K-BEAUTY ON BY KSOUK: UAE’s First Premium Korean Cosmetics Multi-brand Store Launch

Jasmine Khan, Dubai

On 27th September 2023; I had the honour of being invited to the UAE’s First Premium Korean Cosmetics Multi-Brand K-BEAUTY ON BY KSOUK Store Launch in Burjuman Mall, Dubai, UAE. The project “K-Beauty ON” is a great initiative all over the world, which is supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of the Republic of Korea and is organised by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) in order to help Small Business Enterprises (SMEs) to expand overseas. Apart from India and Indonesia, Dubai has recently emerged as the foundation for further expansion of this project into the MENA region. Read ahead to know more:

Chief Guests

The invited dignitaries Ambassador Ryu Je-seong, Moon Byung-jun (Consul General, Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Dubai), Lee Young-ho, Mohammad Al-Kassim (Director, Dubai Chambers – Investment Attraction), Nick Borkhataria (Vice President, Noon.com), Shin Min-chul (Chairman, UAE Korean Association), Yang Ki-mo (Regional President, KOTRA MENA Head Office, Dubai UAE), Humaid Al-Hammadi (Chairman, Emirati Korean Friendly Society), Dr. Khawla Mohammad (Managing Director, Loomy Beauty Cosmetics & Trading), Dr. Magdi Fahmi (CEO, Life Pharma), Jung Sook-chun (CEO, K-Beauty ON) participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony. Among the other chief guests were Concept Realisation’s Managing Director Nasser Massoud, Al Ras Emirates Trading LLC’s Manager Jonathan CB, Mutmean General Trading’s Manager Sara Shokri, Dubai Chambers Investment Attraction’s Invest Manager Vlad Cheremisinov, Overseas Korean Traders Association Dubai’s Chairman Kwon Hwi, and First Secretary Attaché for Health and Welfare of Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United Arab Emirates Yang Seung-ho.

Among the invited news and media houses for coverage and reporting were Korea Broadcasting Services, Gulf Korean Times, Gulf News, Khaleej Times, Al Khaleej, Al Bayan, Emirati Al Youm, and Al Watan along with several social media influencers and personalities who were also invited to be part of the launch and experience trying and testings some of the premium Korean cosmetic products first-hand.

Opening Ceremony

This store launch event was a huge success on its own as it brought together distinguished personalities, media houses, influencers from South Korea, and the UAE to come together under one roof. Miss Eve Jaso, who is the current radio host for channel4dubai and a professional presenter took charge as the MC for the entire event.

The opening ceremony took place as Ms. Eve walked through the opening speech and guest announcements as well as gave everyone a brief about K-Beauty ON’s business venture. Followed by a welcoming speech by Lee Young-ho (General Manager, Korea Health Industry Development Institute in the UAE) and a congratulatory speech by Ryu Je-seong (Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United Arab Emirates), the ribbon cutting ceremony took place to officially inaugurate the store.

Key Brands

After the inauguration, all the guests were allowed to take a good look around, try some of the products’ trials, and explore the store. There were several staff members and sales representatives present in the store to assist everyone and provide the necessary details and benefits of each product. What especially caught my attention was the display of some rare premium Korean skincare and make-up brands that are not easily available overseas.

Some of these brands were Sambijo (Specialised Comestics Brand), Mulgeo (Vegan and Eco-Conscious Boutique Skincare Line), Fau (Healthy Aesthetic Cosmetics), Your Vegan (Vegan Friendly and Sustainable Brand), Heveblue (Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Brand), Runslow (Early Anti-Ageing Brand), Soosul (Herbal and Organic Ingredients), DIBLANC (Premium and Highly Functional Skincare) MOS (Premium Luxury Cosmetics), The Rice Bran (Specialised Skincare), Simplica (Vegan, Clean, and Conscious Beauty), MEDI-PEEL (Socially Responsible Innovative Brand), and Editorial Pure (Derma Aesthetic Brand). More brands are yet to be added to the store collection.

Key Attractions

Among the key attractions of the day, was the dedicated skin-testing section where the skincare expert would check for the skin type, skin health, and texture, help identify any underlying skincare issues, and suggest the appropriate brand to incorporate into the skincare routine.

Apart from that there was a cute photobooth section, where people could go and have a fun photo session with fun props and filters to make the day memorable. There was also a spinning wheel at the entrance which allowed the guests to try their luck and win prizes and special gifts.

There was a specially curated luncheon arrangement with a wide variety of delicious Korean cuisine and other equally delectable dishes such as Veg and Bulgogi Gimbap, Spicy Tteokbokki, Vegetable Dumplings, Cream Cheese Salmon, Red Bean Paste & Cream, Caprese, Avocado and Shrimp burgers and more.

There were many sweet assortments such as custard cream bread, baby choux, macaroons, mini cakes, red bean paste jelly, chestnut cookies, strawberry cream cake, and refreshing drinks. One of the corners of the store was dedicated to cute Korean and K-Pop-inspired merch such as BT21 cosmetics & sheet masks, Blackpink lightstick, and more.

Overall Ambiance and Price Range

The ambiance of the store gave off a bright yet cozy vibe. The minimalist theme and overall interior decor were extremely inviting with a convenient layout for the visitors to comfortably explore the store on their own as well as quickly get assistance from the specialized staff whenever they need it.

The price range for these premium Korean cosmetics brands on the other hand was somewhat positioned between affordable to high-end pricings with some of the sheetmasks and lipcare/skincare products starting from 5-8 AED (Approx 110-180 INR) while some cosmetics and premium skincare products costing up to 150-200 AED (Approx 3300-4500 INR). Other high-end and luxurious Korean cosmetics were priced in the 250-300 AED range (Approx 5500-6500 INR).

Concluding Remarks

Overall, I found a lot of the products available in the store for purchase worth the value of money as I took a lot of time reading their key ingredients and compositions, their derived benefits as explained by the experts, and based on the product trials I took. Such availability of a wide range of products that catered to very specific skincare needs is what impressed me the most. There was something for everyone in the store and their skincare and beauty needs with a touch of luxury. The ambiance of the store was very inviting and comfortable, and I would definitely pay my next visit here soon. Did you like this review? What are your thoughts? Tell us in the comments!