Cosmetic ODM (manufacturer-developed production) company Cosmax announced on the 19th that it held the ‘KOOM, Dream K-Beauty Creator Awards’ in New York, U.S., on October 17 (local time). The awards ceremony honors creators who have helped promote K-Beauty to local consumers in the U.S.
Co-hosted with the UKF (United Korean Founders) network of North American Korean entrepreneurs, the event is also a flagship program of the ‘KOOM WEEK 2026’ K brand and startup festival. This year, Cosmax Group Chairman Lee Kyungsoo and Cosmax BTI CEO Lee Byungjoo attended.
Chairman Lee Kyungsoo also served as a speaker at the dinner event held on October 16, the day before the awards ceremony. In his speech, Chairman Lee cited creativity and speed as the fundamental driving forces behind K-Beauty’s rise to prominence in the global cosmetics market.
Chairman Lee emphasized, “K-Beauty has spread widely, deeply, and rapidly across the globe, establishing itself as a new standard in the global beauty industry,” adding, “The essence of its greatness lies in the superior technological capabilities that quickly turn creative ideas into reality and the dynamic diversity created by numerous indie brands.”
He added, “Cosmax has provided sophisticated formulations that address the skin concerns of consumers worldwide based on decades of accumulated research and development data,” and “The scientific innovation and authenticity embedded in our products are precisely why global consumers are passionate about K-Beauty.”
Cosmax plans to accelerate its localization strategy in the U.S. market. Based on the production infrastructure of its U.S. subsidiary, which turned profitable this year, the company will support K-indie brands aiming to enter the local market.
Chairman Lee stated, “When K-indie brands with excellent ideas conquer the challenging heights of the global market, Cosmax will be the steadfast supporter leading the way and sharing the burden.”
The U.S. is the largest export market for K-Beauty. Last year marked the shift from China to the U.S. as South Korea’s top cosmetics export market, with exports continuing to grow. In the first half of this year alone, exports to the U.S. amounted to 1.45 billion dollars (approximately 2 trillion Korean won), accounting for 20.7% of total K-Beauty exports.
Recently, major K-Beauty companies have expanded beyond Amazon to offline retailers such as Walmart, Costco, and Target, growing their scale. Sephora, the world’s largest multi-brand cosmetics store, partnered with Olive Young this year to introduce dedicated K-Beauty sections in 580 U.S. stores and 48 stores in Southeast Asia.
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