The Power of K-Beauty Adorning Gyeongju: A Stage Where Tradition and Technology Coexist at APEC 2025
At the APEC 2025 summit held in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk, K-Beauty received attention as a new form of soft power combining culture and technology, far beyond simple beauty. Let's take a look inside the K-Beauty Pavilion where tradition and innovation converged.
The K-Beauty Pavilion Where Traditional Beauty and Technology Blend
On October 28, 2025, many people flocked to the opening day of the ‘K-Beauty Pavilion’ held at Hwangnyongwon in Gyeongju. As a side event of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), this space was composed of not only K-beauty products but also hybrid content combining Korean traditional crafts and technology.
Laurence Azoulay, the General Leader of the French GS1 community who visited the site, seemed deeply impressed as he commented on the uniqueness of Korean cosmetics.
"I am very impressed with K-Beauty which combines tradition and technology. It is the perfect culture for those who wish to age gracefully."
This evaluation is meaningful in that it plays a role beyond a simple product display, promoting Korean aesthetic values and cultural identity to the world.
'From Hwanyoogo to AI Makeup…A Coexistence of Tradition and Advanced Technology'
Among the booths that attracted the most attention was The History of Whoo by LG Household & Health Care. Here, Son Dae-hyun, the first Seoul intangible cultural asset, directly demonstrated traditional Korean Najeonchilgi, and foreign visitors had time to experience Korean traditional crafts by attaching mother-of-pearl. In addition, the key product of the brand, ‘Hwanyoogo’, was structured to allow direct experience, earning enthusiastic responses.
In the opposite booth, Amorepacific unveiled its latest beauty AI technology. When visitors stood in front of the mirror, the camera analyzed their skin condition and recommended customized makeup products and styles—a result of years of AI technology research and collaboration. The application of image generation technology co-developed with KAIST was particularly notable.
This spectacle where hundreds of years of history and craftsmanship on one side and the latest technology and algorithms on the other came together under the single theme of K-beauty was impressive.
The Field of K-Soft Power Enhanced with Art and Emotion
During the APEC CEO Summit, Gyeongju transformed into a city of beauty. At its heart, in 'Place C Gallery', an exhibition of 10 leading Korean contemporary artists was held, communicating a message where K-beauty and art flowed together as one.
Participating artists included names leading Korean contemporary art such as Kimsooja, Kim Chong-hak, Lee Bae, and Ha Chong-hyun, impressively expressing the theme of AI-era emotions and sustainability through natural materials like charcoal, ceramics, fabric, and light.
This art exhibition served as a stage, as if adding emotion to a city of technology, revealing aspects of Korean soft power in general, not just the beauty industry.
The Era Where Global Businesses Require Emotion
Mr. Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who attended the opening ceremony, pointed out the flow of the new era beyond the rigid industrial frame of the past.
"We have entered an era where business must also be stylish and sensuous."
He expressed hope that even unfamiliar and technical themes such as ‘AI’ would be creatively unfolded in exhibition spaces combining K-beauty and art. This serves as a background where the industry needs to accept ‘cultural emotion’ as a business strategy beyond function-centered products.
On the multilateral international stage of APEC, K-beauty has faithfully reflected this spirit of the times, proving its potential in a uniquely Korean way.
APEC 2025 Conveyed Messages Beyond the Exhibition
This exhibition wasn’t merely a marketing level event but a venue to convey the nation's image and identity creatively and sensibly. It left a deep impression, particularly in the reinterpretation of tradition in a modern way and the expression of technology with emotion.
This exhibition, held in a space that harmonized with Gyeongju’s historical character, reached the audience as a value beyond cultural experience and looks set to become a new benchmark for future K-Beauty deployment strategies.
K-beauty is gaining attention in the global market by harmonizing modern technology and culture. YURICOS is striving to establish itself as a trusted brand with diverse cosmetic solutions in this trend.
