Korean beauty brands conquered China — then lost it to nationalism and local rivals

Korean beauty brands, led by Amorepacific (Sulwhasoo, Laneige, Innisfree) and LG Household & Health Care (Whoo, The History of Whoo), experienced a boom in China in the early 2010s. Chinese consumers, especially young women, embraced K-beauty for its innovation, packaging and cultural cachet, driven by the Korean Wave (Hallyu). China became the largest overseas market for Korean cosmetics.

The turning point came in 2017, when South Korea deployed the THAAD missile defense system, triggering a Chinese consumer boycott of Korean products. Korean beauty brands were hit hard: Amorepacific's China sales dropped sharply, and Innisfree and Etude House closed stores across China. The boycott exposed how dependent Korean brands had become on a single market.

Even after the political tension eased, Korean beauty brands did not fully recover in China. Chinese domestic brands like Perfect Diary, Florasis and Winona had matured, offering comparable quality with stronger cultural resonance and faster digital marketing. Korean brands that had relied on Hallyu-driven demand found that the trend had passed, and they had not built the brand equity to survive without it.