KHIDI Opens Paris K-Beauty Hub to Boost SME Exports
The Maison des Mille Muses in Paris will showcase over 20 Korean SME brands and offers AI-based skin diagnostics, with a Los Angeles hub planned this month.
Paris Hub for Korean SME Access
The Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) has launched a K-beauty flagship hub in Paris, France, aimed at helping small and medium-sized Korean cosmetics companies (SMEs) establish themselves in the European market. Named Maison des Mille Muses (mmm), the facility opened on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
Located in the Sentier district of Paris' 2nd arrondissement, this hub is the first of two such flagship locations planned by KHIDI for this year. A second hub is scheduled to open in Los Angeles later in October 2026, expanding KHIDI's global K-beauty network.
Integrated Retail and Experience Space
Maison des Mille Muses functions as an integrated retail and experience center, designed to support Korean companies in key export markets. It offers various services, including product promotion, direct sales, assistance with certifications, and connections with potential buyers.
The hub showcases K-beauty products and beauty technology under the theme "Beauty & Wellness, Seoul to Paris." More than 20 Korean SME brands are participating, featuring skincare, color cosmetics, wellness products, and traditional Korean beauty tools.
The store also provides beauty-tech experiences, such as artificial intelligence-based personal color analysis and skin diagnostics.
Expanding European Presence and Export Growth
The Paris opening completes a series of three K-beauty bases launched in Europe by KHIDI. This follows a pop-up store in Milan, Italy, which operated from 25 to 27 September 2026, and a retail store that opened in Stuttgart, Germany, on 28 September 2026. This strategic expansion aligns with recent robust export figures for Korean SMEs.
In the first half of 2026, Korean SMEs exported $1.26 billion worth of cosmetics. This represents a 62.4 percent increase compared to $770 million exported during the same period in 2025, demonstrating significant growth in the sector.
Outlook for Korean Exporters
Hwang Sung-eun, head of KHIDI's Medical Device and Cosmetics Industry Department, stated the Paris flagship hub will serve as a "forward base." This will enable small and medium-sized cosmetics companies, which possess competitive products but face limited access to local distribution networks, to directly engage with European consumers and buyers.
KHIDI plans to provide comprehensive, on-the-ground support, covering product experiences, sales, certification processes, and buyer connections. This initiative directly helps Korean beauty brands build local sales records, meet prospective buyers, and obtain necessary certifications, thereby reducing market entry barriers for new exporters in the European Union.
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