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Xi’s dinner invite to Amorepacific fuels hopes of a K-beauty rebound

Published: 01 Nov. 2025, 13:04

LEE JAE-LIM
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Amorepacific Group Chairman Suh Kyung-bae presents the company’s mid- to long-term vision and strategy during its 80th anniversary ceremony held at the group's headquarters in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Sept. 4. [AMOREPACIFIC]

Suh Kyung-bae, chairman of Amorepacific Group and a leading figure in K-beauty, is set to attend a dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the heads of major Korean conglomerates during Xi’s visit to Korea.

President Xi — visiting Korea for the first time in 11 years — will host a dinner with top Korean and Chinese business leaders on Nov. 1, the final day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, according to industry sources. The Korean side will include Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Posco Group Chairman Chang In-hwan and Amorepacific Chair Suh. From China, attendees reportedly include Zeng Yuqun, chairman of battery giant CATL; Li Fanrong, chairman of state-run energy and chemicals group Sinochem; and JD.com founder Richard Liu Qiangdong.

The inclusion of a beauty company at the table has fueled expectations that Beijing may ease its informal restrictions on Korean cultural and consumer products, known as the Hallyu ban.

Korean cosmetics companies, including Amorepacific, saw explosive growth in China on the back of the Korean Wave, but business contracted sharply after China imposed retaliatory curbs following Korea’s 2017 deployment of the U.S.-led Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile defense system, a downturn later compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic. With the recent global resurgence of K-beauty, the upcoming dinner is seen as a potential turning point.

Shares of K-beauty and entertainment companies rose on reports of Xi’s visit.

As part of APEC-related cultural programming, Amorepacific has been operating a “K-Beauty Innovation” experience booth for global CEOs and their spouses from Tuesday through Friday. Visitors have been able to create products such as Sulwhasoo’s ginseng bath essence and Hera foundation, offering hands-on exposure to the brands’ heritage and product innovation.

Earlier, during U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to Korea, spokesperson Karoline Leavitt drew attention online after sharing photos of herself purchasing K-beauty products at an Olive Young store in Gyeongju’s Hwangridan-gil neighborhood.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY NA SANG-HYEON, NOH YU-RIM [[email protected]]