Firstmarket

What Firstmarket does

Firstmarket Co., Ltd. is a privately held Korean multi-brand consumer products company founded in June 2007 in Seoul by Ham Jeong-su (함정수). It originally launched as e-food, a B2B platform connecting Korean food manufacturers with international buyers that earned eTrust certification. The company pivoted to proprietary brand development, launching KOCOSTAR (Korea's Cosmetic Star) in 2013 as its first K-beauty brand and establishing a Japan subsidiary in Nagoya in 2009. Today it operates 29 owned brands across three divisions — Beauty (23 brands including KOCOSTAR, Amaholic, Mania Holic, Memory Planner, bbae, Single Life, nearer, Less MORE, Towards, Susukeki, a.m. Sunday, Look at the Stars, Hangari, DuoDuo, Fashion Cosme, Blue Spring, Waffles, Sudden Magic, Ai Beauty, Beauty Fighter, Beauty Talker, Carne Vale, and Ending Credit), Food (Ms. Jeon, Oh! Macju One Shot, UMUK, Kek Kek Kokiyo), and Health (Nap Therapy, Bomulsan) — distributed through department stores, duty-free shops, drugstores, variety stores, and supermarkets in Korea, Japan, Europe, and the United States.

The company's technical capabilities center on product formulation, brand curation, and selective AI features rather than a unified technology platform. Notable technical components include a patented flaxseed processing method for the Amaholic brand, robotic arm grinding technology for the Ms. Jeon bean-based jeon line, and AI features embedded in two brands (a skin analysis recommendation engine in Ai Beauty and an audio-based AI whisper service in Nap Therapy). Marketing is driven primarily by participation in global beauty exhibitions and a network of brand-family websites (kocostar.com, amaholic.com, maniaholic.com).

The business model is product sales across the proprietary brand portfolio, sold to consumers through retail and online channels and to retail buyers via enterprise field sales and channel partnerships. The company is founder-led, with Ham Jeong-su overseeing the beauty and food brand portfolio and An Jong-jin (안종진), who joined in 2009, managing KOCOSTAR's global expansion from the Seoul headquarters. No external venture capital, private equity, or public market financing has been disclosed, and no revenue, headcount, or ownership structure beyond the founder and president are publicly available.

Name

Firstmarket

Legal name

Firstmarket Co.,Ltd.

Website

https://firstmarket.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Firstmarket Co., Ltd. is a privately held Korean multi-brand consumer products company founded in 2007 in Seoul, operating 29 owned brands across K-beauty, K-food, and K-health categories, distributed through department stores, duty-free shops, drugstores, and online channels in Korea, Japan, Europe, and the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-Beauty and K-Food Consumer Goods

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (45612), Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural Specialty Food Stores (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Keto, Allergy-Friendly) (CRAHAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Functional Packaged Foods (Gluten-Free, Keto, Organic, Medical/Allergen-Friendly) (CRADAAAI), Health Food & Supplement Stores (CRAHAEAC)

Keywords

• K-beauty brands
• K-food products
• Wellness brands
• Skincare portfolio
• Korean consumer goods

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. K-Beauty Brand Products: Revenue from proprietary K-beauty brand portfolio including KOCOSTAR, Amaholic, Mania Holic, Memory Planner, bbae, and other beauty brands sold through international distribution channels.
2. K-Food Brand Products: Revenue from K-food brands including Ms. Jeon, Kek Kek Kokiyo, Oh! Macju One Shot, and UMUK sold through domestic Korean and international markets.
3. K-Health Brand Products: Revenue from wellness brands including Nap Therapy and Bomulsan targeting health-conscious consumers.
4. B2B Platform Services (Historical): Historical B2B platform connecting Korea's food manufacturers with international buyers through e-food online service, which earned eTrust certification as verified e-commerce venture.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Firstmarket develops, markets, and distributes its own proprietary consumer brands across three categories: BEAUTY (23 K-beauty brands led by KOCOSTAR), FOOD (4 K-food brands including Ms. Jeon, KEK KEK KOKIYO, UMUK, and Oh! Macju One Shot), and HEALTH (2 wellness brands Nap Therapy and BOMULSAN). The company sells these brands through international department stores, duty-free shops, drugstores, variety stores, supermarkets, and its own direct-to-consumer e-commerce channels across Korea, Japan, Europe, and the United States.

Product overview

Firstmarket is a multi-brand K-trend company operating across three categories: BEAUTY (23 brands), FOOD (4 brands), and HEALTH (2 brands). The portfolio includes KOCOSTAR (launched 2013 as the company's first proprietary K-beauty brand), followed by Amaholic (flaxseed-based derma cosmetics), Mania Holic (daily beauty fixes), Memory Planner (senior skincare), bbae (minimalist skincare), and newer brands including Single Life (perfume mists), nearer (ampoules), Less MORE (vegan pore care), Towards, Susukeki, a.m. Sunday, Look at the Stars (personalized/name-engraved skincare), Hangari (fermented red ginseng hanbang), DuoDuo, Fashion Cosme (BB cream), Blue Spring, Waffles, Sudden Magic, Ai Beauty (AI-powered personalized routines), Beauty Fighter, Beauty Talker, Carne Vale, and Ending Credit. The FOOD division includes Ms. Jeon (traditional Korean jeon/bean foods), Oh! Macju One Shot (draft beer pub), UMUK (Korean fishcake), and KEK KEK KOKIYO (Korean chicken). HEALTH division includes Nap Therapy (wellness napping products) and BOMULSAN (mountain hiking/wellness programs).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KOCOSTAR: K-beauty brand offering targeted masks from head to toe; name stands for Korea's Cosmetic Star
• MANIA HOLIC
• Amaholic
• Memory Planner
• 빼 bbae
• Single Life
• nearer
• Less MORE
• Towards
• Susukeki
• a.m. Sunday
• Look at the stars
• Hangari
• DuoDuo
• Fashion Cosme
• Blue Spring
• Waffles
• Sudden Magic
• Ai Beauty
• Beauty Fighter
• Beauty Talker
• Carne Vale
• Ending Credit
• Ms. Jeon
• Oh! Macju One Shot
• UMUK
• KEK KEK KOKIYO
• Nap Therapy
• BOMULSAN

