Ulta and K-Beauty World Are on a Mission to Bring Korean Brands to the Masses

The initiative will bring select products from Chasin’ Rabbits, I’m From, Mixsoon, NEOGEN, Rom&nd, Some By Mi, Sungboon Editor and Unleashia (pictured) at Ulta Beauty stores nationwide and online at Ulta.com.K-Beauty WorldUlta Beauty wants a bigger piece of the K-beauty market, which is expected to be valued at $187.4 billion by 2030. 

The retailer has teamed up with K-Beauty World to bring in more than 200 products from eight Korean brands spanning skin care and color cosmetics, online and in-store.

The move comes amid a resurgence in interest in all things K-beauty over the last two years.

The K-Beauty World platform, from Landing International, is led by Landing CEO Sarah Chung Park, who has helped launch more than 180 K-beauty brands in the U.S. market since 2007. This includes scaling brands like COSRX and Hanskin at retailers such as Dermstore, JCPenney, Nordstrom, Revolve, Target and Ulta Beauty. Notably, Park, via Landing International, has placed 25 brands at Ulta Beauty alone.

The latest Ulta initiative will bring select products from Chasin’ Rabbits, I’m From, Mixsoon, NEOGEN, Rom&nd, Some By Mi, Sungboon Editor and Unleashia at Ulta Beauty stores nationwide and online at Ulta.com.

The product mix is intended to reflect both on-trend SKUs and legacy K-beauty offerings.

Designed as "a destination for U.S. consumers to access authentic Korean beauty," K-Beauty World represents a large-scale retail concept and a big bet on brands from Asia's leading trendsetting market.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Sarah Chung Park, Beauty Industry Expert, Founder & CEO Landing International, Creator of K-Beauty World 

Global Cosmetic Industry spoke with Park about the initiative and the forces driving the K-beauty boom in 2025. The executive revealed her ambitions for K-Beauty world and the inclusivity message that's central to much of the initiative. She also shared what it takes for a K-beauty brand to break into the crowded U.S. market.

The Global Rise of K-Beauty: Innovation, Virality, and Inclusivity

Park: The new wave of K-Beauty is being driven by innovation, social media virality, and a growing demand for high-performance products at accessible prices. 

Consumers are looking for formulas that are not only effective, but also fun to use—and K-beauty delivers on both. What’s different now is that K-beauty is no longer niche; it’s influencing global trends across skin care, makeup, hair and body, and reaching a much more diverse audience than ever before.

The Strategy Behind K-Beauty World's Assortment

Park: K-Beauty World was created to be a trusted destination for consumers—bringing together the best of Korean innovation across skin care, makeup, hair, and body with the expertise of top U.S. beauty leaders. 

K-Beauty World stands out because we’re making a conscious decision to cater to a wide range of ages, skin tones, budgets and styles. It’s also the first time that so many viral TikTok-loved K-beauty products have been brought together in a physical retail space, creating a one-of-a-kind, inclusive experience for shoppers.

With nearly a decade of experience sourcing and launching K-Beauty brands, we’ve developed a deep understanding of what succeeds—and what doesn’t—in beauty retail. At Landing, we use a seven-factor sourcing framework to evaluate every brand we bring into the U.S. market:

• Customer Reviews: We look for products that already have a loyal fanbase and proven results.
• Virality: Social buzz matters. If it’s blowing up on TikTok or Instagram, we know it’s capturing consumer attention.
• Product Differentiation: We prioritize products that stand out in a crowded market—whether it’s a new format, texture, or use case.
• Brand Positioning & Culture: We’re drawn to brands with a clear identity and point of view that resonates globally.
• Marketing Investment: It’s important that the brand is ready to support its U.S. debut with strong marketing and storytelling.
• Packaging: Visual appeal matters at retail. We consider how well the packaging will perform on U.S. shelves.
• Innovation: From unique ingredients to novel delivery systems, innovation is a must for any product we select.

K-beauty is for Everyone

Park: We’re beyond excited to bring the innovation and performance of K-Beauty to Ulta Beauty customers nationwide. 

Our goal is to break outdated perceptions—that K-Beauty is only for East Asian skin tones, hair types or beauty styles. In reality, K-beauty technology already powers many of the most beloved U.S. and European brands. 

What makes K-beauty special is its focus on solving real beauty needs—whether it's deep hydration, brightening dull or pigmented skin, or exploring cutting-edge textures in lip and base products. 

This is about showing that K-beauty is for everyone, and helping a new generation of consumers fall in love with its creativity, inclusivity and results.

The Landing International Tech Behind K-Beauty World

Park: Landing’s technology was built to bridge the gap between innovation and access. Our platform helps retailers source and access brands from all over the world. 

Our mobile app enables beauty advisors match customers with the right K-beauty products based on their skin type, tone, concerns and budget—making product discovery more personalized and inclusive. 

Ultimately, we’re using technology to demystify K-beauty and make it more accessible to a wider, more diverse audience.

K-Beauty Mart: A Traveling Pop-Up Bringing Korean Beauty to the U.S.

Chasin' Rabbits is a vegan beauty brand "dedicated to bettering life for people, animals and the planet."Chasin' Rabbits

In the lead up to the Ulta Beauty debut, K-Beauty World launched K-Beauty Mart, a traveling pop-up inspired by Korean convenience stores, to introduce its products to U.S. consumers. 

The activation has appeared at locations like Westfield Century City (LA), South by Southwest, RevolveFest (Coachella) and Bryant Park (NYC), with plans to visit Lollapalooza in Chicago this July. 

The pop-up features interactive displays, live product demos and early access to new Korean beauty products.

Ulta's Next Phase of K-beauty

Mixxsoon is a leader in the glass skin trend.Mixxsoon"We are excited to partner with K-Beauty World to meet the rapidly growing U.S. demand for accessibility in Korean beauty innovation,” says Kaitlin Rinehart, vice president of merchandising, Ulta Beauty. “This exclusive partnership brings time-honored, high-performing products, that have been long trusted by Korean consumers, to a broader audience, making it easier than ever for beauty lovers across the country to experience the power of K-Beauty. While we have offered many K-Beauty brands within our skin care assortment for some time now, we are thrilled to enter this next phase of growth and expansion with even more brands to discover across categories and price points. From effective ingredients to forward-thinking trends and packaging distribution, we can’t wait for new and existing Ulta Beauty guests across all age groups to experience the curated assortment of K-Beauty World brands that will be available to shop in our stores and on Ulta.com this summer.”

“K-Beauty World is about more than just what’s new from Korea – it’s about what’s next in beauty for all ages, tones and budgets,” says Park. “Ulta Beauty, with its unparalleled reach, commitment to inclusivity, and passion for innovation, is the perfect partner to bring this vision to life. Together, we’re introducing U.S. consumers to a new era of Korean beauty–one that blends cultural storytelling with cutting-edge formulations and truly accessible retail experiences."