Cosmax (192820.KS) is stepping up its push into the U.S. market after hosting an awards ceremony in New York for K-beauty creators. The contract manufacturer plans to expand cooperation with local creators and strengthen support for Korean indie brands seeking to enter the U.S.
Cosmax said on the 19th that it held the KOOM K-Beauty Creator Awards in Manhattan on the 17th together with United Korean Founders (UKF), a network of Korean entrepreneurs in North America. The event was staged as a main program of KOOM WEEK 2026, the largest festival for Korean brands and startups in North America. About 150 beauty influencers and creators active in North America attended, along with Cosmax Group Chairman Lee Kyung-soo and Cosmax BTI Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Lee Byung-joo.
At a dinner held the previous day, the chairman gave a talk on the global competitiveness of K-beauty, citing creativity and speed as the driving forces behind its rapid rise in influence worldwide. "K-beauty has spread broadly, deeply and quickly across the world and established itself as a new standard for the global beauty industry," Lee said. "The essence of that greatness lies in the unrivaled technology that turns creative ideas into reality at speed, and in the dynamic diversity created by countless indie brands."
"Based on research and development data accumulated over decades, Cosmax has provided sophisticated formulations that address the skin concerns of consumers around the world," he added. "The scientific innovation and sincerity embedded in our products are precisely why consumers everywhere are so enthusiastic about K-beauty."
Cosmax plans to use the event as a springboard for deeper localization in the U.S. The company will tap the production infrastructure of its U.S. unit, which returned to profit this year, to help Korean indie brands develop products and establish themselves in the market. "When K-indie brands with outstanding ideas set out to conquer the difficult heights of the global market, Cosmax will lead the way and share the load as a dependable enabler," Lee said.
