Foreign Sales Exceed 25% in Offline Cosmetic Stores, Ascending to a Global Consumption Hub
If you ask overseas tourists for their must-visit shopping destination when visiting Korea, most would point to Seoul’s cosmetics stores. Recently, the impressive sales growth driven by a single offline retail chain and the influx of foreigners have refocused attention on the domestic cosmetics industry. Remarkably, from January to November 2025, foreigners spent over 1 trillion won at just one of these stores. We explore the context, statistics, and key strategies leading this trend.
Foreign Sales Surpass 1 Trillion… 9 Out of 10 Customers Visit This Place
As of 2025, accumulated sales by foreign tourists in the offline stores of a leading Health & Beauty (H&B) store in Korea have exceeded 1 trillion won. Compared to the annual foreign sales at the beginning of the pandemic era in 2022, this represents an approximately 26-fold increase, highlighting the rapid rise of the stay-based shopping trend. Moreover, the proportion of foreigner sales within total offline sales has also risen sharply, surpassing 10% in 2023 and reaching 25% this year.
“When in Korea, there’s a place you must visit. There are diverse brands and new products come out quickly”
A key indicator of increasing loyalty from foreign tourists is the number of ‘tax refund’ countries. With foreigners from 190 UN member countries having received tax refunds, it signifies an influx of global consumers beyond just Asian tourists. Essentially, this site has established itself as a central hub for ‘Korean beauty culture’ experiences for tourists worldwide.
Shifting from Concentrated to Distributed Consumption, Regional Stores Reshaping the Market
The era when customers only visited metropolitan stores has ended. From January to October this year, purchases by foreigners in non-metropolitan regions increased 86.8 times compared to the same period in 2022, surpassing the metropolitan region’s growth rate of 20.5 times.
Particularly notable is the growth in Jeju, with purchases increasing a staggering 199.5 times. With Gwangju up 71.6 times, Busan 59.1 times, and Gangwon 57.9 times, foreign shopping demand is surging across various regions.
“I used to only explore Seoul, but now I can easily find great products even in Jeju or Gyeongju”
The trend of enjoying shopping while traveling around various regions instead of staying in one area is taking hold. About 40% of foreign consumers visit more than two stores, emphasizing the importance of strategies that link multiple stores nationwide rather than focusing on a single location.
Store, Brand, Experience Itself Becomes the ‘Objective of Travel’
Foreign tourists don’t just shop for price comparison. In fact, 58% of foreign customers entering a store purchase at least six different brands, with about 33% buying more than ten brand products.
This high brand consumption is attributed to a ‘one-stop shopping experience’ that meets foreigners’ desire to find suitable products in a curated space with dozens of beauty brands and experience something ‘new and special’.
“Even small brands catch my eye here. Unique concepts or ingredient explanations are well presented, making it easy to choose”
Meanwhile, the store structure showcasing domestic indie brands which are hard to access overseas through various tests and reviews is well received. Consumers can explore the world of K-Beauty relatively easily during their short stay, often promising to revisit if satisfied.
The Number of Global Shopping Stores Doubles in One Year
Content and tailor-made store configurations for foreigners are rapidly expanding. A prime example is the globally specialized store, reopened in November 2023 in Myeongdong, Seoul. This location has established a ‘beyond shopping experience’ with multilingual support, customized beauty solutions, and an automated membership system.
With an increase in dedicated tourist stores, the number of registered global tourist zones has doubled over the past year, rising from 60 to 135.
“The feel of each regional store is different, which makes shopping in itself enjoyable!”
Currently, specialized stores tailored to regional images such as the Hwangnam branch in Gyeongju and the Hamdeok branch in Jeju are being operated, strategically connecting non-metropolitan tourism flows and consumption sites.
Platforms Transforming the Landscape of Foreign Consumption
Approximately 88% of foreign purchases are processed via Global Tax Free (GTF). This indicates that nearly 9 out of 10 foreign transactions made in domestic cosmetics stores are carried out by this store’s brand. Beyond just a payment system partnership, it plays a significant role as a platform deeply embedded in the overall consumption experience of foreigners.
Within the innovation and growth of the cosmetics industry, Yuricos consistently contributes through practical products and reliable customer experiences. Proudly showcasing the allure and excellence of Korean cosmetics to the world, capturing the hearts of global consumers.
