Planning 'Beauty Sum Suwon' with 130 Companies…Evolving into K-Beauty Industry Exhibition

The 2026 Beauty Sum Suwon (BEAUTY SUM), a specialized beauty trade show hosted by Suwon City, will be held for four days from the 5th to the 7th at Suwon Convention Center.

Suwon City's honorary ambassador girl group 'Lisence' said, "Isn't this a festival where you can experience all the beauty trends in one place? I'm really looking forward to both the exhibits and hands-on experiences!"

This year's event boasts record-breaking scale with a total of 130 companies, organizations, and institutions participating. This marks an expansion from 97 companies at the first event in 2023 and 103 companies in 2024.

The event is open to both beauty industry professionals and the general public. On Saturday the 7th, it will operate until 5 p.m.

Participating companies are organized by sector: skincare and aesthetic cosmetics 41 companies, body and hair products 15 companies, raw materials and manufacturing 11 companies, tech equipment 6 companies, and inner beauty-related categories including food and biotech 24 companies.

By region, 39 companies from Gyeonggi Province including Suwon will set up booths, 21 from Seoul and Incheon, and 39 from provinces including Gangwon, Chungcheong, Jeju, and Gyeongsang. The Gyeongbuk Bioindustry Research Institute will showcase excellent products in a joint pavilion for food and biotech sectors.

Industry Sectors Strengthened: Raw Materials, AI Beauty Tech, and Product Development

To secure K-Beauty competitiveness, Suwon City has shifted this year's trade show's focus to industrial sectors. Specialized exhibition halls covering the entire beauty industry—from raw materials and ingredients to brands and distribution—have been organized.

The 'Cosmetic Raw Materials Promotion Pavilion' showcases cases where the National Institute of Marine Bioresources and the Gyeonggi Province Institute of Economy, Science and Technology have commercialized technology transfers, including marine lactic acid bacteria and microorganisms. Products utilizing plants endemic to Korea as core raw materials will also be displayed.

The 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) Beauty Tech Pavilion' offers experiences of AI-based next-generation beauty. The Gyeonggi International Medical Association will provide customized consultations and smart skin analysis, while companies like Skinfit, Arum Hubis, and Posyong will showcase AI skin diagnosis, home beauty management coaching, and customized cosmetic recommendation services.

In the 'BIGS Special Pavilion,' 13 specialized companies support business matching. B2B transactions between companies, influencer brands and marketing, global distribution, and beauty startups will explore collaboration opportunities. At 10 a.m. on the 5th, a Korea-China-Japan beauty industry international conference will be held, and at 1 p.m. on the 7th, the 'Beauty Sum Cosmetic Ingredients Insight Seminar' will take place.

Oriental Beauty Valley Consultation Desk·Export Consultations with 8 Countries

This trade show serves as a launching pad for Korean beauty companies to enter global markets. In particular, Oriental Beauty Valley, a beauty biotech industrial complex in Shanghai, China, is collaborating with Suwon City to operate a China-specialized consultation desk.

The business lounge will display 119 products from Oriental Beauty Valley-based companies and operate continuous consultations. Oriental Beauty Valley is an industrial complex where approximately 3,000 beauty companies, including world-renowned brands, are based, with an industrial scale exceeding 19 trillion won. Suwon City has continued cooperation since holding an investment briefing in Shanghai in September last year.

Thailand is also participating. At the 'Thailand Business Pavilion,' INBA Thailand, a company supporting market entry into Thailand, will conduct one-on-one consultations and demonstrate Thai live broadcasting to introduce Korean products.

An export consultation session will be held with 24 buyers from 8 countries participating. Domestic beauty companies can explore market entry possibilities to Vietnam, China, Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, the United States, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

Hands-on Experience Programs for Citizens

Experience programs for the general public have also been prepared. At the Beauty Stage inside the exhibition hall: 'Trendy Daily Makeup Seminar' at 3:30 p.m. on the 5th, 'Emotional Circulation Beauty Keyring Experience' at 10:30 a.m. on the 7th, and a senior model runway 'Golden Gray Fashion Festa' at 1 p.m. the same day.

Experience booths operated by Suwon-based institutions and organizations will also run. These include the Suwon Hair and Beauty Association promotion pavilion, a Suwon City merchandise pop-up store, and a health booth with participation from all four districts.

Additionally, visitors can experience: ▲Personal Brow Design (Suwon Women's University Beauty Arts Department) ▲Skin Measurement (Dongnam Health College Beauty Care Department) ▲Henna Tattoo (Hanbaum High School Beauty Art Department) ▲Nail Art (Suwon Beauty Practical Specialist School) ▲Massage Experience (Korean Skin and Beauty Association Central Division Suwon Branch) ▲Mother-of-Pearl Hand Mirror Making (Korean Red Cross Gyeonggi Province Chapter) ▲Bracelet Making (International Rescue Committee). A 'Beauty Scoop Event' will also be held where participants can upload photos taken at the venue to their Instagram story and receive beauty products.

A Suwon City official said, "Beauty Sum Suwon has significantly strengthened its character as a professional industry exhibition based on accumulated expertise over the past three years. We hope participating companies will achieve tangible business results and that visitors will enjoy diverse beauty experiences."