Beauty of Joseon Turned Times Square Into an SPF Grocery Store

Beauty of Joseon has never needed much of an introduction in K-beauty circles, but this year the brand decided to introduce itself to a whole new crowd. In May, it opened a two day pop-up at One Times Square Plaza built around a genuinely fun concept, a "Morning Moisturizer, SPF Grocery" experience that was part skincare launch and part grocery store cosplay.

A grocery store you actually want to shop at

The pop-up leaned all the way into the bit, with product displays styled like grocery shelves and a photo zone built for the inevitable TikTok posts. About 2,500 people showed up across the two days, and more than 2,000 limited edition items reportedly sold out early. Global DJ Peggy Gou, the brand's ambassador, made an appearance too, and the line to see her stretched roughly 600 metres down the block. There was even a drink tasting zone with a Matchaful collaboration, because apparently a skincare launch in 2026 is not complete without a matcha moment.

The actual point of the pop-up

Underneath the spectacle, the event was built to spotlight two products, the brand's bestselling Day Dew Sunscreen SPF 50, already something of a cult favourite, and the newer Dayscreen Moisturiser SPF 30, positioned as a lighter everyday option for people who want sun protection without the heavier finish some sunscreens leave behind.

This all comes on the back of a bigger moment for the brand. Beauty of Joseon entered Sephora in the United States and is now sold in more than 640 stores nationwide, with the Day Dew Sunscreen becoming one of the retailer's standout K-beauty bestsellers. For a brand that built its name on Korean pharmacy shelves and online K-beauty retailers, that is a real shift in how mainstream American shoppers are finding it.

It is also a good reminder of how K-beauty sunscreen in particular has become a genuine category leader rather than a niche import. The lightweight, no white cast formulas that Korean brands perfected years ago are now the standard other sunscreens get compared against, and Beauty of Joseon has been one of the brands riding that reputation the hardest.

If SPF 50 feels like a lot for your day to day, the new Dayscreen Moisturiser might be worth a look next time you are restocking sun care. And whichever K-beauty sunscreen you land on, it is always worth checking whether there is an active code for the shop you are buying from first.