Korean sheet masks, which were popular among Chinese tourists in the past, have made a comeback amid the K-beauty boom. This resurgence is thanks to the trend of Korean-style skincare in North America and Japan. Related corporations have seen a surge in sales based on their performance in overseas markets.
According to the related industry on the 11th, Beauty Selection, the manufacturer of the mask pack brand "Biocell", is estimated to have achieved sales in the 130 billion won range last year. This is more than three times the 40 billion won sales in 2023. The product's success was driven by the hit of the "Real Collagen Mask Pack" on Amazon in the U.S.
"Biocell" is regarded as having created the trend of "second-generation mask packs" with a product that complements the shortcomings of existing domestic sheet masks. Korean sheet masks were considered a symbol of Korean beauty, gaining popularity among Chinese tourists in the mid-2010s. However, the aftermath of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, the Korean wave ban, and COVID-19 caused a decline in Chinese demand, leading to a perception that the popularity of sheet masks had faded. The existing sheet masks were criticized for formulation problems, such as essences dripping and drying out quickly. Excessive price dumping was also an issue.
In response, "Biocell" launched a collagen mask that formed a support with concentrated essence instead of a paper sheet. Its semi-solid material prevents absorbed essence from dripping, allowing for clean use and preventing dryness on the skin even after prolonged application. When applied, the mask becomes transparent as the essence is absorbed into the skin, allowing consumers to visually confirm its effectiveness. It is also priced higher, and the policy does not offer sales.
As a result, there was a reaction from overseas. Especially in the North American market, as Korean-style skincare gained popularity, "Biocell"'s mask pack review videos, leveraging short-form marketing know-how, became popular on platforms like TikTok. Since its entry into Amazon in 2022, the collagen mask has consistently ranked among the top-selling products at major events. "Biocell" has also expanded into Japan's Qoo10, Amazon, Singapore's Shopee, and more. As a result of aggressively expanding into overseas markets, currently, 70% of total sales come from abroad.
With the trend of "second-generation mask packs" from "Biocell", GENIC, a cosmetics ODM (original design manufacturer) company established in 2001, has also revived. GENIC is known as the first company in Korea to develop water-soluble hydrogel mask packs and manufactures the "Biocell" collagen packs.
GENIC was once very popular on home shopping channels, referred to as the so-called "Hayumi Pack." However, it faced challenges due to declining demand for its own brand and changes in the Chinese market. After the THAAD fallout in 2017, it turned to a loss, recording 64.7 billion won in sales and an operating loss of 8.3 billion won. It recorded losses for three consecutive years until 2019, briefly returning to profit in 2020. After experiencing continued losses, the popularity of "Biocell" caused its stock price to triple last year. Hana Securities projected that GENIC will record sales of 130 billion won and operating profit of 33.3 billion won in 2025.
The performance of Mediheal, a pioneer in sheet masks, also improved as the demand from China declined and COVID-19 created difficulties, but sheet masks regained popularity. Last year, it recorded sales of about 300 billion won, a 54% increase from the previous year, with North American sales growth exceeding 300% during the same period.
A beauty industry official noted, "Sheet masks once represented K-beauty, enjoying great popularity centered around China, but their popularity had waned. However, recently, interest in Korean-style skincare has surged in overseas markets such as North America and Japan, leading to the popularity of 'second-generation masks' like 'Biocell.'"