With competition in the cosmetics industry intensifying, major South Korean beauty brands are increasingly turning their stores into immersive spaces where customers can test products and experience the essence of each brand beyond the counter.

APR Co operates ‘Space Dosan’ in Seoul’s Sinsa-dong, where visitors can try its Medicube skincare line and use the brand’s beauty device, Age-R. While sampling creams or fragrances is relatively easy, the chance to test electronic skincare devices – which require time and guidance – has drawn particular attention.

Staff assist customers with applying products and using the devices on-site, a service so popular in the store’s early days that appointments were taken by reservation.

“Some foreign visitors have said they came specifically to see and try the products in person,” an APR official said. “Providing a direct, offline experience is becoming essential to conveying a brand’s full value.”

Amorepacific’s Sulwhasoo brand is focusing on storytelling experiences that reflect its heritage. At Bukchon Sulwhasoo House in central Seoul, the brand hosts its popular ‘Ginseng Class,’ a hands-on workshop highlighting six decades of ginseng research.

Participants can create custom ginseng-scented sachets and bath soaks using Sulwhasoo’s signature ‘Beauty Saponin’ and ‘Jaumdan’ ingredients.

When reservations opened in July, more than 1800 people signed up within days. The monthly sessions continue to sell out within an hour, with a modest participation fee introduced this month. The program, which will soon be offered to overseas tourists, aims to deepen understanding of ginseng’s cultural and cosmetic significance.

LG Household & Health Care, meanwhile, offers The History of Whoo beauty classes for department store VIP clients – customers who have spent above a certain threshold at luxury retailers like Lotte and Shinsegae.

Each session of around ten participants includes traditional experiences such as crafting a royal pouch and private catering. Since January, about 900 customers have taken part.

“These classes allow VIPs to connect with our brand identity as a ‘royal dermatology’ cosmetics line,” said an LG H&H representative. “We plan to expand such offline experiences to offer differentiated, premium engagement that reinforces The History of Whoo’s prestige.”

Across South Korea’s beauty industry, the trend reflects a broader shift: Selling not just products, but sensory encounters that link brand identity, tradition, and technology – a strategy increasingly seen as key to retaining customer loyalty in a crowded global market.

• This story was originally published on The Korea Bizwire.