KT&G SangSang Madang’s Award Ceremony for “Korea Cosmetics Challenge,” an Eco-Friendly Cosmetics Startup Contest
Three teams selected through record-breaking competition, offered partnership with Cosmocos
to support collaborative cosmetics product development
Photo Description
KT&G held the award ceremony for the “2026 Korea Cosmetics Challenge” on May 29 at KT&G SangSang Planet, a dedicated space for youth entrepreneurship in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. The photo shows Kim Oe-hyun, Head of Performance Management at KT&G (fifth from left), Jung Yong-joo, Head of Sales at Cosmocos (far left), and members of the winning teams.
KT&G SangSang Madang held the award ceremony for the 2026 “Korea Cosmetics Challenge” on May 29 at KT&G SangSang Planet, a dedicated space for youth entrepreneurship in Seongsu-dong, Seoul.
Now in its sixth year, the Korea Cosmetics Challenge is KT&G’s annual competition for eco-friendly cosmetics startup ideas. Launched in 2021, the contest aims to support entrepreneurship and innovation in the beauty sector.
This year’s challenge, held from March to May under the theme of “Peace of Mind,” attracted 463 teams nationwide, marking the highest-ever competition rate at 154 to 1. Eighteen finalist teams were also invited to a mentoring camp with experts across various industry sectors, where they received guidance to enhance their business capabilities.
Following the final evaluation, two teams were selected in the Beginner category for presenting startup ideas, and one team was chosen in the Challenger category for small businesses within seven years of establishment. In the Beginner category, Nuhee was selected for its cream mist product that utilizes Jeju minerals and mugwort to support body care, while Forest Lab was recognized for its eco-friendly cleansing product designed to reduce both skin irritation and environmental impact. In the Challenger category, Rothea was selected for proposing a ritual hand cream that enables users to care for their hands immediately after washing dishes in the kitchen.
The three winning teams will be given the opportunity to collaborate with cosmetics company Cosmocos to transform their ideas into actual products and bring them to market.
A KT&G official stated, “Through the Korea Cosmetics Challenge, we have provided practical support to entrepreneurs with innovative ideas in the eco-friendly cosmetics sector. We will continue to support talented individuals so that they can actively pursue entrepreneurship based on innovative ideas and achieve sustainable business growth.”
KT&G SangSang Madang serves as a multifaceted cultural and artistic space, supporting the creative activities of emerging artists while offering diverse cultural experiences to the public. Since starting with the online SangSang Madang in 2005, the platform has expanded to five locations, including Hongdae, Nonsan, Chuncheon, Daechi, and Busan, contributing to the development of local arts and culture as well as the broadening of artistic and cultural engagement. KT&G SangSang Madang hosts over 3,000 cultural and artistic programs every year.