Beauty Play: Experience K-Beauty Firsthand Across Four Floors in Hongdae’s Alleyways

Why the Hongdae Branch No. 2 Opened in 2023: A K-Independent Brand Gateway Following the Myeongdong Branch No. 1

Beauty Play is an open K-beauty experience and promotional space operated by the Korea Cosmetic Industry Institute with support from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The first branch opened in Myeongdong, Seoul, in October 2021, and the Hongdae branch opened in 2023. Unlike ordinary cosmetics stores, it is a public-oriented space designed to showcase and let visitors experience products from small and medium-sized Korean cosmetics companies while creating points of contact with international visitors.

The Hongdae branch is located in the central Hongdae area, which has heavy foot traffic from young consumers and international tourists. Articles and tourist information introduce it as a trendy, multipurpose cultural space for the MZ generation, highlighting the second-floor pop-up and event zones and the personal color zone. Visitors do not need to purchase products to use the services; instead, they can test exhibited products and take part in diagnostic and experience programs.

Four Options Available on Floors 2–5 of Taeseong Building: Touch-Up, Skin Diagnosis, Personal Color, and Seminars

According to tourist information, the on-site experiences consist of makeup touch-ups, personal color diagnosis, and skin diagnosis. For the touch-up, visitors choose one of base, eye, or lip makeup, and after the skin diagnosis, they can receive cosmetics recommendations tailored to their concerns. Seoul's English tourist information states that personal color and skin diagnoses using AI equipment can be completed in about five minutes.

The second floor is introduced as a pop-up and event zone displaying seasonal themed products, while in the personal color zone visitors can diagnose their own skin tone and personal colors. Beauty seminars and one-day classes, which require advance registration through the website, may have different monthly themes, such as K-beauty skincare techniques, K-pop idol makeup, and personal color. It is therefore safest to check the schedule before visiting.

• Makeup touch-up: Choose one of base, eye, or lip makeup
• AI personal color and skin diagnosis: Approximately five minutes according to tourist information
• Seminars and one-day classes: Advance registration through the website
• Full makeup for international visitors: Available after advance reservation

Experiences Are Available Until 18:00 Within the 10:00–19:00 Hours: A Schedule That Avoids Sundays

The official website lists Beauty Play's basic operating hours, including the Hongdae branch, as Monday through Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00. However, beauty experiences are available from 10:00 to 18:00, and the venue is closed every Sunday. Therefore, visitors planning to receive a skin or personal color diagnosis need to arrive before 18:00, and should distinguish between the venue's operating hours and the available experience hours from 18:00 to 19:00.

Admission and the listed experiences are free. The FAQ specifies that ordinary beauty experiences do not require separate advance reservations, but seminars, one-day classes, and full makeup for international visitors require advance registration or reservations through the website. Groups are advised to inquire with the Hongdae branch by email at [email protected] or by phone at 0507-1395-1334, including the date, time, group size, and nationalities.

462 m from Exit 1 of Sangsu Station: Check the Building Floors First in Central Hongdae

The Hongdae branch address is Floors 2–5, Taeseong Building, 16 Jandari-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, postal code 04041. According to Seoul tourist information, it is 462 m from Exit 1 of Sangsu Station on Seoul Subway Line 6. When entering the destination, include “Beauty Play Hongdae Branch” together with “Taeseong Building, Floors 2–5,” and remember that the venue begins on the second floor rather than the first.

The branch is in the Hongdae Club Street and Sangsu-dong Cafe Street area, making it easy to fit into an itinerary involving nearby cafés, performances, and shopping if the diagnostic experience takes around five minutes. Conversely, on days when a seminar or one-day class is booked, the program may have a separately designated start time, so allow plenty of time to arrive at Sangsu Station before the program begins. The official information also notes that experience hours may vary by branch.

From an Accessible Elevator to Dedicated Parking: Viewing Barrier-Free Information According to Tourist Guidance

The Korea Tourism Organization's barrier-free travel information indicates that the Hongdae branch has an accessible restroom, an elevator for visitors with disabilities, dedicated accessible parking spaces, and no step at the main entrance. Subway and low-floor bus access are also listed as available, along with wheelchair rental, convenience services for visitors with visual impairments, convenience services for visitors with hearing impairments, a nursing room, and stroller rental.

However, the official webpage does not provide specific information about whether individual facilities are operating, rental procedures, the number of available parking spaces, or parking fees. Visitors using wheelchairs or strollers, or arriving by car, should first call 0507-1395-1334 to ask whether the services are available that day. International visitors can use the official website, which provides information in Korean and English, while experiences requiring reservations, such as full makeup, require advance contact.

The Advantage of “Quick Diagnosis” Repeated in Reviews and Why It Should Not Be Mistaken for Medical Consultation

Recent online reviews describe Beauty Play as a place where visitors can check their skin condition in a short time, citing skin scanning and product exploration as advantages. The approximately five-minute AI diagnosis mentioned in Seoul tourist information also suits this type of visit. For travelers with tightly scheduled itineraries, a practical approach is to receive the free experience first, narrow down the product categories they like, and then continue with purchases at nearby stores or online.

However, the skin diagnosis here is a beauty experience intended for cosmetics recommendations, not a medical service that diagnoses conditions or develops treatment plans. If symptoms such as persistent rashes, pain, or changes in pigmentation occur, do not rely solely on the Beauty Play results; seek a separate consultation at a medical institution. Ordinary experiences are available without reservations, but visitors should check website notices before departure, taking into account weekend and event operations and the possibility that experience hours may vary by branch.

Pop-Up Zones and Diagnostic Stations Through Photos of the Hongdae Branch: Eight Images from Different Sources

The photos below were selected and arranged from images provided by the official website, the Korea Tourism Organization, beauty industry news outlets, and on-site articles, focusing on materials connected to the Beauty Play Hongdae branch or related experience spaces. Because the original descriptions provide limited details for some photos, they are labeled only as images related to the space or experiences within the verifiable scope.

Beauty Play combines exhibited products and seasonal pop-ups with skin and color diagnosis and makeup experiences, so visitors should not conclude from the photos that a particular brand is permanently stocked or that an event is currently taking place. Pop-up and seminar topics may change over time.