This article was published on June 18, 2025, at 3:45 p.m. on the ChosunBiz MoneyMove site.
Gu Bon-ho, chairman of Pantos Holdings, a third-generation member of the LG family, has returned to the KOSDAQ market. He decided to acquire equity in CSA COSMIC, a KOSDAQ-listed company led by famous makeup artist Jo Sung-ah.
According to the investment banking (IB) industry on the 18th, Chairman Gu's Pantos Holdings, which holds 100% equity, has signed a contract to acquire approximately 47% of the equity held by the largest shareholder of CSA COSMIC, along with several financial investors (FI) and strategic investors (SI). This includes 21.35% equity held by Homecast, the largest shareholder of CSA COSMIC, 16.25% held by CEO Jo Sung-ah, and 10.64% held by Jo Torii, a related party of the largest shareholder.
Discussions about the sale of CSA COSMIC reportedly began in April. At the time of the initial contract discussions, the acquisition price for the equity was 1,200 won per share, but it was reported that the acquisition price has increased slightly as the stock price surged on that day.
On that day, CSA COSMIC's stock skyrocketed to the upper limit during trading and closed at 1,786 won, more than a 24% increase. Homecast's stock also jumped by more than 7%. This influx of investment funds was interpreted as the news of Chairman Gu's equity acquisition spread in the market.
Chairman Gu is the grandson of the late Gu In-hye, the second brother of LG Group founder Gu In-hwa. He is a sixth cousin of the late Gu Bon-moo. He previously served as vice president of LX Pantos, a subsidiary of LX International, and is currently the largest shareholder with a 39.4% equity stake in RedcapTour.
The stocks of companies associated with Chairman Gu have sharply risen, earning him a reputation as 'the Midas touch.' DOUZONE and Dongil Steel (now Dongil Steel Lux) are notable examples. He has also invested in MPC and ActiPass, among others. Pantos Holdings is also reported to be conducting a capital increase this time.
CSA COSMIC, a cosmetics company led by CEO Jo Sung-ah, sells branded products such as 'Jo Sung-ah Beauty' and 'Wonder Bass.' The merger with the profitable unlisted company Chochos Factory in 2020 expanded CSA COSMIC's cosmetics business, but recently, it has been experiencing poor performance. Annual sales have declined, and an operating loss continues.