GOYANG — K-Beauty Expo Korea, the country's largest beauty industry trade show, opens at its biggest scale yet, strengthening its role as a forward base for K-beauty's push into overseas markets.
KINTEX said on the 12th that it will host the 2026 K-Beauty Expo Korea from the 15th to the 17th at its exhibition halls in Goyang.
The 18th edition of the event draws 679 companies from 15 countries including South Korea — 597 domestic and 82 overseas firms — filling a total of 1,088 booths. The number of participating companies is 1.3 times larger than a year earlier and floor space has grown 1.4 times, with overseas participants expanding sharply to 82 companies from 65.
The core of this year's show is its function as a business platform that produces tangible export results. A total of 220 promising buyers from 60 countries, screened through the overseas offices of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), will take part in one-on-one export consultation sessions, and about 10,000 global buyers in all, including walk-in visitors, are expected at the venue.
In line with a trend toward exclusive deals struck through advance consultations, KINTEX has created a dedicated on-site space for signing memorandums of understanding so that talks and contracts can be completed in one place.
Support for expanding domestic sales channels has also been strengthened. A merchandiser (MD) distribution consultation session brings together 33 major distributors including TikTok Korea, Wadiz, Lotte Homeshopping and Hanwha Galleria, which will run an "MD's Pick" program to select standout products directly. KINTEX is also working with Gyeonggi Province and KOTRA on an ESG exhibition marketing support project that helps six small businesses and companies from population-declining areas in the province enter overseas markets.
A range of information-sharing events is also planned for tapping global markets. On the 16th, briefings will be held on listing products on China's major platforms Douyin and RedNote, alongside a "K-Beauty Insight Concert" featuring domestic and overseas experts.
KINTEX plans to use the show to establish the K-Beauty Expo as Asia's leading K-beauty business platform in name and substance.
"The growth of the K-Beauty Expo shows the high level of interest and expectations the global market has for Korea's beauty industry," KINTEX Chief Executive Lee Min-woo said. "In keeping with the largest scale to date, we will concentrate on all-around support so that on-site consultations lead to actual contracts and entry into overseas markets."