K-beauty counterfeits cause $15 million in damage this year, customs reports

As K-beauty continues to grow in global popularity, counterfeiters are capitalizing — with damages mounting to $15 million so far this year, 81 percent of which originated from China.

A staff member demonstrates a product at the Kurly Beauty Festa 2025 held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul on Oct. 30. The event showcases products from 60 beauty brands handpicked by Kurly and runs through Nov. 2. It is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. [YONHAP]

As K-beauty continues to grow in global popularity, counterfeiters are capitalizing — with damages mounting to $15 million so far this year.

Documents provided by the Korea Customs Service through an information disclosure request by the JoongAng Ilbo show that from January to September, violations of intellectual property rights related to domestic beauty brands amounted to 22 billion won ($15.1 million) — more than 24 times the 900 million won recorded in 2024.

These counterfeit products were falsely labeled to appear as Korean beauty brands. The damage has surged sharply from around 100 million won in 2020.

China accounted for the largest number of counterfeit shipments, with 99 percent of counterfeit beauty products detected this year through September originating from China, followed distantly by Thailand at 0.1 percent.

“This year saw an unusually high number of counterfeit cosmetics shipped from China to the United States before being imported to Korea,” a Korea Customs Service official said, the monetary value of which constituted “81 percent, or 17.8 billion won, of all counterfeit cases.”

Counterfeiters target a wide range of Korean beauty brands, from luxury names to affordable, mass-market products. Most fake cosmetics imitate Korean beauty brands’ product designs and names so closely that they are nearly impossible for consumers to distinguish with the naked eye.

Fake versions of its Mediheal brand’s collagen masks replaced the word “collagen” with “gollagen,” while the packaging and size were identical to the genuine product — misleading consumers into believing they were authentic, according to beauty tech company APR.

An attendee examines products at the 2025 Seoul International Cosmetics & Beauty Industry Expo and International Health Industry Expo at Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, in May. [YONHAP]

Counterfeit versions of Amorepacific’s Sulwhasoo brand were the most frequently detected fake cosmetics manufactured overseas in 2024, with 541 cases, according to data submitted to Rebuilding Korea Party Rep. Cha gyu-geun by the Korea Customs Service.

In 2025, counterfeits of affordable brands surged. Fake products imitating Manyo Factory — a leading budget-friendly brand — topped the list with 952 cases as of September, followed by Sulwhasoo with 812.

Industry insiders are increasingly concerned about the risks of fake cosmetics.

“Counterfeit products pose health risks because their ingredients cannot be verified,” said a spokesperson for APR. “They not only violate companies’ intellectual property rights but also undermine global consumer trust in K-beauty as a whole.”

Companies say they are stepping up monitoring efforts and cooperating with authorities to crack down on counterfeit goods.

“We are working closely with overseas customs agencies to block counterfeit products at the import clearance stage and are taking strong legal action against those involved in their production and distribution,” said an Amorepacific spokesperson.

A customer checks out Asian beauty products at a Senti Senti store in New York on July 25. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

The government is also considering launching a joint task force with private companies to better protect K-beauty brands abroad.

“We are producing and distributing a guidebook to help customs and related agencies identify K-beauty intellectual property infringements,” a customs official said. “We plan to strengthen cooperation with the Korean Intellectual Property Office and overseas direct-purchase platforms and establish a public-private working group next year to protect Korean brands.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY NOH YU-RIM [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]