Korea's largest B2B beauty trade show returns to COEX Seoul on 1-3 July 2026 with 500 exhibitors, 800 stands and co-located in-cosmetics Korea.
Dates
1–3 Jul 2026
City / country
Seoul, South Korea
Venue
COEX Convention & Exhibition Center, Hall A & C
Time
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily
Event overview
interCHARM Korea 2026 is Korea's largest professional B2B beauty and cosmetics trade show, returning to COEX in Seoul for its 24th edition on 1-3 July 2026.
Across Hall A and Hall C, around 500 exhibitors and 800 stands cover the full beauty supply chain: skincare, makeup, fragrance, hair and nail, aesthetic and spa services, beauty devices, and the ingredients, OEM/ODM, packaging and equipment behind them.
The show runs alongside in-cosmetics Korea, so buyers can source raw materials and finished products in one visit, while business matchmaking, the All About That Beauty seminar and the InterCHARM awards give the week its deal-making rhythm.
TL;DR
One trip covers the whole K-beauty chain. Finished-product buyers can compare skincare, colour, hair and nail brands on the same floor as the ingredient houses, OEM/ODM factories and packaging suppliers that make them, and in-cosmetics Korea adds the formulation and raw-material layer. The co-location shortens supplier discovery from weeks to three days, and the matchmaking programme puts pre-qualified overseas buyers in front of exhibitors.
Korea is a top-ten global cosmetics market and the source market for K-beauty, so a stand here reaches brand owners, distributors and private-label buyers who are actively reformulating. The show's 24-edition buyer database and hosted-buyer programme bring overseas retail and distribution groups to COEX, while the shared hall with in-cosmetics Korea exposes finished-goods exhibitors to ingredient and formulation decision-makers.
Attendees, exhibitors & solutions
Visitor profile
Typical attendee groups you can expect to meet.
Exhibitor profile
Main supplier and exhibitor segments present at the show.
Product categories
Key solution areas showcased across the event.
Location & Facilities
Halls & areas
2COEX Convention & Exhibition Center, 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06164, South Korea
Entrances & gates
Hall A lobby, COEX level 1
Main visitor entrance and onsite registration desks.
Hall C lobby, COEX level 3
Second entrance used for the co-located in-cosmetics Korea halls.
Food options
COEX basement dining and food court, Hall concourse cafes
On-site diningParking: Use the COEX underground car park; enter from Yeongdong-daero or Samseong-ro and note the hall zone on your level. Weekday mornings are busy, so allow 15 minutes to walk from the car park to Hall A.
Gate: Hall A and Hall C sit on COEX levels 1 and 3. Follow the Samseong station concourse signs to the Hall A lobby for badge collection.
Attend
Event days & opening times
Online pre-registration
Free with advance registration; badge collected onsite.
Onsite registration
Paid at the registration desk during show days.
Invitation ticket holder
Free entry with an organiser invitation.
Ticket info
Badge collection
Pre-registered visitors collect a printed badge at the pre-registration desk in the Hall A lobby by showing the registration email and photo ID.
Ticket notes
B2B trade show only; visitors under 18 are refused entry. Online pre-registration is free, invitation holders enter free, and onsite registration costs KRW 25,000.
What's on
in-cosmetics Korea
Ingredient and formulation exhibition running in the same COEX halls on the same dates, accessible with the interCHARM Korea visitor badge.
COEX Hall A and Hall C, levels 1 and 3.
WebsiteAll About That Beauty seminar
Organiser seminar programme covering beauty trends, marketing and export topics.
InterCHARM Awards / THE RISING AWARD
Organiser awards recognising promising beauty brands and products exhibited at the show.
sourceMinistry of Health and Welfare(MOHW)
Supporter (planned) · South Korea
KOTRA(KOTRA)
Trade promotion supporter · South Korea
Korea Cosmetic Industry Institute(KCII)
Industry supporter · South Korea
Korea Cosmetic Association(KCA)
Industry supporter · South Korea
Korea Cosmetic OEM Committee
Industry supporter · South Korea
How the last edition performed
Last edition
2025
Exhibitors: 466
Edition #: 23
Visitor countries: 25
This edition
2026
Visitors: 15,000
Exhibitors: 500
Next edition
2027
The 2027 edition is announced for 7-9 July at COEX in Hall B, Hall D and the Grand Ballroom, with the same expected scale of 500 exhibitors and 800 stands.
