South Korean beauty brands are making waves in the United States ahead of the holiday season, dominating gift sections in luxury retailers and mass-market chains.

The Design District in Miami, known for its high-end luxury stores, showcased several Korean beauty brands on Thursday.

At a Sephora location there, shoppers flocked to the holiday gift section featuring products from Laneige, Innisfree, and Dr. Jart+.

At a Target store that houses Ulta Beauty, COSRX products occupied a central spot in the holiday gift set display.

Following successful partnerships with Ulta and Target, COSRX recently expanded its presence to approximately 75 percent of Costco stores nationwide.

Having proven their appeal in online markets, Korean brands are accelerating their expansion into U.S. brick-and-mortar stores.

Moving beyond their reputation for affordability, key products are now competing with luxury international brands in the holiday gifting space.

Amorepacific, which owns Laneige, COSRX, and Innisfree, has significantly increased its presence in North American retail stores.

As of the third quarter, Laneige’s sales at Sephora grew by more than 15 percent, while Innisfree saw a 20 percent boost thanks to its expanded Sephora footprint.

Laneige is now available at over 600 Sephora stores and 1,000 Kohl’s locations in the U.S., while Innisfree has secured placement in all Sephora outlets.

Amorepacific said that a recent atrium event at Sephora’s Times Square store was deemed one of the most successful events hosted in the space.

The brand’s offline pop-ups are also gaining traction. A Laneige pop-up in Los Angeles earlier this year drew 10,000 visitors in just 17 days, with lines forming before opening on the first day. A similar event in New York this fall also attracted significant crowds.

Emerging K-beauty brands are also gaining momentum abroad.

Brands like Beauty of Joseon, Skin1004, and Purito are rapidly growing, particularly among young consumers globally.

Their success is largely driven by influencer reviews and user-generated content on social media, capturing the attention of a younger, trend-conscious audience.

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