Korea Central News Net

Category: Uncategorized

  • IPSE Cosmetic accelerates expansion into Eastern Europe: Strengthens global distribution network

    The ‘Botonix Age-Defying’ line from IPSE Premium, proven to deliver high satisfaction among global consumers. The line includes a softener, ampoule, emulsion, eye concentrate, and cream, providing high-performance anti-aging solutions that target both wrinkles and elasticity. It serves as a key product driving global market expansion. | Image provided by IPSE Cosmetic

    Skincare specialist IPSE Cosmetic (CEO Jongmoon Kim) is accelerating its global distribution expansion, intensifying efforts to enter the Eastern European market.

    The company recently signed an exclusive contract with MASS GLOBAL in Romania and announced plans to expand across Eastern Europe, including into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

    Based on this strategic partnership, IPSE Cosmetic plans to activate its local distribution network after completing CPNP (EU cosmetic product notification) registration for its new products. This development is expected to drive further sales growth in the region.

    In Korea, IPSE Cosmetic has built strong consumer connections through various major online and offline channels such as Olive Young, Emart Traders, Chicor, Coupang, Musinsa, and Naver Smart Store, offering derma skincare products designed to address complex skin concerns.

    The ‘Ectohyaluronic’ line from IPSE’s derma homecare brand Nightingale features ectoine and 10-layer hyaluronic acid to deliver deep hydration and soothing care. This low-irritation, high-moisture line includes toner, ampoule, cream, and masks to complete a daily soothing routine. It continues to gain popularity and positive reviews in the global market, including on Amazon in the U.S. | Image provided by IPSE Cosmetic

    IPSE Cosmetic is also rapidly expanding its presence overseas.

    The company has entered key markets including the U.S., Japan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through Amazon, while actively targeting the Japanese market via platforms like Shopee and Qoo10 Japan.

    In Russia, it is expanding its influence by securing new consumer segments through the country’s leading home shopping channel, ShoppingLive.

    IPSE has also entered a wide range of countries such as Canada, China, France, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Australia, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Taiwan, and Mongolia, further solidifying its global footprint.

    The company stated that it is strengthening the competitiveness of K-beauty through global market diversification and strategic partnerships, and that it will continue to grow as a product-driven global brand.

    Founded in 1996 with the launch of its skincare brand IPSE, IPSE Cosmetic is a professional cosmetics company. It develops products that allow consumers to manage various skin concerns professionally at home, centering on its derma-cosmetic brand Nightingale and the high-performance anti-aging line IPSE Premium. The company continues to expand both domestically and internationally—including the U.S., Japan, and Southeast Asia—while pursuing sustainable skin health through scientific ingredients and safe formulations.

  • ‘WASHZ’ character from laundry-themed universe declares entry into Chinese market at 2025 Korea Content Week

    • Inspired by daycare nap blanket laundry, the unique character aims to launch in China

    BASH Co., Ltd. (CEO TAE SHIK CHO) announced that it has unveiled its original character IP ‘WASHZ’ during 2025 Korea Content Week hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency, held in Beijing.

    BASH CEO TAE SHIK CHO delivers an IR pitch at ‘2025 Korea Content Week’ | Photo by BASH

    The event took place at the Grand Millennium Hotel in Beijing, where CEO Cho introduced the origins of the WASHZ character and outlined future plans during the IR pitch session.

    WASHZ is a character born from real-life experience running a daycare blanket laundry business. The daily routine of carefully washing children’s beloved blankets inspired the transformation of the ordinary act of laundry into a fantasy world, leading to the creation of a distinctive character IP.

    “I wanted to express the stories behind each child’s blanket and the warmth I felt during the washing process through a character,” said CEO Cho. “WASHZ is more than just a character—it serves as a messenger of cleanliness and warmth. I hope its pure and comforting image offers emotional healing, especially to people feeling overwhelmed and fatigued in modern society.”

    BASH plans to develop the WASHZ character step by step. It will first focus on strengthening the character’s storytelling and raising brand awareness through various content platforms. From there, the company aims to expand into character merchandise, animation, and games.

    Back in April, BASH signed an MOU with Beijing Jetset YiHe Technology and announced its intention to go global by hosting a WASHZ character contest. Its participation in Korea Content Week builds on this effort by solidifying existing partnerships and seeking concrete strategies for business expansion in the Chinese market.

    What sets WASHZ apart from other character IPs is that it was developed based on actual business experience. The expertise gained in the laundry industry and direct service experience with children shaped a realistic yet relatable character design.

    BASH expressed its ambition to use WASHZ to promote cleanliness and emotional warmth to children, while also growing it into a globally recognized K-content brand.

    BASH specializes in character IP licensing and animation production. Using the WASHZ character set in a laundry-themed universe, the company targets China, Taiwan, and Japan as its initial markets for IP licensing and animation production. It is currently preparing for full-scale B2B market entry through a global character contest in April 2025, offering a total prize pool of USD 15,000.

  • Bodyfriend sees momentum in B2G sector: First-half performance up 22.3% year-on-year

    Bodyfriend sees momentum in B2G sector: First-half performance up 22.3% year-on-year

    • B2G sales rise at police stations, fire departments, and senior centers in H1
    • Sales to police and fire departments increase more than fivefold from previous year, reaffirming benefits of massage chairs for institutions and public agencies

    Healthcare robot company Bodyfriend (CEOs Ji Sung-kyu and Kim Heung-seok) reported a 22.3% year-on-year increase in its B2G (business-to-government) sales for the first half of this year, driven by strong supply of massage chairs to public institutions, police stations, fire departments, and senior centers.

    Bodyfriend has recently expanded its massage chair business from B2B to B2G, and as of the first half of 2025, B2G revenue rose by 22.3% compared to the same period last year. Sales breakdown by sector showed a relatively even distribution: public institutions accounted for 38%, senior centers 32%, and police and fire departments 30%.

    Among these, sales to police and fire departments have grown steadily for three consecutive years since 2022. In the first half of this year, revenue from this segment surged more than fivefold from the previous year, marking the highest sales to date. This performance reflects Bodyfriend’s strategic targeting of the latent demand for massage chairs as a much-needed support measure for police officers and firefighters who have limited access to rest due to heavy workloads, backed by the company’s competitive edge in healthcare robot technology.

    Orders from senior centers also stood out. In the first half of this year, Bodyfriend won several large-scale contracts through competitive bidding. In June, the company signed a supply agreement to deliver 74 massage chairs to senior centers in Seoul’s Seodaemun District. Sales to other public institutions, such as city halls and public corporations, have also seen consecutive annual growth since 2023.

    The company attributes this growth to a positive cycle: after government agencies, local governments, and public organizations introduced Bodyfriend’s healthcare robots, measurable improvements were seen in employee welfare satisfaction and work productivity. These results have prompted more institutions to seek out Bodyfriend’s products on their own.

    Bodyfriend stated that its healthcare robots—now becoming a new standard for everyday wellness—are rapidly expanding beyond private households and businesses into the public sector, making “everyday healthcare through massage” a reality. The company aims to continue delivering meaningful results in the B2G sector by leveraging its product capabilities and brand competitiveness to ensure people in need of healing can access Bodyfriend’s healthcare robots anywhere.

    Bodyfriend’s “healthcare robot” goes beyond the limitations of conventional massage chairs. Equipped with robotics technology, it enables a true full-body massage experience. By independently operating the massage components for arms and legs, the robot helps coordinate core and other muscle groups throughout the body. The industry has praised the product for redefining the standard of massage chairs through its innovative whole-body stimulation technology.