This coming January, leading K-beauty companies will make a full-scale appearance at CES 2026, the world’s largest IT and home appliance exhibition held in Las Vegas. While global big-tech firms—once the main attraction of CES—are reducing their presence due to diminishing marketing returns, Korean beauty brands are treating CES as a strategic stage to deepen their penetration into the U.S., which has recently become their largest export destination.
The move by K-beauty firms contrasts sharply with recent trends among big-tech companies. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, CES was known as a battleground for cutting-edge technologies, with Nvidia, Intel, Google, and other giants participating in force. However, its prestige is no longer what it once was. With many companies concluding that the promotional impact no longer justifies the cost, a growing number are scaling down their booths or withdrawing entirely. Depending on size and location, booth construction and participation costs can reach tens of billions of won. Even major Korean conglomerates such as Samsung Electronics, SK, and Hyundai Motor are reducing their booth sizes and adjusting their stCES rateges.
K-beauty companies, however, are doubling down on CES because the United States has emerged as their most important market. According to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, cumulative Korean cosmetics exports to the U.S. reached USD 1.67 billion (approximately KRW 2.46 trillion) in the first three quarters of this year—an 18.1% increase from the previous year—surpassing China (USD 1.58 billion) to become Korea’s No.1 export destination.
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the organizer of CES, has also turned its attention to K-beauty tech. Earlier this year, CTA introduced a new Beauty Techcategory in the CES Innovation Awards. In CES 2026, the awardees in this category include LG Household & Health Care, Cosmax, and Amorepacific—all Korean companies (Korea Economic Daily, Nov. 25, 2025). |