Products and services

• KOCOSTAR K-beauty brand specializing in targeted sheet masks and skincare solutions for head-to-toe body care.
• MANIA HOLIC Beauty brand offering smart fix products for daily skin concerns including long-lasting sunscreen, plant-based gel toner pads, and blackhead-melting nose patches.
• Amaholic Derma-cosmetics brand powered by fermented organic flaxseed oil and extract, providing deep moisturizing care for sensitive and dry skin and hair, based on patented flaxseed processing.
• Memory Planner Aromatic skincare brand for active seniors featuring floral-scented hand and foot creams with deep hydration and exfoliating care for aging skin.
• 빼 bbae Minimalist skincare brand focusing on pore care that strips away excess and unnecessary ingredients, leaving only what skin truly needs with transparent ingredient disclosure.
• Single Life Perfume mist brand offering alcohol-free, allergy-free formula fragrance mists for daily mood and style refreshment.
• nearer Ampoule brand featuring concentrated essence in wand-shaped vials for targeted skin recovery for sensitive, dry, or tired skin.
• Less MORE Vegan pore-care specialist brand targeting excess oil, loss of elasticity, clogged pores, and buildup to reduce visible pores for clean, balanced skin.
• Ai Beauty AI-powered personal skincare routine platform that analyzes skin condition and recommends customized daily skincare regimens.
• Look at the Stars Online-only personalized skincare brand featuring star-inspired products with customer names engraved on packaging.
• Hangari Premium hanbang (Korean herbal) beauty brand featuring fermented red ginseng in luxurious hangari-style jars combining traditional aging methods with modern skincare.
• Ms. Jeon Traditional Korean jeon (pan-fried dish) brand featuring bean-based vegan foods using robotic grinding technology and bean-focused sauces to deliver savory flavors without fishy smell.
• KEK KEK KOKIYO K-Food brand specializing in Korean chicken dishes, starting with innovative dakbal (chicken feet) featuring creative flavors including kimchi, hot pepper, and butter variations.
• UMUK Korean fishcake (eomuk) brand celebrating diversity in flavor, shape, and texture.
• Oh! Macju One Shot Fresh draft beer pub experience featuring keg-poured beer with signature seafood chips and European-style interior atmosphere.
• Nap Therapy Wellness brand promoting healthy napping with nap pillows, massage sleep masks, and a 20-minute AI whisper guided rest service.
• BOMULSAN Health and hiking brand focused on Korean mountains, creating programs to help people regain health and joy through mountain activities.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mediheal: Mediheal is a Korean specialist sheet mask brand sold globally through beauty retailers and drugstores; it directly overlaps with KOCOSTAR's product category and distribution model.
• Holika Holika: Holika Holika is a Korean multi-brand cosmetics company offering playful, affordable K-beauty products through mass and drugstore channels worldwide; it is comparable in positioning to Firstmarket's Amaholic and Mania Holic brands.
• TonyMoly: TonyMoly is a Korean multi-brand beauty company selling playful, trend-driven K-beauty products through drugstores, specialty beauty, and global e-commerce; it overlaps Firstmarket's portfolio strategy and target consumer.
• ABLE C&C (Missha): ABLE C&C operates the Missha multi-brand K-beauty portfolio sold through drugstores, department stores, and online globally; it is directly comparable to Firstmarket in distribution channels and price-point positioning.
• Daesang: Daesang is a Korean food conglomerate with branded specialty foods (including kimchi, sauces, noodles) distributed internationally; it is comparable to Firstmarket's K-food division (Ms. Jeon, UMUK, KEK KEK KOKIYO) in product category and overseas retail push.
• Nature Republic: Nature Republic operates a K-beauty brand portfolio distributed through global duty-free, department stores, and specialty retail; it shares Firstmarket's reliance on international travel retail and Korean beauty consumer demand.
• Itsskin: It's Skin is a Korean multi-brand skincare company with global distribution through duty-free and department stores; it overlaps Firstmarket's K-beauty brand portfolio strategy and travel-retail-centric go-to-market.

Broad incumbents

• LG Household & Health Care (LG H&H): LG H&H operates a diverse portfolio of beauty, household, and health brands including The Face Shop, Belif, and O HUI; it shares Firstmarket's house-of-brands approach and global distribution through department stores and duty-free shops.
• Amorepacific: Amorepacific is Korea's largest beauty conglomerate with multi-brand architecture (Sulwhasoo, Innisfree, Laneige, Etude, etc.); it is the most direct institutional parallel to Firstmarket's multi-brand K-beauty portfolio model, just at significantly larger scale.

Others

• Cosmax: Cosmax is a major Korean beauty ODM/contract manufacturer supplying many indie and multi-brand beauty companies; as the upstream supplier to the K-beauty ecosystem, it is thematically comparable to Firstmarket's brand-development engine.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Firstmarket