Kurly representative explained, "We reduced the number of participating brands and the total number of visitors (20,000 last year) to create a more comfortable environment." Early bird tickets, sold before the event, sold out immediately in both the first and second rounds, and the third round has also sold out, indicating a strong response.

View inside the Art Hall at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Jung-gu, Seoul on the 30th. Photo by Jae-Hyun Park

This year's Beauty Festa features more hands-on events. Four leading Kurly brands, including Laroche, are offering beauty classes for VIP members. In addition, brands such as Nars, Pressian, Kerastase, Pressian, and Headspa7 will host makeup demonstrations, hair styling classes, and makeup shows over the four days.

The majority of visitors at the event were women in their 20s to 40s, Kurly's main target demographic. Some male visitors were also noticeable. Mr. Kim (35) said, "When I first entered, the queues were well organized, making it comfortable. The booths for each brand were also larger than at other festivals, making it easier to look around."

Foreign visitors staying in Korea and using Kurly were particularly noticeable. Lana (29) from Moldova, who is currently living in Korea, said, "Olive Young and Musinsa also hold festivals, but I only come to the Kurly Festa. The product quality is good, and the event site is much more comfortable than others." Kate (31) from Russia, also living in Korea, said, "I attended the Beauty Festa last year too, but I was disappointed because there wasn't enough time. Besides the welcome gift, there are so many other products given out that the benefits feel abundant."

The area in front of the brand booths was filled with people participating in various events and receiving prizes. At some booths, the queues grew long, and visitors and staff played rock-paper-scissors to win prizes. Visitors were especially satisfied with the "Blooming Set" provided as a welcome gift. Kwon Suyeon (24) from Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, said, "I came in at 10 a.m., and after about two hours, my bag is almost full. Each booth has so many fun activities, so I had a great time."

Employees and visitors playing rock-paper-scissors in line at the booth of French clean beauty brand Laroche. Photo by Jae-Hyun Park

At some brand booths, the brand founders made appearances. On this day, Coline Bertrand, founder of the French clean beauty brand Laroche, visited the site and took photos with staff and visitors. A Laroche representative said, "Currently, we are present in 26 department store locations offline, and online we are focused on Kurly. Unlike Olive Young and Musinsa, Kurly's target demographic is women in their 30s and 40s, which matches our brand's target. We strongly believe that Kurly curates good brands, which greatly helps us strengthen our premium positioning."

Kim Goeun, Head of Brand Marketing at Kurly, said, "This event will be a festival where Kurly's curation capabilities are showcased in the beauty sector. Through Kurly Beauty Festa 2025, we hope many people will have authentic experiences and find their own unique beauty."