SBA Introduces Three Programs at 2026 Beautiful Life in Seoul

The Small Business Agency of Seoul (SBA) has announced the introduction of three programs associated with the '2026 Beautiful Life in Seoul (BLS)' event, taking place from August 22 to 25 at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). The programs include 'Summer Seoul Con,' 'Beauty Trade Show,' and 'K-beauty Styling.'

Firstly, the SBA is expanding its annual 'Seoul Con' to summer with the debut of '2026 Summer Seoul Con.' The first day will feature a 'Summer Seoul Con Hip-Hop Party' at the DDP's Outdoor Plaza, which will combine K-POP DJing and live hip-hop performances. Various activities, including F&B booths, an influencer flea market, and offline meet-ups with fans, are planned to create a festive atmosphere.

From August 23 to 25, the DDP's lawn area will host various programs involving lifestyle and wellness fairs, content PD talk shows, and climate/environment discussions featuring numerous influencers. Both domestic and international influencers will be experiencing the Summer Seoul Con and producing content, with outstanding creators invited to the main Seoul Con event in December to be recognized.

SBA plans to link the Summer Seoul Con with the December's main event to achieve a cumulative view count of 500 million, positioning Seoul Con as a year-round content platform that showcases Seoul's attractions and the DDP and Dongdaemun area.

Additionally, the '2026 Beauty Trade Show' will run from August 23 to 25 at the DDP Art Hall 2. One hundred fifteen overseas buyers from 45 countries, including Japan and France, are set to meet with 176 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) specializing in beauty, wellness, and medical exports.

The event will focus on one-on-one export consultations with global retail and distribution platform MDs and buyers, along with overseas live commerce targeting Southeast Asia, beauty product showcases, and export consulting covering tariffs, trademarks, and designs, complemented by networking events featuring exporting SMEs, buyers, and influencers.

Significantly, overseas live commerce is being organized in collaboration with CJ OnStyle, combining the SBA's support infrastructure for SMEs with CJ OnStyle's capabilities in content, commerce, and marketing to strategically support the global expansion of domestic beauty companies.

Moreover, the 'Beauty Trade Show' is a large-scale export consultation event held at DDP since 2022. Last year, 132 buyer companies from 43 countries engaged in a total of 872 one-on-one export consultations, resulting in a field order contract of approximately $12.69 million and export consultations with an estimated value of around $28.48 million, reflecting a 40% increase from the previous year. The event achieved substantial results, including approximately 18.26 billion won in revenues through global influencer live commerce and group purchases selling products from 13 beauty firms.

At the K-beauty experience space 'B the B,' a 'K-beauty Styling' program will be held for foreign tourists, international students, global influencers, and the SBA's K-beauty promotion group. From August 22 to 25 at the DDP Outdoor Plaza, attendees can engage in beauty tech diagnostics and personalized hair and makeup styling experiences. At B the B, personalized styling sessions will take place from noon to 8 PM, facilitated by professional hair and makeup artists. Participants will not only experience styling but also utilize their finished looks to create K-POP photos and short-form content. Additionally, they will receive a K-beauty cosmetics experience kit to support ongoing engagement with Seoul's excellent beauty brands.

The SBA aims to utilize this program to allow foreign visitors to directly experience K-beauty and expand global content, enhancing B the B as a representative global K-beauty experience hub.

Kim Hyun-woo, CEO of the SBA, expressed hope that the 'Beautiful Life in Seoul' would serve as an opportunity to showcase Seoul's lifestyle and the superiority of K-beauty to the world. He stated, “Through the creation of content by global influencers, foreign visitors' K-beauty experiences, and the exports of Seoul's companies, we will continue to provide diverse support to solidify Seoul’s position as a global hub city connecting people worldwide.”