Musinsa Takes on K-Beauty With Its First-Ever Beauty Store in Seoul

Musinsa is taking its fashion empire into K-beauty.

The Korean fashion platform has entered the country’s competitive health and beauty retail market with its first standalone beauty store in Seoul’s Hongdae district, putting it up against Olive Young, Korea’s dominant H&B retailer.

Musinsa Beauty Hongdae opened on Sept. 11 in Seogyo-dong, Seoul. Spanning approximately 1,262 square meters, the store features around 12,000 products from 870 brands. Of the roughly 600 beauty brands available, 70% are indie labels.

The strategy mirrors Musinsa’s approach to fashion: giving smaller brands with strong products a bigger platform. Online content introduces brands to shoppers, while the physical store allows them to discover and test products before making purchases through the app.

Makeup takes center stage on the first floor, with more than 140 color cosmetics brands, alongside fragrance, colored contact lenses, and fashion-beauty collaborations. Musinsa is also bringing its fashion expertise into beauty. Some products are paired with styling suggestions, such as a lip shade described as one that “goes with a hip fashion look.”

The second floor features skincare, hair, body care, and men's beauty products. The basement houses “Beauty On-Nuri Pharmacy,” where around 90% of the products are cosmetics and other beauty items rather than medication. At least two pharmacists are available to recommend products based on shoppers’ skin or scalp concerns.

Hongdae was a strategic choice. The popular shopping and entertainment district attracts large numbers of international visitors in their 20s and 30s. According to Musinsa’s research, foreign visitors make up 67% of the area’s foot traffic. To appeal to that audience, the store also features a café and terrace on the third floor.

Musinsa is also using its physical stores to boost online sales. At Musinsa Megastore Seongsu, whose beauty zone opened in April with around 500 brands, average daily online sales increased 35% in the three weeks after the opening compared with the period before.

The company plans to open another beauty-only store in Seongsu-dong in November, followed by a mixed-use store on Jeju Island.

“We want to establish ourselves as a platform where K-beauty brands can build new growth opportunities,” a Musinsa Beauty representative said.

With its mix of indie brands, trend-driven makeup, and fashion-inspired styling, Musinsa is now bringing its signature approach to the K-beauty market.