Seoul to Soho brings K-beauty pop-up to SoHo

A three-week Seoul to Soho experience opens in New York on Aug. 14, bringing Korean beauty brands, biotech startups, creators and buyers to 13 Crosby Street. The event aims to turn K-beauty discovery into an in-person market test for U.S. consumers and industry decision-makers.

Why it matters: - Seoul to Soho is built as a market-entry platform for Korean beauty brands, not just a retail pop-up. - The event brings K-beauty, biotech, creator content and community programming into one New York storefront. - The format is aimed at helping Korean brands connect with U.S. consumers, editors, buyers and distributors.

What happened: - Seoul to Soho opens in SoHo at 13 Crosby Street in New York on Aug. 14, 2026, and runs through Sept. 6, 2026. - The event starts with an invitation-only Industry Preview on Aug. 14-15. - The public opening begins Aug. 16 and is free to attend. - Toilet Paper is producing the event. - Andrew Kim, founder and chief creative officer of Toilet Paper, said the event was created to bridge Korea’s beauty brands with the U.S. market through experiences that drive discovery and education.

The details: - Seoul to Soho features a curated mix of established and emerging Korean beauty brands. - Featured participants include Melixir, VT Cosmetics and CureCode. - Melixir is positioned around vegan skincare and plant-based philosophy. - VT Cosmetics is showing its Reedle Shot line and skincare technology. - CureCode, from Dr. Raymond Laboratories, is highlighting its Neuromide® technology, which is intended to support the skin barrier. - The Indie Brand Zone, hosted by K-LAB 365, spotlights emerging Korean brands entering the U.S. market. - The Biotech Zone, hosted by Enthera Bio, focuses on biotechnology, ingredients and next-generation formulations. - Planned activities include a photo booth, tote bag personalization, keychain workshops, sample giveaways, product launches, product testing, creator appearances, live content creation, skincare demonstrations and workshops. - On select weekends, the event will add a Community Run Club with morning runs through downtown Manhattan followed by skincare experiences and refreshments. - Additional workshops, meet-and-greets, demonstrations and limited-time experiences will be announced during the event. - Creators on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube will produce original content on-site. - The event includes a media, retail and investor-facing preview designed to connect brands with North American beauty-market decision-makers. - Qualified industry guests, media and creators can request an invitation to the preview. - Media can request accreditation through the event contact. - Toilet Paper is a New York-based creative agency focused on helping Korean brands enter and scale in the U.S. through creative strategy, experiential marketing, influencer partnerships, creator commerce and cultural storytelling. - More information is available through the event's Instagram and Toilet Paper's LinkedIn page.

Between the lines: - The event reflects a broader push to sell K-beauty through experience, education and creator-led storytelling rather than shelf placement alone. - The inclusion of biotech-focused branding signals that Korean beauty is being positioned as science-driven, not only trend-driven. - The invitation-only preview suggests the event is also a business-development moment for brands seeking U.S. retail and distribution relationships.

What's next: - Seoul to Soho will continue adding programming, product activations and community events through Sept. 6. - Public visitors can expect immersive exhibitions, customization stations, giveaways, workshops and wellness programming after the Aug. 16 opening. - Brand exposure will likely expand as creators publish content from the event across social platforms.

The bottom line: - Seoul to Soho is using a SoHo pop-up to turn K-beauty into an in-person launchpad for U.S. growth.