APR, a leading name in Korea’s beauty tech scene, has surpassed Amorepacific as the top cosmetics company by market capitalization, recently moving past LG Household & Health Care. This highlights challenges faced by traditional giants as APR gains momentum.

On the 6th, Korea Exchange reported APR shares rose by ₩27,200 (14.52%) to ₩214,500 at 9:40 a.m., hitting a peak of ₩220,000 after better-than-expected Q2 results. APR’s current market cap is about ₩8.16 trillion.

Founded in 2014, APR owns brands like Aprilskin, Forment, and the rapidly expanding MediCube. Strong exports to the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East fuel its earnings. To bolster its global presence, APR named IVE’s Jang Won-young as the new ambassador for MediCube Age-R, succeeding actress Kim Hee-sun.

APR went public on February 27, 2023, opening at ₩317,500 per share, a 27% increase from its IPO price of ₩250,000, with an initial market cap of ₩2.41 trillion.

On June 23, APR’s market value exceeded LG Household & Health Care for the first time, securing the second spot in Korea’s cosmetics sector. Previously, APR's market cap was ₩7.13 trillion compared to LG H&H’s ₩4.59 trillion, a difference of over ₩2.5 trillion. With its recent growth, APR has now surpassed Amorepacific, leading the K-beauty market just 17 months post-listing.