[Anchor]

South Korea has maintained its position as the number one exporter of imported cosmetics to the United States for three consecutive years. As the number of customers directly experiencing and enjoying K-beauty grows, the landscape of the US market is shifting.

New York correspondent Kim Hyunwoo reports.

[Reporter]

This is a store of the world's largest cosmetics retailer located in New York's Times Square.

Korean cosmetics occupy prime real estate in the high-traffic center of the floor.

With product planning, selection, and merchandising all handled by a Korean retail company, it feels as though an entire store from Seoul has been transplanted here.

It even applies the unique Korean fast turnaround rate, constantly changing product lineups based on consumer response.

As the popularity of K-beauty surges, the US market is now embracing not just bringing in proven products from Korea, but also the store operation and sales methods themselves.

[Tatiana / New York: It is really great that we can now buy these wonderful products here in the US instead of having to go to Korea. The selection is wider and shopping has become much more convenient.]

Amid the K-beauty craze, South Korea's cosmetics exports in the first half of this year hit an all-time high.

In particular, with exports to the US ranking first and demand continuing to grow, the ways of penetrating the market are also diversifying.

In New York's trendy Soho district, a space has been established where people can preview and experience Korean cosmetics firsthand.

Even on this rainy weekday, so many people are visiting this place.

Consumers can freely try out Korean products here and receive consultations from experts.

Companies aiming to enter the US market have created this space to break away from relying solely on local distribution networks, directly communicating with consumers to figure out what they truly want.

[Lee Hana / Cosmetics Company CEO: Rather than just supplying through certain channels or doing marketing, we thought that coming directly and understanding consumers is a way to build long-term competitiveness in the market.]

In the US market, renowned for its high barriers to entry, Korean cosmetics have moved beyond a passing trend, surpassing France to maintain the top spot for imported cosmetics.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Video reporting: Lee Hee-hoon, Video editing: Chang Hyun-ki)