K-Beauty Shakeup: Mediheal-Maker APR Surges Past Big Players
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
APR, the company behind beauty device brand Mediheal (메디큐브), posted a dramatic rise in profit and sales through Q3, recording KRW 979.7 billion in cumulative revenue and nearing its annual KRW 1 trillion target. APR’s skincare and device lines, including PDRN (폴리데옥시리보뉴클레오타이드) products and beauty devices, saw strong global demand—PDRN sales surpassed 15 million units and devices 5 million units—driving a 252.9% jump in quarterly operating profit. Amorepacific also reported solid growth, boosted by North American expansion and TikTok Shop sales for brands like Laneige and Estrade. In contrast, long-dominant LG Household & Health Care and Akzon (애경산업) struggled, mainly due to weakening sales in China; LG’s Q3 operating profit fell sharply and it appointed a new CEO to overhaul operations. The rise of indie K-beauty brands has lifted ODM/OEM manufacturers too: Cosmax and Cosmecca posted strong revenue gains as they supply growing indie brands with new formulations and rapid service. Overall, the industry shift reflects market diversification from China toward Western markets and increasing global appetite for smaller K-beauty labels.
