AEKYUNG Industry

What AEKYUNG Industry does

AEKYUNG Industry (애경산업) is a South Korean diversified consumer packaged goods company operating across five core categories: cosmetics, premium hair care, dental care, body care, and fabric/home care. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Mapo-gu, Seoul, with manufacturing operations at a Cheongyang factory and a dedicated R&D institute in Daejeon. Its brand portfolio exceeds 25 owned labels including the dental care flagship 2080, the Kerasys premium hair care line, the Luna color cosmetics brand, the AGE20'S cosmetics label, and household brands such as LiQ, Jet, and Trio, alongside body care, pet care, and air freshener sub-brands. Aekyung serves end consumers through major retail partners domestically and abroad, with Olive Young as the primary Korean distribution channel for Luna and 2080, approximately 390 Walmart locations in North America carrying Kerasys, and more than 10,000 offline points of sale in Japan supporting the Luna brand's growth from a 2021 e-commerce entry. Internationally, the company has scaled Kerasys in CIS markets (Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan) at an 18.4% CAGR from 2020-2025 with 37% year-on-year growth as of May 2026.

The company makes money through B2C sale of personal care, beauty, dental, household, and fabric-care products under its owned brand portfolio, distributed across retail chains, specialty beauty retailers, e-commerce platforms, and regional distributors in South Korea, Japan, North America, and CIS markets. Pricing details for consumer products are not publicly disclosed. Its technology and product development rests on proprietary formulation work, with the most notable recent asset being L-Tetrahydropalmatine (L-THP), a Corydalis-derived compound for hair growth that has been validated in human cell and follicle experiments and filed with Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for certification as a non-visible functional raw material; 2025 R&D investment was reported at 22.88 billion won. In February 2026, Taekwang Group completed the acquisition of 63% of Aekyung Industrial's shares and management rights for 447.5 billion won, marking the exit of the prior Aekyung Group and Taekwang's entry into the B2C cosmetics market. The company has faced recent headwinds including a 20% revenue decline tied to a 35% drop in China sales and a 2080 toothpaste recall linked to banned-ingredient detection in China-manufactured items, the latter contributing to a 5% price discount on the sale to Taekwang.

Name

AEKYUNG Industry

Legal name

AEKYUNG INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.

Website

https://aekyung.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

AEKYUNG Industry (애경산업) is a South Korean diversified consumer packaged goods company operating across cosmetics, premium hair care, dental care, body care, and fabric/home care categories with more than 25 owned brands including 2080, Kerasys, and Luna, serving end consumers through retail partners in Korea, North America, Japan, and CIS markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Personal Care Products

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing (325611)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling, Treatments) (CRADANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hand & Body Care (Lotions, Creams, Body Oils) (CRADANAC), Water & Home System Care (Water Softeners, Septic Treatments, Drain/Openers, Appliance Cleaners) (CRADAKAK)

Keywords

• Personal care products
• Hair care formulations
• Oral care products
• Color cosmetics
• Household cleaning products

Headquarters

HQ city

Mapo

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Personal Care and Beauty Products (B2C): Consumer-facing beauty and personal care products across multiple categories including cosmetics, hair care, body care, dental care, fabric care, and household products through owned brands and retail channels
2. Premium Hair Care Export: Export of K-beauty hair care products including Kerasys brand to international markets such as North America, CIS region, driving growth with 15.7% year-on-year increase in Korean hair product exports reaching $478.16 million

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AEKYUNG Industry manufactures and sells branded consumer personal care and household products across five main segments: Cosmetics (LUNA, AGE20'S), Hair Care (KERASYS, Black Forest), Dental Care (2080), Body Care, and Fabric/Home Care (LiQ, Jet, Spark). The company develops proprietary ingredients including L-THP compound for hair growth and operates R&D and manufacturing facilities in Daejeon and Cheongyang, South Korea, with international distribution in North America (Walmart), Japan, and CIS markets.

Product overview

AEKYUNG Industry (애경산업) is a diversified South Korean consumer goods company operating across five main business segments: Cosmetics, Hair Care, Body Care, Dental Care, and Fabric/Home Care. The company manages an extensive portfolio of brands including LUNA makeup, KERASYS premium hair care, 2080 oral care products, and various fabric care brands. In hair care, the company is a major K-beauty exporter with strong presence in CIS markets (KERASYS showing 18.4% CAGR 2020-2025) and North American retail expansion (placed in approximately 390 Walmart locations). The company develops proprietary ingredients including L-THP (L-Tetrahydropalmatine) for hair growth applications. Following acquisition by Taekwang Group (finalized at 447.5 billion won for 63% stake), the company operates under new ownership while maintaining its brand portfolio and product development activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LUNA: Makeup and cosmetics brand offering melted cheek bombs and other color cosmetics products
• KERASYS
• 2080
• AGE20'S
• twoedit
• a solution
• point&
• Loevita
• signiq
• Black Forest
• ARPITER
• 沙龙德玛吉
• Derma&More
• e'스타르
• 리큐
• Jet
• Spark
• Mom's Choice
• Herbal Mari 1848
• 순샘
• Trio
• SWAY
• Bulabo
• Home Vaccine
• Whistle
• Air Fresh
• Deodorizing Carbon

