K-Fashion and K-Beauty Surge in Japan, Riding Wave of Korean Pop Culture | Be Korea-savvy

K-Fashion and K-Beauty Surge in Japan, Riding Wave of Korean Pop Culture


Musinsa announced on January 22 that its beauty brand, Odd Type, made its debut at Cosme Week Tokyo, Japan's largest global beauty expo. (Yonhap)

Musinsa announced on January 22 that its beauty brand, Odd Type, made its debut at Cosme Week Tokyo, Japan’s largest global beauty expo. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Jan. 29 (Korea Bizwire) —  South Korea’s fashion and beauty industries are gaining significant traction in Japan, driven by the global popularity of K-pop and Korean dramas. Industry players are leveraging this momentum with targeted efforts to expand their presence in the Japanese market.

Leading the charge, companies like Musinsa, CJ Olive Young, and department stores such as Hyundai and Shinsegae have ramped up operations in Japan.

Musinsa, a major Korean fashion platform, established its Japanese branch in 2021 and has since partnered with brands like Matin Kim to handle marketing, offline store launches, and distribution, including plans to open a Tokyo store this year.

The company also inked a deal with Japan’s leading online fashion retailer, ZOZOTOWN, to facilitate the entry of Korean brands.

Musinsa pop-up store held at Laforet Harajuku in Tokyo, Japan (Image provided by Musinsa)

Musinsa pop-up store held at Laforet Harajuku in Tokyo, Japan (Image provided by Musinsa)

Department stores are also capitalizing on the trend. Hyundai Department Store introduced several K-fashion brands, including Noise and Matin Kim, through pop-up events in partnership with Japan’s Parco.

Similarly, Shinsegae launched its “Hyper Ground” platform to promote K-fashion exports and hosted pop-ups at Hankyu Umeda Department Store, showcasing 14 Korean brands. The enthusiastic reception has even led to “open-run” scenarios, where customers line up before stores open.

In the beauty sector, CJ Olive Young is exporting its in-house brands, including Bioheal Boh and Bring Green, and adapting its marketing to Japan’s offline-dominated retail environment.

Olive Young's in-house brand products advertised on a billboard in Tokyo's Shibuya district (Image provided by CJ Olive Young)

Olive Young’s in-house brand products advertised on a billboard in Tokyo’s Shibuya district
(Image provided by CJ Olive Young)

 

Over the past four years, the company has recorded an average annual sales growth of 125% in Japan. Korean cosmetics have been the top import in Japan for three consecutive years, overtaking France in market share.

The synergy between Korean cultural content and consumer products has been a key driver. “Japanese consumers, especially those in their 20s and 30s, view K-fashion and K-beauty as trendy and sophisticated, influenced by their exposure to K-pop and dramas,” an Olive Young representative noted.

The growing popularity of K-products has also boosted the “reverse direct purchase” market, with platforms like AliExpress and Qoo10 Japan reporting increased sales of Korean fashion and beauty products. Korean sellers on Qoo10 Japan grew by 20% year-on-year as of December 2024.

As demand for Korean lifestyle products continues to rise in Japan, companies are increasingly tailoring their strategies to cement their foothold in this lucrative market.

Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)

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