Gangnam-gu, in partnership with the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), participated in North America's largest professional beauty trade show and generated $28.45 million in export consultation results — nearly double the figure from a year earlier.
The district operated a Gangnam-gu promotional pavilion alongside six local beauty companies at Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas 2026, held July 13–15 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas is a business-to-business beauty trade show and one of three events in the global Cosmoprof series, alongside its counterparts in Bologna, Italy, and Hong Kong. This year's edition drew more than 950 companies from 39 countries and attracted about 26,000 buyers and visitors. Products and technologies spanning skincare, color cosmetics, hair and nail care, and fragrance were on display.
The six participating companies were Cosme, Soonsoojaa, The Company U, Skin Squared, Powerful X and BNH Cosmetics.
The district covered booth rental and basic setup costs so the companies could focus on product promotion and buyer consultations.
During the three-day show, the firms held 226 consultations with local buyers, recording $28.45 million in consultation results. That is $13.94 million more than the $14.51 million achieved at the same fair last year — a 96.1 percent increase.
Gangnam-gu's cosmetics exports reached approximately 2.5 trillion won in 2025, a record high and the top figure among all local governments nationwide. The total represented a roughly 44 percent increase from the previous year. The district supports participation in major international beauty trade shows to help local small and medium-sized enterprises connect with overseas buyers and open new sales channels.
"The near-doubling of consultation figures compared to last year confirms the product quality and market potential of Gangnam's beauty companies," district mayor Kim Hyun-ki said. "We will continue to actively support local small and medium-sized enterprises in entering global markets, strengthening their export competitiveness and contributing to the vitalization of the local economy and the creation of quality jobs."
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