140 Korean SMEs converge on Las Vegas to pitch K-goods to US consumers

More than 140 South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises have converged on Las Vegas to make their pitch to North American consumers, riding a wave of growing interest in K-goods spanning beauty and lifestyle products. The push comes as a previous edition of the trade show yielded a $2.5 million export contract, raising hopes among Korean SMEs for expanded overseas sales channels.

The Korea Federation of SMEs announced Wednesday that it held the opening ceremony of the K-Goods Fair at ASD Market Week 2026 in Las Vegas on Tuesday (local time), mobilizing more than 140 Korean small and medium-sized enterprises for a concerted push into the US market.

The Korean pavilion, showcasing a wide range of K-goods including beauty and lifestyle products, was organized across more than 150 booths. Participants included companies taking part in the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' export consortium project, small business owners enrolled in the Korea Federation of SMEs' Noran Usan mutual-aid program, partners of Home & Shopping, and small and medium-sized enterprises based in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, North Gyeongsang Province and North Chungcheong Province.

The opening ceremony was attended by local dignitaries including Hwang Byung-gu, chairman of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce Federation of the Americas; Shelley Berkley, mayor of Las Vegas; Sonny Vibuya, Nevada state outreach director; and Carolyn Sproul, senior vice president of FORGE.

The state of Nevada and the city of Las Vegas presented certificates of appreciation to Korea Federation of SMEs Chairman Kim Ki-moon and Hwang in recognition of their contributions to Korea-US business cooperation through the large-scale Korean pavilion.

Interest from overseas buyers in Korean products was also on display at the venue. Angel, a director at US retail chain Bell's Department, said demand for Korean products has grown alongside rising interest in Korean content such as drama series and K-pop. "Having such a large Korean pavilion where you can see a wide variety of products all in one place was great," Angel said, adding that consultations on multiple products were planned during the exhibition period.

Miguel, a buyer for Beautypro from Brazil, said he consistently attends the show to source seasonal products. "Trying Korean products in person exceeded my expectations — they are far more appealing than I imagined," he said. "I am interested in K-beauty products with outstanding design and quality, and I think they have real potential in the Latin American market given their differentiated features, so I requested samples."

The trade show has already translated into real export contracts for some participants. Seo Hyeon-yeong, chief executive of Skin & Plus, who returned to the Korean pavilion for a second time, signed a $2.5 million exclusive deal with a Latin American buyer at the ASD show in March.

"Through this second participation, I hope to successfully sign deals with major North American retailers such as Walmart and Costco and expand our opportunities in the market," Seo said.

Shinil Special Metals also reconnected at the show with a Mexican buyer it had previously lost contact with, and the two sides resumed discussions on additional contracts. Han Yeong-uk, chief executive of Shinil Special Metals, said the company prepared its exhibit lineup and consultation strategy in advance through online meetings. "We are looking forward to meeting not only existing buyers but also new ones," he said.

The Korea Federation of SMEs said it is stepping up support for export channels as the need for Korean SMEs to explore overseas markets grows amid a low birth rate, an aging population and slowing domestic market growth.

"Even amid deepening uncertainty in the trade environment, K-beauty and K-food are drawing strong popularity, and our standing has risen to the point where the ASD organizers themselves have asked Korean companies to participate," Korea Federation of SMEs Chairman Kim Ki-moon said. "I hope this K-Goods Fair becomes a genuine export platform that opens new breakthroughs for our small and medium-sized enterprises in the North and Central American market."