One-on-one app guidance and Rocket Delivery promotion strengthen customer touchpoints
Retailers increasingly connect offline K-beauty experiences with online shopping
As Seoul's Seongsu district cements its reputation as a global destination for K-beauty and K-fashion, retailers are intensifying efforts to convert foreign visitors into long-term customers. Coupang has joined the competition by introducing English-language shopping content and on-site digital assistance aimed at making its platform more accessible to international consumers.
According to the retail industry on July 28, Coupang distributed the first English-language edition of its annual Beauty Magazine in the Seongsu area on July 17 and again from July 25 to 26. The campaign targeted both international tourists visiting Korea and foreign residents living in the country.
Beauty Magazine is an annual publication introducing popular beauty brands, seasonal product recommendations, and emerging beauty trends available on Coupang. While this year's edition marks the fourth publication overall, it is the first to be released in English, reflecting the company's growing focus on overseas customers.
Rather than simply handing out brochures, Coupang also provided one-on-one assistance to help foreign visitors use its mobile shopping platform. Professional promoters guided customers through app installation, language settings, product searches, review features, and the first purchase process, helping reduce language barriers for first-time users.
The magazine itself includes step-by-step instructions for shopping on the platform in English, from navigating product categories to reading customer reviews. Coupang also highlighted its Rocket Delivery service, explaining how international visitors can check estimated delivery dates and conveniently receive purchases at hotels or other accommodations during their stay in Korea.
The initiative reflects a broader strategy to connect offline brand experiences in Seongsu with continued online shopping. Visitors who discover K-beauty products while exploring the neighborhood can easily purchase them through Coupang during their trip and potentially continue buying them after returning home.
Coupang has been steadily expanding its outreach to foreign customers. In June, the company participated in the 2026 Busan One Asia Festival (BOF), where it operated a Mega Beauty Show promotional booth featuring experiential zones for products from 18 K-beauty brands. The event enabled Coupang to engage not only domestic consumers but also international visitors attending the festival.
Competition for foreign shoppers is intensifying across Korea's retail industry. CJ Olive Young continues expanding experiential beauty stores centered around Seongsu, while Lotte Department Store is strengthening foreign-member programs and K-fashion specialty zones. Hyundai Home Shopping has also been expanding its multi-brand beauty store Coasis and increasing experiential retail offerings in districts popular with overseas tourists.
Industry analysts note that consumer behavior among foreign visitors is evolving rapidly. According to the latest L.POINT Foreign Tourist Consumption Trend Report released by Lotte Members, many international travelers discover Korean brands through social media before arriving in Korea, visit neighborhoods such as Seongsu to experience those brands firsthand, and then make purchases.
This marks a shift from shopping centered on luxury goods and major tourist attractions toward immersive experiences involving Korean brands, beauty products, and lifestyle culture.
Seongsu has become one of the country's most popular destinations for global Generation Z and millennial travelers, thanks to its concentration of K-beauty pop-up stores, concept shops, and experiential retail spaces. Industry observers say the brand experiences created in Seongsu are increasingly translating into online purchases and repeat buying.
"Foreign visitors today are looking beyond simply purchasing products and are increasingly seeking to experience Korea's latest trends and lifestyle," an industry official said. "Many first encounter K-beauty brands in Seongsu and then continue purchasing them through both online and offline channels."
A Coupang spokesperson said, "We hope international visitors exploring Seongsu will discover this summer's trending beauty products through Coupang's Beauty Magazine. We will continue building a differentiated beauty shopping environment that is convenient and accessible for both domestic and international customers."
