AMUSE

AMUSE is a South Korean colour-cosmetics brand based in Seoul, founded in 2018 [9]. It built its following among Generation Z around vegan, cruelty-free makeup and a small line of wellness products, and is closely tied to K-pop idol Jang Won-young of the group IVE, whose name became attached to one of its best-known lip tints.

The brand began under Snow Corp, a subsidiary of the internet company Naver, and was acquired in August 2024 by Shinsegae International, the fashion-and-cosmetics arm of the Shinsegae retail group [9][10]. It continues to operate as a standalone label under its new owner rather than being folded into another product line.

AMUSE launched in Seoul in 2018 as a vegan beauty brand. Public sources do not name its founders; unlike many indie K-beauty labels, it was created within Snow Corp rather than by an independent founder, which the trade press notes as the reason a founder narrative is largely absent. The company operates as Amuse Korea Corporation, with its registered address in the Gangnam district of Seoul.

From the start the brand positioned itself around what it calls a wellness-and-beauty proposition, summed up in the tagline "A Good Vibe, Amuse you" and the idea of "creating only products born from happiness and made with kindness."

AMUSE frames itself as a vegan "wellness lifestyle beauty" brand built on the belief that, in its own words, "everyday life should be healthy and enjoyable at the same time." Its Wellness manifesto sets out a short list of guiding rules: vegan formulation, clean and natural ingredients, high functionality, and an emphasis on everyday wellbeing.

Commercially the brand targets a young, budget-conscious audience. Trade coverage of its acquisition described it as aimed at millennial and Gen Z buyers and at "the young and budget beauty market" [9], and its products sit at an accessible, indie price point. Distribution spans its own online store, health-and-beauty retailers, and an offline flagship, with shipping listed to more than sixteen countries across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

AMUSE's range centres on lip, face, cheek and eye makeup, with a smaller wellness category covering sunscreens and moisturisers. Its signature items include the Dew Tint, the Jel-Fit Tint, the Bebe Tint, and cushion foundations such as the Dew Jelly Vegan Cushion and the Ceramic Skin Perfector Cushion.

Several products are sold on a moisture-and-finish story. The company describes the Dew Tint as using a three-layer structure of water, oil and water that raises its moisture content, while the Jel-Fit Tint is marketed as a long-wearing gel formula. According to editorial coverage, the Dew Tint sold more than 350,000 units worldwide within about eighteen months of launch [8], and trade reporting noted that it ranked first among new releases in Amazon's lip-stain category [10]. Hero ingredients cited across the line include fruit extracts such as mango and apple, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, panthenol and fermented Jeju soybean ceramides.

The brand says all its products are vegan and cruelty-free, made in South Korea, and that it uses recyclable packaging with reduced plastic. Sources differ on which body certifies the vegan claim: AMUSE's own Wellness page cites WeVegan certification [3], while trade editorial reports EVE VEGAN, a French certifier [8]. It is possible both apply to different products or markets. The company also says it donates a share of profits to the animal-rights group Kara through its Amuse Wellness Project.

Much of AMUSE's visibility comes from K-pop tie-ins. Jang Won-young of IVE became a brand ambassador in 2023 [11], and the Jel-Fit Tint is widely sold and discussed under the nickname "Jang Won-young tint." A February 2024 campaign featuring her as a ballerina, promoting the brand's cushion foundation, drew more than 800,000 views on TikTok [11]. Seulgi of Red Velvet has also been associated with the brand as a model.

The brand's profile rose further through international press around its 2024 sale, including coverage in Billboard and beauty trade outlets such as BeautyMatter and Personal Care Insights.

AMUSE was acquired by Shinsegae International in August 2024. Snow Corp, the Naver subsidiary that was the largest shareholder, sold a 77.59% stake [10]. Reported figures for the deal differ slightly: BeautyMatter and other trade press put it at about $51.6 million [9], while Personal Care Insights gives roughly $52.6 million [10]; the variance is generally attributed to currency conversion of the won-denominated price.

For Shinsegae International, the purchase added a youth-focused, budget brand alongside Swiss Perfection, the luxury skincare house it had bought in 2020, giving the group reach across both ends of the cosmetics market. Shinsegae set a sales target for AMUSE of around $147 million by 2028 [10].

AMUSE remains active. It operates as a standalone brand under Shinsegae International following the 2024 acquisition, with a working e-commerce site, continuing product launches and ambassador campaigns, and stated plans to expand further in Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.