When Connie Pang, 33, wanted to buy Korean cosmetics, she had only two options until a decade ago: Taking a four-hour flight to Korea or buying overpriced imports.

Now, things have changed. The Chinese office worker simply turns to Korean online shopping malls to buy Korean items ranging from clothing to home appliances. It saves her both time and money, she said.

“I visit Korean Web stores whenever I need Korean goods. It is much cheaper, even considering the overseas shipping fees and tariffs,” Pang said.

While Korean customers are increasingly shopping on overseas websites, Korean online shops are increasingly attracting foreign customers, mostly from Asian countries where interest in Korean pop culture is high. 

A Vietnamese banker, Quynh Ahn, who lived in Seoul for a year, said that the quality and design of Korean beauty products could not be matched.

“When I was in Korea, I used to go shopping in downtown Seoul, (in areas) such as Myeong-dong. Back in Vietnam, I still want Korean clothes, accessories and household goods due to their quality and design,” said the 27-year-old, who is now a frequent shopper at Korean online stores.

“Among other things, I can buy products that are not available in Vietnam.”

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy estimates that combined export sales of the nation’s top nine online shopping sites was about 370 billion won ($334 million) in 2013.

In a bid to better cater to the booming demand outside the country, local online retailers such as Gmarket, Interpark and OKDGG recently unveiled English and Chinese websites, offering services exclusively for foreign customers.

The No. 1 online shopping mall Gmarket, which claims 35 percent of e-commerce sales here, has operated its Global Shop since 2006. Over the past three years, the international website’s sales have grown 30 percent per year.

“The growing popularity of Korean dramas and music helps boost sales of Korean products, especially cosmetics and clothes worn by Korean celebrities,” said Lee Sang-min, a representative of Gmarket, which is now owned by eBay.

One of the most recent hit items on the site was the trench coat worn by hallyu star Jun Ji-hyun in the Korean drama “My Love from the Star.” The 2,500 trench coats on stock sold out less than a week after the actress appeared in the drama wearing one, according to the company.

Currently, 72 percent of Gmarket’s foreign customers are from China or from Chinese-speaking countries like Taiwan, according to the company.

The most popular items are beauty products, such as cosmetics and perfumes, followed by women’s clothing, bags and accessories. Body and hair care items as well as baby products are also top sellers. 

Despite some trial and error, the nation’s e-commerce market for foreign customers is expected to continue to grow.

The recent free trade agreement between Korea and China will be a boon for both countries in terms of online shopping, said an official from the Korea International Trade Association.

“The bilateral trade deal covers e-commerce. We expect the number of Chinese consumers buying directly from Korea to soar in the coming years,” the official said.

With the free trade pact taking effect next year, Chinese consumers will not have to pay customs duties when buying items worth less than 1,000 yuan ($162), according to industry insiders.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)