TikTok is emerging as a key distribution channel for Korean beauty brands pushing into overseas markets, with Medicube topping the U.S. TikTok Shop by sales. The results reflect a fit between TikTok's discovery-driven commerce, where content leads directly to purchases, and K-beauty's ability to turn around trends quickly.
Annie Habercroft, TikTok's global head of product marketing communications and industry education, said in a written interview with Seoul Economic Daily on the 13th that discovering a product, taking an interest in it and buying it flow together as a single experience on the platform. "Korean brands that have delivered results through TikTok are making good use of this characteristic," she said.
Habercroft's role is to help companies use TikTok's marketing and advertising solutions effectively. Last month she visited Korea as head of the jury for MAD STARS 2026, Asia's largest marketing and advertising awards festival, held in Busan.
Korean beauty brands have posted notable results on the platform, with TikTok Shop — which lets users buy products featured in videos directly within the app — serving as the main stage. According to e-commerce data analytics platform Kalodata, Medicube, owned by APR, recorded the highest sales on the U.S. TikTok Shop over the past 30 days at $16.77 million. Dr. Melaxin, from Brand501, which grew by using TikTok Shop as its core sales channel, ranked fourth at $9.55 million.
Habercroft said she is also watching Torriden these days. "Torriden reused videos from creators with a proven sales track record in its brand campaign, and as a result its consideration audience nearly tripled, from 1.16 million people before the campaign to 3.19 million," she said.
She said K-beauty's habit of moving quickly on trends has blossomed on TikTok. "K-beauty is characterized by how fast it creates new ingredients, formulations and products, which fits well with TikTok's discovery-driven commerce," she said.
TikTok's artificial intelligence-based advertising tools and its creator-brand collaboration systems are becoming a weapon that lets smaller brands compete with global giants. The company runs Symphony, an AI solution that automates ad production. "AI shortens the time needed to plan and produce ads and makes it possible to test multiple ideas quickly," Habercroft said. "That is useful for small and mid-sized brands that have to keep producing a range of ads for different overseas markets." TikTok also operates TikTok One, which helps brands find suitable creators, and TikTok Shop Affiliate, a performance-based influencer marketing system.
Still, Habercroft stressed that the method of collaboration matters most. "Creators should be brought in from the ad ideation stage, with room left for them to interpret the message themselves," she said. Content gains explosive reach, she explained, when creators take an active part in marketing and bring their own creative voice to it.
TikTok is also preparing to launch TikTok Shop in Korea. The service is currently available in 16 countries, including the United States, Brazil and Japan. "Korea's commerce services are already very strong, but TikTok is creating another shopping experience in which consumers discover and buy new products," Habercroft said.
