South Korean pharmaceutical company Yuhan Corporation has officially launched a new skincare brand, 'THE·I·YU', leveraging 60 years of vitamin research and proprietary delivery technology. The move signals a broader trend of pharma-backed beauty brands reshaping the K-beauty landscape.
Yuhan announced on May 29 that THE·I·YU is built on the brand philosophy that 'there must be a reason for skin changes.' The brand name also carries the meaning 'a reason to be happier' and 'to gain a reason.' The company has selected DAY6 member Wonpil as the first official model for the launch campaign.
Unlike past pharmaceutical cosmetic ventures that relied on subsidiaries or separate brands, THE·I·YU is directly managed by Yuhan's headquarters, applying its vitamin research outcomes and skin delivery technologies accumulated from drug development.
The first product line is the 'VITA EXOSOME 8000™' series, featuring a proprietary formula combining eight vitamins and sea buckthorn fruit-derived exosomes. Yuhan applies a patented micro-bubble technology to enhance the stability and skin penetration of active ingredients. The formula also includes glutathione and niacinamide to strengthen brightening functions.
Initial products include three SKUs launching in Q2: VITA EXOSOME 8000 Vitality Absorption Ampoule, Radiance Lock Moisture Cream, and Vitality Revital Mist. In Q3, the brand plans to expand with serums, mask packs, toner pads, and lip balms.
To build consumer awareness, Yuhan will operate a pop-up store in Seoul in July. The company is also preparing for overseas expansion, targeting China and Taiwan first, followed by Japan and Southeast Asia, focusing on high-demand Asian markets for K-beauty.
This launch reflects a structural shift in the pharmaceutical industry toward cosmetics. Drug development requires high costs and long timelines, but cosmetics allow faster market entry using existing R&D assets. For pharma companies, this provides stable cash flow while leveraging brand trust and ingredient expertise.
Dongkuk Pharmaceutical is cited as a successful precedent, having built a derma-cosmetics brand using its centella asiatica expertise from the wound-care product 'Madecassol.' Daewoong Pharmaceutical targets the high-functional skincare segment with EGF-based products. Hanmi Science has also entered the premium derma-cosmetics market with its brand 'ADESII,' featuring patented complex ingredients.
Market data supports this trend. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, South Korea's functional cosmetics production reached KRW 7.3515 trillion in 2024, up 35% year-on-year, accounting for 41.9% of total cosmetics production.
Consumer behavior is shifting from brand image and emotional concepts to ingredient safety, efficacy, skin compatibility, and scientific evidence. This benefits research-driven brands. Derma-cosmetics are also expanding beyond pharmacies and clinics into home shopping, H&B stores, Daiso, and online platforms, broadening consumer touchpoints.
The pharmaceutical push into cosmetics is expected to become a structural trend, as K-beauty moves from price competition and fast trend response toward ingredient, data, and efficacy-driven differentiation.
Source: Read the original report | Published: May 29, 2026