Foreign shoppers browse cosmetic products inside a beauty store. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s consumer goods exports—long considered a supporting player to the country’s heavyweight industries—are rapidly emerging as a new growth engine, fueled by the global spread of Hallyu and the runaway popularity of titles like the animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters.
Government data show that exports of K-food, K-beauty, and other consumer goods are rising at a pace strong enough to potentially join Korea’s “15 key national export categories,” a designation traditionally dominated by semiconductors, automobiles, and ships.
According to the Korea International Trade Association on Sunday, exports of agricultural and marine food products—a core K-consumer goods category—reached US$9.26 billion through September, up 8.1 percent from a year earlier.
The sector first surpassed the US$10 billion mark in 2021 and has continued to grow, hitting US$11.7 billion last year. At the current pace, this year’s total is expected to reach roughly US$12.6 billion, marking a fifth consecutive year above the US$10 billion threshold.
Ramen, dried laver, grapes and kimchi remain top performers, while the global spread of Korean restaurants—boosted by Hallyu—has driven a nearly 10 percent jump in exports of Korean sauces.
This photo taken March 21, 2025, shows a foreign customer selecting Ottogi Corp.’s Jin Ramen products at a large discount store in Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
K-beauty continues to chart record momentum as well. Cosmetics exports climbed 20.3 percent last year to reach US$10.2 billion, the first time the sector crossed the US$10 billion mark. This year’s exports through September reached US$8.5 billion, up 15.4 percent, with the annual total forecast to hit a new high of about US$11.7 billion.
Makeup, skin care, hair products, fragrances, and bath items all saw broad-based demand. Notably, Korean cosmetics exports to the United States surpassed those of France last year, making Korea the No. 1 exporter to that market for the first time.
Exports of pharmaceuticals, household goods, and fashion items remained steady, with sales through September totaling US$8.1 billion, US$6.7 billion, and US$1.7 billion, respectively.
Korean stationery, furniture, accessories, toothpaste and toothbrushes have benefited from a reputation for design and quality, while rising trust in “Made in Korea” has lifted demand for pharmaceuticals and apparel.
The combined strength of these categories signals a structural shift in Korea’s export landscape. Once overshadowed by heavy industrial goods, consumer products—especially food and cosmetics—now rival or surpass sectors like home appliances and secondary batteries in export size.
TikTok influencer Gia Gabriela trying out Korean cosmetics. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Cosmetics and food exports have each overtaken the US$10 billion mark, positioning them near traditional categories such as textiles (US$10.5 billion) and computers (US$13.2 billion).
Sensing both economic opportunity and geopolitical risk in an increasingly volatile global trade environment, the government is moving to establish consumer goods as a central pillar of export diversification.
Yeo Han-koo, South Korea’s trade chief, said during a visit to a Musinsa Standard store in Seoul last week that the government will unveil a comprehensive strategy by year’s end to expand K-consumer goods exports, including Hallyu-linked marketing, logistics support, certification assistance and intellectual property protection.
KOTRA President Kang Kyung-sung echoed the sentiment, saying the timing is ripe: “As the power of Hallyu grows, Korea has been given a new opportunity through K-consumer goods. We are confident this can become a major leap forward for the nation.”
With global interest in Korean culture soaring, the country’s soft-power-driven consumer goods sector appears poised to shift from a supporting actor to a leading force in the nation’s export economy.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