Products and services

• LUNA (루나) Makeup Brand Makeup specialist brand offering comprehensive color cosmetics including lip products, base makeup, and eye makeup. Known for trend-forward products targeting young consumers seeking expressive makeup looks. Distributed through Olive Young in South Korea and expanding internationally to Japan with 10,000+ offline points of sale.
• KERASYS (케라시스) Premium Hair Care Premium hair care brand with patented Long-Lasting Perfume Capsule technology providing long-lasting fragrance. Includes scalp care and damage repair lines. Available in Walmart (approximately 390 locations in North America) and achieving 18.4% CAGR growth in CIS markets from 2020-2025, with 37% year-on-year growth as of May 2026 in CIS region.
• 2080 Dental Care Brand Comprehensive oral care brand offering toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash (2080 Oral Cleanse), and 2080 KIDS children's dental products. Established brand recognition in South Korea. Note: 2080 toothpaste products were subject to a recall in 2025 due to detection of banned ingredient in items manufactured in China.
• AGE20'S Cosmetics Brand Cosmetics brand targeting women in their 20s, offering skincare-infused makeup products with youthful positioning.
• Black Forest (블랙포레) Hair Care Hair care brand positioned around forest/nature themes with natural ingredient formulations.
• Derma&More (더마&모어) Hair Care Dermatology-inspired hair care brand combining clinical formulations with consumer accessibility.
• LiQ (리큐) Fabric Care Fabric care brand offering laundry detergent and fabric treatment products.
• Jet (제트) Fabric Care Fabric care brand offering concentrated laundry detergent and odor control products.
• Sunsem (순샘) Kitchen Cleaning Kitchen cleaning brand offering dish soap and kitchen surface cleaners.
• Home Vaccine (홈백신) Hygiene Care Home hygiene brand offering sanitizing and disinfection products.
• Shower Mate (샤워메이트) Body Care Body care brand offering shower and bathing products.
• Enterprise Products (기업전용) B2B Line B2B enterprise product line offering customized cleaning and care solutions for businesses and institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• L-THP compound promoted hair growth and inhibited hair follicle regression in human cell and follicle experiments
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• FINCAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026Lifestyle brand collaboration for Luna Melted Cheek Night limited edition colors. FINCA is a lifestyle brand for 'recording all moments of daily life' targeting consumers who want sensory home camping moods. Collaboration included two limited colors (F1 Pink Vacation and F2 Orange Homecance) sold exclusively at Olive Young.
• Korean Red Cross Seoul Central Blood Center and Chungnam Blood CenterminorOthers · 1 June 2026Corporate social responsibility partnership for 'Love & Respect Blood Donation Campaign' conducted at Aekyung Industrial headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul and at Daejeon research institute and Cheongyang factory. Campaign aimed to address blood supply imbalance due to declining blood donors.
• A:PERS K-beauty Select ShopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2026Tokyo-based K-beauty specialty retailer hosting Luna makeup brand pop-up in Shin-Okubo district to showcase core products including Long Lasting Tip Concealer. This partnership supports Luna's expansion strategy in Japan where the brand has grown from e-commerce entry in 2021 to 10,000+ offline points of sale.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kolmar Korea: Korean cosmetics and personal care manufacturer with broad brand portfolio and ODM capabilities. Comparable as a Korean mid-to-large CPG player with similar multi-brand structure across cosmetics and personal care.
• Kao Corporation: Japanese personal care and household products major with similar multi-category brand portfolio across hair care (Kao, Essential), body care, fabric care (Attack), and oral care. Closest international comparison to Aekyung's diversified approach.
• Cosmax: Korean cosmetics manufacturer combining own-brand portfolio with OEM/ODM services. Comparable to Aekyung in personal care exposure and Korean market base, though with different business model mix (more B2B/OEM).
• Church & Dwight: US-based multi-category personal care and household products company (Arm & Hammer, Batiste, First Response, Orajel). Comparable in mid-cap, multi-category CPG structure with mix of household, personal care, and oral care.
• Lion Corporation: Japanese household and personal care manufacturer with brands spanning oral care (Etiquette, Clinica), hair care, body care, fabric care, and kitchen cleaning. Closest peer in product mix outside Korea, particularly for dental and household categories.
• LG Household & Health Care: Korea's largest CPG conglomerate with comparable multi-category portfolio spanning cosmetics, hair care, body care, oral care, and household products under brands like The Face Shop, Su:m37, O HUI, Elastine, and Beyond. Most directly comparable peer given similar structure and Korean market positioning.
• Amorepacific: Korea's leading premium beauty conglomerate with strong international presence (Sulwhasoo, Laneige, Innisfree). Comparable in K-beauty brand portfolio and global expansion via cultural marketing, though more concentrated in cosmetics than Aekyung's broader CPG mix.
• Pola Orbis Holdings: Japanese multi-brand beauty holding company with portfolio spanning premium and mass-market cosmetics. Comparable in brand portfolio strategy and Asian market focus, though concentrated in color cosmetics and skincare.

Broad incumbents

• Unilever: Global CPG giant with personal care (Dove, Sunsilk), home care (OMO, Surf), and oral care brands. Comparable in product category overlap but vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Procter & Gamble: Global CPG incumbent with direct overlap in hair care (Pantene, Head & Shoulders), oral care (Oral-B, Crest), fabric care (Tide, Ariel), and body care. Comparable category mix but on a vastly different scale as a global incumbent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AEKYUNG Industry