Move from Hall A and Hall C to Hall B, Hall D and the Grand Ballroom Dates shift to the second week of July
Impact
A 500-exhibitor, 800-stand show is large enough to fill three days but compact enough to walk in one, so the value is depth of category rather than sheer hall size. The co-location with in-cosmetics Korea is the main structural advantage: it puts the formulation and ingredient side of the industry next to finished-goods brands, which is where Korean product development actually happens.
Audience quality
The audience is trade-only and screened at registration, with under-18s refused. The 2025 edition reported more than 3,900 overseas buyers from 25 countries, so a stand meets a genuinely international buyer mix rather than a domestic consumer crowd. Domestic visitors are predominantly brand, retail and manufacturing staff, which suits suppliers selling into the K-beauty production chain.
Exhibitor outcomes
Return on a stand depends on pre-booked meetings: the show's matchmaking and hosted-buyer programme is where most serious conversations start. With roughly 500 exhibitors over three days, a 9 sqm shell scheme is a realistic first test, while ingredient and OEM suppliers should budget for a larger raw-space stand and a meeting table. No audited ROI or rebooking rate is published, so treat payback as a planning estimate.
Intelligence
Key market insights, trends, news and related events to help you understand the bigger picture.
Why it matters
Korea is one of the world's ten largest cosmetics markets and the export engine behind K-beauty, with demand concentrated in skincare, sun care and colour. Seoul concentrates the brand owners, contract manufacturers and ingredient suppliers in one metro area, so a July week at COEX is an efficient way to read formulation and packaging direction before it reaches Western shelves.
Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.
Ingredient-led skincare and clinical claims
Korean brands are competing on named actives, barrier repair and clinical-style evidence rather than on packaging alone, which lifts demand for ingredient suppliers and formulation expertise.
What it changes: Ingredient and OEM exhibitors are now the discovery layer for brand buyers, not just back-office suppliers.
Export diversification beyond China
Korean cosmetics exporters are building sales in Japan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and North America, and are looking for distributors in those markets rather than relying on Chinese demand.
What it changes: Overseas distributors from these regions are the highest-value visitors for Korean brands at the show.
Beauty devices and home care
Home-use devices, LED masks and salon-grade aesthetic tools are a fast-growing adjacency, blending consumer electronics with skincare routines.
What it changes: The Beauty Device section and aesthetic exhibitors give buyers a way into the device category without a separate sourcing trip.
A buyer planning the K-beauty calendar can pair Seoul with the global ingredients and finished-goods circuit.
in-cosmetics Korea 2026
Seoul, South Korea
Runs in the same COEX halls under the same visitor badge; confirmed on the organiser site.
websiteCosmoprof Asia 2026
Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
Dates are indicative for the November edition; confirm on the organiser site.
websiteCosmoprof Worldwide Bologna 2027
Bologna, Italy
Dates are indicative for the March edition; confirm on the organiser site.
websitein-cosmetics Global 2027
Paris, France
Dates are indicative for the spring edition; confirm on the organiser site.
websiteSeoul week
Both run 1-3 July 2026 at COEX.
Co-location and 2027 dates are from the organiser site; circuit dates outside Seoul are indicative and should be reconfirmed.
Plan your trip
Choose from the following airports, with convenient access to the event and venue.
Incheon International Airport
Main international gateway; AREX to Seoul Station then line 2 to Samseong.
about 50 km
to venue
60-80 minutes by car, 70-90 minutes by airport rail plus subway
by car
Gimpo International Airport
Useful for domestic and short-haul flights; line 9 and line 2 connect to Samseong.
about 20 km
to venue
35-50 minutes by car
by car
A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.
USD 70–110 / night
Simple business hotels within a 10-15 minute walk or one subway stop of COEX; book early for July.
