[Money Today] “K-Beauty Used by Flight Attendants” Goes Viral — 10,000 Visitors Flock to Paris and London Stores in Just Two Weeks

Part 5 of “K-Initiative on the Rise of K-Wave”: Silicon2① – Rapid Growth of Its European Offline Distribution Business

As the Republic of Korea stands at the crossroads between resurgence and decline, it must seize the momentum of the global “K-Wave” before the engine cools. Money Today has been traveling worldwide to spotlight companies driving the “K-Initiative” across food, retail, fashion, and beauty—documenting their efforts and exploring the direction Korea must pursue for its future.

Locals gathering to visit the COSRX pop-up event held at the Moida store in France (Source: Money Today)

Stepping out of Châtelet station in Paris’s 1st arrondissement and walking along a street lined with restaurants, a storefront with the sign “moida” comes into view. Above the window, the word “모이다” is written in Korean. Inside the floor-to-ceiling glass façade, a media wall plays videos of influencers using Korean beauty products. Located near the Louvre Museum and the Samaritaine department store, the shop draws heavy foot traffic from both locals and tourists. It is the first offline K-beauty select store in France opened by Silicon2 last May.

Silicon2 chose the heart of Paris as the site of its first directly operated European store to attract not only local customers but also tourists—and to showcase the strength of K-beauty in one of the world’s beauty capitals. The Paris location acts as the company’s testbed for the European market and a strategic base for shaping future distribution.

During a Friday lunchtime visit on the 3rd (local time), the store was bustling even on a weekday. Customers picked up baskets at the entrance and browsed the displays, testing various products. On the left side, items were arranged by category—toners, serums, creams—while the right wall featured shelves organized by skin type, such as peau sensible (sensitive skin) and peau grasse (oily skin). Staff members were busy providing tailored consultations. Many locals remarked that stepping inside “feels like being in Korea,” and despite the rise of smaller K-beauty shops run by Vietnamese and Chinese owners in Paris, many customers were flocking specifically to Moida.

The store draws customers across age groups, from their 20s to 50s.
Amina, a 34-year-old shopper from Algeria, said:

“For functional products like retinol, Korean brands are exceptional in quality while still affordable. Before, I had to rely on online reviews because there were no offline stores. Now I can try products directly, so I come often.”

Phoebe, a 26-year-old Canadian tourist, added:

“I came here after seeing this store on social media. I’ve been using Korean cosmetics recently, and after three months, I can really see a difference. My skin feels healthier.”

Among the store’s best-selling items are Dr. Althea’s creams, TirTir’s cushions, and Biodance’s facial masks—light-textured products with fast absorption tend to be especially popular.

Since 2015, Silicon2 has operated StyleKorean.com, a cross-border K-beauty platform connecting overseas customers with Korean brands. After years of steadily targeting Europe, the company says local consumers increasingly regard K-beauty not as a short-lived trend but as a routine skincare choice. European media outlets have also begun more frequently featuring Korean brands and Moida stores—a promising sign for the company.

This shift is reflected in Silicon2’s rapid growth. Europe has now become the company’s fastest-growing and highest-performing region. In the second quarter, European revenue surged to 107.3 billion KRW, a 141.5% year-on-year increase, accounting for almost half of Silicon2’s total Q2 revenue of 265.3 billion KRW. For the first half of the year, Europe represented 36.9% of all overseas sales, making it the company’s largest international market.

Another recent trend is the expansion from basic skincare into color cosmetics.
Audrey, a French office worker in her 30s, shared:

“I often stop by because it’s close to my office and I can test many products. I use functional skincare regularly, but lately I’ve started buying lip products too—the textures feel refined and luxurious.”

The momentum is just as strong in London. Moida has become a popular K-beauty destination among locals, and Silicon2 now operates two stores there—one on Charing Cross Road and another in the Westfield shopping mall. When visiting the Charing Cross store on the 4th (local time), the area was energised by a COSRX pop-up event.

COSRX, in partnership with Silicon2, held its first experiential pop-up events in Paris and London, featuring product-testing zones and interactive game areas. Over the 15-day period, nearly 10,000 K-beauty fans visited both cities.
Vidhi, a British customer of Indian heritage encountered at Moida London, commented:

“My flight-attendant friends use COSRX products, and they looked amazing, so I started using Korean cosmetics. The ingredients are gentle but the results are clear. Now I use almost only Korean products.”

A Silicon2 representative stated:

“Paris is the center of global beauty, so the store’s performance will serve as an important catalyst for expansion across Europe. We will continue to refine our operations in France, the UK, and the US, while strengthening our logistics capabilities to build a more stable and scalable system.”

Customers browsing COSRX products at the Moida store in London.