South Korean beauty products have spent years building devoted followings online, especially through viral TikTok videos. Since the mid-2010s, these products, known as 鈥淜-beauty,鈥� have influenced those around the world with .
Now, the trend has become increasingly visible in the D.C. region as specialty retailers open brick-and-mortar stores dedicated to Korean skin care and cosmetics. The latest example is , which opened in Georgetown last year with a focus on curated, personalized skin care routines.
Jamie Oh, founder of HOS弄 Korea, was born and raised in Korea, and she came to the U.S. when in high school.
鈥淲e have a very rigorous, selective criteria going on in terms of what we decide to show in our store,” she told 91欧美激情.
She said that she is not interested in whatever is trendy on TikTok, and is instead focused on curating a 鈥渉yper-personalized routine鈥� for her clients with a 17-month 鈥渇reshness guarantee.鈥�
HOS弄 Korea is the only dedicated K-beauty store currently operating in D.C. proper, but there are other stores within Virginia and Maryland that focus on Asian beauty products. One example is Kokosh, which has three locations: Westfield Montgomery in Bethesda, Maryland, Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Virginia, and its most recently opened location at Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia.
Jiyan Ayhan, who works for the family-owned Kokosh, told 91欧美激情 that after the owners realized there was a 鈥渉igh demand鈥� for Korean skincare and other Asian beauty products, they shifted 鈥�90%鈥� of the skincare section to be sourced from South Korea.
鈥淐ompared to European products, they are much more affordable and just as effective,鈥� Ayhan said.
The growth reflects a broader shift in the beauty industry. Once considered a niche category known for elaborate skin care routines and novelty ingredients, K-beauty has become a multibillion-dollar business in the United States, fueled by social media, Korean pop culture and a reputation for innovation and affordability.
Expanding K-beauty beyond Korea’s borders
The arrival of stores like these comes as K-beauty continues to surge in popularity across the United States, with . Meanwhile, major retailers such as Sephora, Ulta, Target and Costco are .
Ulta, which has over 1,500 U.S. stores, launched a retail platform called 鈥溾�� in order to spotlight over 200 Korean products.
Sephora is also teaming up with , to provide the newest trend-driven Korean health and beauty products.
When the partnership with Olive Young was announced in January, Priya Venkatesh, global chief merchandising officer at Sephora, said , 鈥淜orean beauty is one of the most innovative, fastest-growing, and desirable categories in beauty right now.鈥�
South Korea became the largest exporter of cosmetics to the United States in 2024, with U.S. imports of South Korean cosmetics reaching $1.7 billion, a 54% increase from the year before, as reported by .
In October 2025, reported that K鈥慴eauty sales in the U.S. surged 53% year鈥憃ver鈥憏ear, driven largely by Gen Z customers.
What’s next for K-beauty?
In an effort to meet the increasing demand, K-beauty brands have been expanding their product ranges to appeal to a broader demographic.
As reported, the brand known as Tirtir has been operating since 2016, but in 2023, it gained global attention for its Mask Fit Red Cushion Foundation, which at that point was only available in three shades. Now, it comes in 40 shades, making it 鈥渙ne of the most inclusive in the K-beauty sector.鈥�
As Korean beauty products continue their rapid rise in popularity, new brick-and-mortar stores are planned to open around the D.C. region as existing retailers respond to growing demand for Korean skin care and cosmetics by increasing their stock. The momentum is accelerating as consumers seek out products that promise innovation, affordability and highly personalized approaches to skin care.
鈥淎nything that comes with the word K, it’s seen as exciting, innovative,鈥� Oh said. 鈥淜-beauty and K-pop and K-wellness, K-health, K-food 鈥� those are not virality. I think Korea is establishing itself as the global powerhouse of culture and innovation.鈥�
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