USD 140–200 / night
Four-star rooms with meeting space and easy taxi access to the COEX north gate.
USD 240–380 / night
Direct or covered access to COEX, the best choice for exhibitors carrying samples.
Get around the city with these convenient transport options.
Subway
Fastest option in weekday traffic; a T-money card works on all lines.
Taxi
Use Kakao Taxi; allow extra time in the morning peak.
Plan your trip
Check the latest visa requirements and entry guidelines before travelling.
| Type | Who needs it | Fee | Processing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K-ETA / visa-free short business visit | Eligible passport holders visiting for meetings or a trade show | — | Apply online before departure; K-ETA is typically valid for two years | |
| Short-term business visa (C-3-4) | Nationals without visa-free or K-ETA access | — | Typically 5-10 working days at a Korean embassy |
Many passports enter Korea visa-free for short business visits; verify the current list before booking.
Korean customs can accept ATA carnets for exhibition goods, but confirm with your freight forwarder and the organiser before shipping.
Official visa pageWeather
July is hot and humid, 23-30°C, with the East Asian monsoon bringing heavy rain showers. Carry a compact umbrella and keep documents in a waterproof bag.
Plan for the climate
Check temperatures and pack accordingly
Venue connectivity
COEX has public Wi-Fi and the halls are well covered by Korean mobile networks; a local eSIM or prepaid SIM is cheap at ICN.
Ride-hailing
Taxis
Public transit
Car rentals
Useful information to help you have a smooth and respectful visit.
Titles and introductions
Exchange business cards with both hands and use the recipient's title and surname; a light bow is normal at first meetings.
Dining and tipping
Tipping is not customary in Korea, and business dinners often involve shared dishes and soju; follow the senior person's lead.
Practical guides
Everything needed to arrive prepared, navigate the event, and make the visit productive.
Destination: ICN
Book 6-10 weeks ahead for July; arriving two days early helps with jet lag and badge collection.
Many nationalities enter visa-free or with K-ETA; others need a short-term business visa.
Estimated cost: KRW 0 for K-ETA-eligible visitors; embassy visa fees vary
Processing: K-ETA online before departure; visa 5-10 working days
Carry the organiser invitation and hotel booking at immigration.
OfficialGet to the venue and around the city with these options.
Airport → venue: AREX to Seoul Station, then line 2 or line 9 to Samseong; taxi from ICN takes 60-80 minutes.
Hotel → venue: Walk or take a short taxi to the COEX north gate; line 2 to Samseong for hotels further out.
Ride-hail: Kakao Taxi is the standard app; taxis are metered and card payment is normal.
Public transit: Seoul Metro line 2 (Samseong) and line 9 (Bongeunsa) serve COEX; a T-money card covers buses and subway.
Parking: Paid underground parking at COEX; weekday morning spaces fill quickly.
Plan and pack for the event climate.
Month: July
Temperature: 23-30°C
Seasonality: Monsoon season with heavy, sudden showers and high humidity.
Packing: Light breathable clothing, a compact umbrella, comfortable shoes for concrete halls, and a light layer for air-conditioned meeting rooms.
Plan your trip
Best day to visit: Day 1 (1 July 2026)
Opening day has the full exhibitor set, the launch energy and the best chance of catching senior brand and sourcing staff before diaries fill.
Register online and print the confirmation — Online pre-registration is free and avoids the KRW 25,000 onsite fee.
Book flights and a refundable hotel in Samseong-dong — July is peak season; keep the booking changeable until the show dates are confirmed.
Build a target exhibitor list from the floor plan — Pick 15-20 stands and note the hall for each.
Confirm meetings and download the show app or badge — Send a one-line agenda to each supplier you want to meet.
Check the weather, pack business cards and plan the commute — Line 2 to Samseong is the simplest route; allow 30 minutes from Gangnam.
Badge collection and hall orientation
Hall A lobby, COEX level 1Supplier meetings in the ingredients and OEM halls
Hall ALunch and informal networking
COEX basement diningFinished-brand walkthrough and seminar session
Hall C and conference roomsBukchon Hanok Village and Gyeongbokgung
Half-Day Culture
About 40 minutes by subway from Samseong
Traditional architecture and a calm contrast to the exhibition halls.
