[THE INVESTOR] LG Household & Health Care is pushing su:m 37 as its new main cosmetics line for China, opening shops in top department stores in Hangzhou, Shanghai, Nanxing and Beijing since April. It also launched an online flagship store at Tmall, the largest online shopping website in China, in May.

Established in 2007, the brand has gained popularity with its “naturally fermented” botanical ingredients, a new concept in the South Korean beauty industry. 




The premium cosmetics range has been growing steadily, notching up 100 billion won (US$90.15 million) sales in 2014 and since doubling the volume for two consecutive years. Its sales in the first half of this year came in at 175.5 billion won, the LG affiliate reported on Aug. 8, and expected to reach 350 billion won target.

The figures confirm that the brand is the right choice as The History of Whoo’s partner in China where it has been enjoying success. Whoo, LG’s flagship brand topped the sales at the country’s duty-free stores, which largely contributed to the 600 billion won turnover in the first half of this year.

The beauty and health behemoth is seeking to further expand its clientele in China, from Whoo’s over-40s customers, and the company is banking on su:m to target customers in their 20s and 30s.

By Hwang You-mee (glamazon@heraldcorp.com)