LANEIGE was K-beauty's global star — then it pulled all 7 counters out of Taiwan

LANEIGE, the Korean beauty brand under Amorepacific, exited all its department store counters in Taiwan by the end of December 2025. The brand announced it would close its 7 remaining counters across Taiwan, shifting channel strategy to online and drugstore retail rather than department stores.

The exit followed a broader pattern of K-beauty brands retreating from Taiwan. LANEIGE had been in Taiwan for approximately two decades and built a loyal following around products like its Water Sleeping Mask. But maintaining department store counters in a market where consumers were shifting to Western luxury brands and online shopping had become uneconomical.

Amorepacific, LANEIGE's parent company, was itself under pressure. The Korean beauty giant's revenue had declined as competition intensified and Chinese consumer demand for K-beauty softened. For LANEIGE, a mid-tier brand in a market that increasingly preferred premium Western labels, the Taiwan department store channel had become a cost centre rather than a profit driver.