Han River park and Bongeunsa Temple
Evening Walk
15-20 minutes on foot from COEX
A riverside reset and a historic temple within walking distance of the venue.
COEX basement dining
Informal meals
Central and easy for supplier lunches; busy between 12:00 and 13:30.
Samseong-dong cafes
Coffee meetings
Quieter than the hall concourse for a follow-up conversation.
Korean beauty buyers move quickly after a show; a 48-hour follow-up with a clear next step outperforms a mass newsletter.
Budget
Shell scheme
KRW 700000–900000 / m²
Raw space
KRW 550000–750000 / m²
Standard booth
9 m²
Indicative Seoul beauty-show rates; the organiser manual is the only binding tariff and was not fetched. Build, freight and insurance are extra.
sourceAdjust the inputs below to create a directional event budget.
This is a directional estimate. Please verify live rates before booking.
Official cost items and estimated ranges for exhibitors.
Shell scheme booth
exhibitor · 9 sqm
USD 4700–6000 / per booth
Hotel
both · mid
USD 140–200 / per night
Per diem
both · standard
USD 40–70 / per day
| Item | For | Tier | Estimated range | Status | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell scheme booth | exhibitor | 9 sqm | USD 4700–6000 / per booth | estimate | 2026-06-30 |
| Hotel | both | mid | USD 140–200 / per night | estimate | 2026-06-30 |
| Per diem | both | standard | USD 40–70 / per day | estimate | 2026-06-30 |
Decision
Six questions to decide whether to visit, exhibit or skip interCHARM Korea 2026.
QUESTION 1 OF 6
What is your budget for this trip or stand?
Compare participation options side by side to choose the best fit for your objectives.
visit
You have a shortlist of exhibitors and two or three days to meet them.
Best for
Brand owners, developers and distributors who want to source or study the market without committing to a stand
Min. budget
$1,500.00
Timeline
2-6 weeks before the show
Risks
Meeting rooms fill early
July hotel rates spike
exhibit
You have pre-booked buyer meetings and a Korean-market plan.
Best for
Ingredient, OEM/ODM, packaging and finished-brand suppliers with a defined export target
Min. budget
$8,000.00
Timeline
3-6 months for stand, freight and Korean labelling
Risks
Freight and labelling delays
Under-staffed stand during peak hours
skip
Your category is not represented or the dates clash with your launch.
Best for
Consumer shoppers, early-stage ideas and anyone who cannot travel in the first week of July
Timeline
Not applicable
Risks
Missing the co-located ingredient halls
Losing a year in the K-beauty calendar
Book with
COEX Convention & Exhibition Center
Seoul's main exhibition complex in Samseong-dong, directly connected to line 2 and hosting both Hall A and Hall C.
Venue named on the official visitor guide.
Korean Air
Korea's flag carrier, with direct services from North America, Europe and Asia into Incheon International Airport.
National carrier serving ICN; not named as a show partner.
Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Korea's national business chamber, a useful contact point for trade missions and business matching.
Public business body; not named as a show partner.
Korea Cosmetic Association
Industry association listed as a supporter of interCHARM Korea, representing Korean cosmetics manufacturers.
Named as a supporter on the organiser's About page.
Recommended providers
Korea Visa Portal (Korea Immigration Service)
Check K-ETA eligibility and apply before booking non-refundable flights.
Connected to COEX; book a refundable rate early for the July dates.
Direct services to ICN; compare with Asiana and regional low-cost carriers for Asia routes.
Use the organiser's official handler for onsite handling; compare air and sea lead times.
Choose a policy covering trade-show samples and business equipment.
Bookable half-day tours for a pre- or post-show day.
Badge scanning and CRM export; confirm the organiser's official scanner before renting a device.
FAQs & glossary
Frequently asked
Glossary
Also known as
Alternate names and search phrases for this event.
6 more alternate names hidden
Trust footer
5
References
2
Publishers
5
Date checked
interCHARM Korea
mimint.co.kr
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