The trend: The Hallyu wave is going strong—especially when it comes to Korean beauty products.

• South Korea was the top exporter of cosmetics to the US in 2024, per the US International Trade Commission, beating out France for the first time.
• Total cosmetics exports from the country totaled $10.2 billion in 2024, up 20.6% YoY, per government data.

How we got here: While K-beauty has been a staple of the Western beauty scene for roughly a decade, the category is experiencing a resurgence thanks to a formidable combination of quality and affordability. That’s helping to win over new generations of consumers who care more about how well a product works than its brand name—and who are also investing in other Korean exports, like K-dramas and pop music.