K-beauty and fashion are making waves around the world. South Korean cosmetics have overtaken French cosmetics, a long-standing leader, to become the top exporter in the United States and Japan, establishing themselves at the center of the global market. The fashion sector is also experiencing continuous growth. ChosunBiz conducted relay interviews with the success stories and differentiated product philosophies of beauty and fashion brands recognized overseas. [Editor's note]
The Daiso online mall, a specialty store for household goods, recently experienced a temporary shutdown. The cause was unexpected. As soon as the collaboration with the unfamiliar vegan beauty brand Dinto launched its color cosmetics, it gained explosive popularity, causing the server to crash. All products of 'Prilude Dinto', including the lip tint and eye palette, sold out within a day at both Daiso offline stores and the online mall.
Dinto, which caused a sell-out situation and gained attention, is evaluated as an innovative brand in the K-beauty industry. The brand primarily showcases products themed around the works of great classical literary figures, with inspirations from both Eastern and Western classics realized in makeup products. The brand name Dinto is also an abbreviation of 'Deeply Into.'
An Ji-hye, the trendmaker leading Dinto, noted a quote that inspired her during a meeting with ChosunBiz at the company headquarters in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, on the 20th. One of Dinto's flagship products, the Blurgloy lip tint, was inspired by the theme of meditations. The concept of the tint, which reflects the inner strength emphasized by Marcus Aurelius, resonates with the clarity that spreads across the lips.
An chose classical literature to emphasize the power of the unchanging beauty inherent in classics. He explained, "The brand philosophy is that beauty without depth is merely decoration," adding, "Dinto is not just a simple cosmetics brand. It is a brand that seeks to pursue a 'deep life' beyond beauty."
An stated, "I hope women can use the time they spend on makeup not just to look pretty, but to also tidy their inner selves," and added, "A woman can change her future based on what she reads and says, and I hope the cosmetics they use daily can be a turning point."
An emphasized that the differentiation from other K-beauty brands stems from here. Instead of following trends or creating me-too or copy products, the focus is on creating Dinto's unique collection. As a result, a fandom that loves the brand itself emerged rather than just single hit products. An stressed, "Dinto does not follow trends; rather, it aims to become a trend maker."
The reaction has also been enthusiastic. Established in 2021, Dinto's sales have been growing by more than double each year. In 2023, it achieved sales of over 8 billion won, surpassing last year's figure of 20 billion won. This year's goal is 50 billion won. Approximately half of the current sales come from overseas, particularly strong in Japan. It has entered 5,000 offline stores and achieved the top sales rank on platforms like Qoo10 Japan. In response to its popularity in Japan, new products have adopted a haiku concept, implementing localization strategies tailored to the tastes and demands of consumers in each country.
The pace of attracting external investments has also been swift. After receiving 100 million won from startup investment accelerator CNTTech, another 100 million won was secured. Mark & Company and the Yoon Min-chang Creative Investment Foundation invested 200 million won, while another private equity fund contributed 800 million won. Kolmar Korea also invested 600 million won.
Dinto's future goal is to conquer the U.S. market. The aim is to establish K-beauty's presence in the U.S. market with 'lip color.' Dinto plans to gain a foothold in the North American market by entering Amazon and the offline store TJ Maxx this year. An expressed confidence, saying, "I am certain that K-beauty is an industry that will continue to grow rapidly in the future," and added, "There are no prominent Korean brands in the U.S. market for color cosmetics, but I am confident that we can dominate with lips. We are also seeking additional investments for business expansion."
An stated, "While the best brands in the U.S. aim for annual sales of 1 trillion won, my goal is to achieve the same for Dinto," adding, "I want Dinto to be remembered not just as a brand that sells cosmetics, but as a brand that provides new inspiration to women around the world."