Amazon Global Selling Korea recently hosted the "Amazon Beauty in Seoul 2026" event, unveiling four key projects aimed at accelerating the sustainable global growth of K-Beauty. The comprehensive roadmap presented will support new sellers throughout their journey, from market entry to business expansion, category diversification, and entry into the European market.
A key objective of these projects includes supporting 50 new sellers to exceed $1 million in their first-year sales on Amazon's U.S. store by 2027. Furthermore, collaborations are planned with seven leading brands to establish scalable operational models while also aiming to onboard 50 new sellers in the haircare and wellness sectors, securing 200 new products.
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Korean cosmetic exports in the first half of 2026 reached a record $7 billion, marking a 27.3% increase compared to the same period last year. This surge reflects the booming global demand for K-Beauty products, with sales of beauty products from Korean sellers on Amazon nearly doubling from January to September 2026 compared to the previous year. Notably, during the 2026 Prime Day, sales growth in emerging stores across Europe, the Middle East, and Australia outpaced that of the U.S. store, indicating a significant potential for market diversification.
The announced four key projects include Project Million, Project Titan, Project Silk Road, and Project Autobahn. Project Million focuses on supporting new sellers to secure customer demand and establish a foundation for long-term growth through comprehensive assistance in product planning, listing, logistics, and marketing from the first year. The strategy aims to help at least 50 new sellers achieve over $1 million in their first-year sales by 2027.
Project Titan involves tight collaboration with seven leading K-Beauty brands to develop end-to-end models covering aspects such as joint business planning, order fulfillment, pricing, and brand protection. This validated model is intended to be scalable for a broader range of domestic sellers, enhancing the overall standard of K-Beauty.
Project Silk Road seeks to expand successful formulas previously focused on skincare into the emerging categories of haircare and wellness, targeting the onboarding of 50 new sellers and securing 200 new products in these fields by 2027 to actively pursue new global customer segments.
Lastly, Project Autobahn is a simplification initiative to expedite the entry process into the European market, known for its high entry barriers such as tax registration, product certification, and regulatory compliance. This project aims to streamline the entry process into five key European countries, accelerating global expansion.
Cho Yong-hoon, CEO of BYTE Lab, which joined Amazon in 2025, noted that sales grew by over 500% from January to September 2026, attributing this success to Amazon's global customer access and diverse tools, which have allowed them to showcase their products globally and achieve long-term brand growth.
Shinhwa-sook, CEO of Amazon Global Selling Korea, remarked that K-Beauty is establishing itself as a global industry beyond a fleeting trend. She emphasized the importance of continuous consumer demand from various brands and categories across multiple global markets, underscoring Amazon's role as a crucial channel for the global growth of Korean beauty businesses. Shinhwa-sook asserted that this initiative would further strengthen K-Beauty's global leadership and support the industry's drive to lead global beauty trends.
