As the popularity of K-beauty spreads worldwide, fake products that copy Korean cosmetics brands are rampant at home and abroad. Counterfeits that meticulously replicate not only the containers and packaging designs of popular products but even the Korean lettering are spreading quickly, mainly on online platforms. Because cosmetics are applied directly to the skin, there is growing concern that the distribution of counterfeits poses a serious threat to consumer health and safety beyond trademark infringement.
◇ Cosmetics account for 35% of counterfeit goods seized by the Korea Customs Service
On the 19th, according to the Korea Customs Service, the number of counterfeit K-brand items seized over the past year reached 117,000. Looking at the main shipping countries for counterfeits, China accounted for an overwhelming 97.7%, followed by Vietnam (2.2%). In effect, most fake K-brand products are coming from China.
In particular, cosmetics recorded 41,903 cases (35.9%) of all seizures, accounting for the largest share. Leading Korean cosmetics brands favored by consumers worldwide—such as Sulwhasoo, Beauty of Joseon, and 3CE—became primary targets for counterfeiting. Next came toys and stationery at 33%, followed by food (3%), clothing (0.9%), and bags (0.2%).
Some consumers are turning to online communities and social media (SNS) to share cases of counterfeit purchases and tips for distinguishing genuine from fake products as a self-help measure. As cosmetic counterfeiting techniques become increasingly sophisticated, it has become very difficult to discern genuine items from fakes by sight alone, such as by checking the shape of the cap, material, and typeface (font).
In one case, a consumer bought a cream product from Company A on a domestic online platform and ended up with a fake. After being told delivery would take 10 days and waiting, the person received a parcel whose place of origin was marked as China. The exterior showed only subtle differences from the genuine product and was hard to notice, but after applying it, the person realized it was a fake because the texture was completely different from the genuine version.
Another consumer bought a cream product from Company M on an online platform and found that the container differed from the genuine one. The person tried to contact the seller to raise the issue, but the seller had already deleted the account and disappeared from the platform.
◇ Dominating even overseas distribution channels... lawsuits are frequent
The better-selling and more famous a brand is, the more fakes there are. As counterfeit distribution targeting K-beauty brands has reached a serious level overseas, domestic corporations are pursuing legal action and tightening crackdowns.
Goodai Global, which operates the Beauty of Joseon brand, recently filed lawsuits in the United States against sellers of counterfeit goods. In its complaint, Goodai Global said, "The defendants disguised themselves as officially certified genuine sellers on global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and Temu," and "they have indiscriminately distributed fake cosmetics bearing Beauty of Joseon's counterfeit trademarks in the market, causing massive damage."
In the case of The Founders, which runs the Anua brand, in Nov. 2024 about 2,100 counterfeits imitating Anua's signature product, the "Heartleaf Cleansing Oil," were seized at a fake-goods factory in Zhaoqing, China. In response, the company is actively working to eradicate counterfeits by introducing an artificial intelligence (AI) monitoring system.
◇ Threat to consumer safety... a fatal blow to brand trust
The biggest problem caused by counterfeit cosmetics is that their safety cannot be guaranteed at all. Unlike genuine items, fake cosmetics have unclear manufacturers and distribution channels. As a result, there is no way to verify the appropriateness of ingredient combinations, the state of manufacturing and quality control, microbial contamination, or the accuracy of the ingredients listed on the container. The possibility that illegal harmful substances are included cannot be ruled out.
An industry official said, "Counterfeit cosmetics also lead to a decline in the external credibility of genuine brands," adding, "If consumers mistakenly use a fake product as if it were genuine and then become dissatisfied with the quality or experience skin side effects, the criticism will inevitably be directed squarely at the genuine brand."
Currently, e-commerce platforms in the open-market format suspend sales and request explanations when illegal products are detected. However, counterfeit sellers are known to keep changing accounts to relist new items, or to avoid crackdowns by mixing genuine and fake products in one warehouse and shipping them at random.
An industry official said, "We recommend buying from official brand malls or certified sellers." For example, if purchasing on Coupang, it is better to buy through "Rocket Delivery," in which the platform buys brand products directly. In the case of "Seller Rocket," some counterfeit sellers may be mixed in.
As the fake cosmetics problem has reached the point of eroding K-beauty's export competitiveness and threatening consumer safety, the government has also drawn its sword for a crackdown. The Ministry of Intellectual Property, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, and the Korea Customs Service signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the 16th to actively respond to counterfeit cosmetics.
Oh Yu-Kyoung, head of the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, said, "Counterfeit cosmetics are a serious challenge that threatens public health and the trust in K-beauty," adding, "We will spare no practical support, including building quality-control systems, verifying safety, and strengthening response capabilities to international standards, so that K-beauty can further solidify its footing in the global market."