GDK Cosmetics

What GDK Cosmetics does

GDK Cosmetics (지디케이화장품) is a South Korea-based ODM/OEM contract cosmetics manufacturer headquartered in Incheon, with a separate Seoul sales and marketing office. Originally established in 2003 as DK Cosmetics and re-incorporated under its current name in 2011, the company operates a B2B contract manufacturing model serving beauty brand owners and private-label customers across six core product categories: basic skincare, hair and body care, sun care, mask sheets and patches, cleansers, and quasi-drug products including hand sanitizers. Manufacturing is anchored by automated lines with daily output of approximately 1 million mask/patch units, 460K mask-pack units, and 50K-55K basic skincare units, plus 13,000 kg/day of in-house formulation capacity.

The company's competitive backbone is an extensive regulatory and quality certification stack — CGMP, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 22716 (cosmetic GMP), KCGMP, EVE Vegan, plus functional cosmetics and quasi-drug manufacturing licenses — supported by three granted patents (a biodegradable mask-packaging kit, a Choryongtree extract composition, and a Nangacho extract composition) and one pending filing. In 2020 the company extended vertically into quasi-drug production and acquired a dedicated global logistics center to support direct cross-border fulfillment. GDK is a privately held company; its last material equity event prior to the Soluem transaction was a 2016 growth-stage round from IMM Investment and JKL Partners.

In mid-2025, GDK was acquired by Soluem, gaining access to a parent-group distribution network of roughly 44,000 stores across 50 countries. The integration has shifted the customer base from a primarily Korean private-label profile to one spanning Europe, the United States, the UAE, Canada, China, Kazakhstan, Poland, and Sweden, and has coincided with a 35% revenue uplift and a 64% operating-profit uplift in the first full year post-acquisition. The company does not own consumer-facing brands and does not disclose a named anchor customer base.

Name

GDK Cosmetics

Legal name

지디케이화장품

Website

https://gdkcosmetics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

GDK Cosmetics is a South Korea-based ODM/OEM contract manufacturer producing skincare, mask packs, hair and body care, sun care, cleansers, and quasi-drug products for beauty brand owners and private-label customers, leveraging certified automated lines and its parent Soluem's 50-country distribution network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

OEM/ODM Cosmetics Manufacturing

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Hand & Body Care (Lotions, Creams, Body Oils) (CRADANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Eye & Lip Skincare (CRABAAAC), Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling, Treatments) (CRADANAE), Makeup Primers & Setting (Face/Eye Primer, Setting Spray, Setting Powder, Fixers) (CRABACAE)

Keywords

• OEM cosmetics manufacturing
• ODM beauty products
• Contract skincare manufacturing
• Mask sheet manufacturing
• Private label cosmetics

Headquarters

HQ city

Incheon

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. ODM/OEM Manufacturing Services: Customized cosmetics manufacturing services for brand owners and businesses, providing product development, formulation, packaging, and production services on a contract basis.
2. Expected FY 2025-2026 Revenue: Expected sales of approximately 68.4 billion won representing a 35% increase compared to pre-acquisition period.
3. Operating Profit: Expected operating profit of approximately 9.4 billion won, representing a 64% increase compared to pre-acquisition period.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

GDK Cosmetics is an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) and OEM contract manufacturer of cosmetics, providing one-stop total solution services from product concept development and formulation through packaging design, manufacturing, and post-production marketing support. The company manufactures customized skincare, mask sheet, body care, sun care, cleansing, and quasi-drug (hand sanitizer) products for domestic and international beauty brand owners on a contract basis.

Product overview

GDK Cosmetics is an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) cosmetics company specializing in contract manufacturing for global beauty brands. The company operates as a one-stop total solution provider, offering product development from concept to production and post-management. Their product portfolio includes six core product categories: Basic Skincare Products (essences, serums, creams), Hair & Body Care Products, Sun Care Products, Mask Sheet & Patch Products, Cleansing Products, and Hand Sanitizing Products (quasi-drugs). The company emphasizes differentiated formulations, innovative R&D capabilities, and superior quality control with high production capacity of 50,000 daily units for basic skincare and 1 million daily units for mask and patch products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% increase in sales compared to pre-acquisition period
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cosmax: Korea's largest ODM/OEM cosmetics manufacturer with global manufacturing footprint. Directly comparable to GDK as a contract skincare/cosmetics manufacturer serving brand owners, but at materially larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Kolmar Korea: Major Korean ODM cosmetics and health functional food manufacturer. Comparable to GDK in providing formulation and contract manufacturing for beauty brands, with stronger scale and a broader category base.
• Cosmax Korea Holdings: Parent entity of Cosmax and a leading Korean ODM platform for skincare, color cosmetics, and mask sheets. Closely comparable to GDK's mask pack and skincare ODM focus, but with significantly larger global client base and R&D budget.
• Intercos: Italy-headquartered global ODM for color cosmetics and skincare, supplying leading beauty brands worldwide. Closely comparable to GDK as a B2B contract cosmetics manufacturer serving brand owners across categories.
• KDC/One: North American contract manufacturer of personal care, beauty, and home care products. Comparable to GDK as an ODM/CMO serving brand owners with formulation and manufacturing services, though with a different geographic focus.

Broad incumbents

• Amorepacific: Korea's largest beauty conglomerate with its own brand portfolio plus significant contract manufacturing capability through subsidiaries. Overlaps with GDK as a skincare manufacturer but is not a pure ODM; serves as a competitor for both manufacturing capacity and brand relationships.
• LG Household & Health Care: Major Korean consumer goods and beauty company with in-house manufacturing for skincare, cosmetics, and personal care. Comparable to GDK as a Korean cosmetics manufacturer with strong domestic and export channels, but operates its own brands rather than pure ODM.
• Coty Inc. Manufacturing Operations: Global beauty conglomerate with significant in-house manufacturing for color cosmetics, skincare, and fragrance. Overlaps with GDK as a large-scale cosmetics manufacturer serving brand portfolios, though not a pure-play ODM.

Emerging players

• Mann & Co (Korea): Smaller Korean cosmetics ODM focused on skincare and mask products. Comparable to GDK as a Korean mask/sheet cosmetics contract manufacturer, though at smaller scale and narrower product range.

Regional players

• Cremology / OEM/ODM Korean mid-tier players: Other Korean-based mid-tier ODM cosmetics manufacturers serving K-beauty and global brand owners. Comparable to GDK in service model and product categories, but with varying degrees of international market access.

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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 GDK Cosmetics