On the 18th at 10 a.m., the scene of Coupang's 'Mega Beauty Show' pop-up store was held in Seongdong-gu, Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Visitors stood in long lines to receive champagne instead of cosmetics. They also ate food provided by Coupang, such as macarons and scones. There was also an event to create 'custom lip balm' reflecting visitors' own preferences.
A week earlier, at the same location, Zigzag held its first beauty show, where attendees received Yoajeong (the perfect yogurt ice stream) ice cream after viewing the entire event. There was also an event to decorate small pouches provided as gifts with stickers. Zigzag is a style commerce platform operated by Kakao.
Competition among beauty events between distribution platforms is intensifying. As similar events have proliferated, related companies are competing to provide differentiated content. In fact, there are already many related events. The fashion and beauty platform Musinsa held 'Beauty Festa' twice last year. The e-commerce platform Kurly also hosted 'Kurly Beauty Festa.'
Coupang emphasized customer experiences during the event. In addition to brand promotion booths, various product experience spaces were arranged. There was also a beauty device experience zone. The rooftop lounge included a custom lip balm experience space where visitors could choose colors and scents, a 'life cut' photo booth, and catering party areas. All were aimed at enhancing unique experiences.
Zigzag recently held the 'Zigzag Beauty Show' for the first time. It featured an experiential exhibition that brought together brands from various categories such as color cosmetics, skincare, and perfumes. MZ-generation (those born between 1980 and 2000) consumers directly used products, took photos, and shared their experiences. They also collaborated with Yoajeong to give away ice cream.
CJ Olive Young, considered a pioneer of such beauty events, is completely changing its event format this year. Olive Young plans to hold an outdoor event in mid-May for a week in the Yongsan-gu Nodeul Island area of Seoul. The event is set to feature various experiential activities and cultural performances, presenting a 'festival' that everyone can enjoy.
The reason platforms are attempting change is that they received criticism for their events being monotonous despite different companies. Existing beauty shows operated under the same structure, with brand booths lined up for promotion. From the consumer's perspective, similar experiences were repeated everywhere. From the platform's perspective, it was difficult to express its identity.
A distribution industry official noted, 'The focus of beauty events from major platforms is shifting toward content,' and 'new experiments, such as providing food, are ongoing to offer differentiated experiences.' Another official stated, 'The competition between platforms is becoming less about how well products are sold and more about what experiences are provided to consumers and what storytelling follows.'