The Korea Beauty Summer Sale, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Visit Korea Committee, runs from July 20 to Aug. 20. Shown are foreign visitors on July 20 browsing through products at a cosmetics store in Seoul. (Yonhap News)

By Hong Angie

The opening of the Korea Summer Beauty Sale on July 20 attracted foreign visitors interested in Korean skincare and cosmetics.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on July 19 said that through Aug. 20, it is jointly hosting the beauty and cosmetics event with the Visit Korea Committee.

Since cosmetics are the most popular shopping items of sightseers from overseas, the sale is a themed tourism festival offering promotions and interactive programs featuring domestic beauty products and services.

A combined 175 companies spanning a range of sectors are participating in the event including beauty companies like Olive Young of CJ Group, LG Household & Healthcare and Amore Pacific Corp., duty-free chains including the Shilla Duty Free Shop and Lotte Duty Free, hotel chains such as Hotel Shilla, Josun Hotels & Resorts, and Paradise City and the low-cost carrier T'way Air. 

Such businesses are offering benefits including 20 promotions, shopping vouchers, discounts and free gifts.

Also taking part are hair and nail salons and plastic surgery clinics in the shopping neighborhood of Myeong-dong and areas near the subway stations of Gangnam and Hongik University, aka Hongdae, three regions frequented by foreign visitors.

Interactive programs under the theme "K-Beauty Vacance" will also delight overseas tourists. Tourism startup Like a Local is hosting interactive road events on Korean beauty in Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul's Jongno-gu District and beauty-themed seminars are slated at the space Beauty Play in Myeong-dong. 

During the "welcoming week" for foreign tourists that ends on July 26, welcome booths on the streets of Myeong-dong, Hongdae, the international area of Itaewon and Gangnam offer interpretation and other tourism convenience services. The booths will also hold beauty interactive events with cosmetic companies and social media influencers.

More details are available on the sale's official website: (http://www.vky.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=travel#0).

This is a promotional poster for the Korea Summer Beauty Sale. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)