Korea's consumer goods makers win $18 million in Melbourne deals

South Korea's industry ministry said Sunday that 101 Korean consumer goods companies signed 32 contracts and memorandums of understanding worth $18 million with buyers in Australia and Southeast Asia, as the country took its Korean Wave marketing push to Oceania for the first time.

The deals were struck at the 2026 Melbourne Korean Wave Expo, or KBEE 2026 Melbourne, and a companion Australia K-Food Fair held from Nov. 5 to 7 at the Showgrounds in Melbourne. The companies, spanning food, cosmetics, household goods and fashion, held 1,235 meetings with 144 buyers from Australia and Southeast Asia during the three-day event.

The expo, now in its 28th edition since the first was held in 2010, pairs Korean pop culture performances with export consultation sessions to help small and mid-sized Korean firms enter overseas markets.

Australian imports of Korean beauty products grew from $73 million in 2023 to $112 million in 2024 and $166 million in 2025.

K-pop group Winner served as promotional ambassadors, and Australian team Age Squad, runner-up on an Mnet dance survival program, performed at the opening ceremony. Organizers said the B2C exhibition and sales promotion drew about 10,000 local companies and consumers, with Korean online and offline retail platforms including E-Mart, Shinsegae, Lotte Home Shopping, Hyundai Department Store and Musinsa taking part alongside reverse-purchase platforms such as Market Kurly and K-Town For You.

Australia is Korea's largest trading partner in Oceania and its sixth-largest overall, with bilateral trade of $46.3 billion in 2025, the year the two countries marked 65 years of diplomatic relations.

On the sidelines of the expo, the ministry met with Korean companies operating in Australia, including GS E&C, Amorepacific, Hanwha Defense and Samsung C&T, to hear about difficulties they face locally and discuss practical support measures.

"Now that $1 trillion in exports is coming into view, finding new growth engines for our exports is more important than anything," said Na Seong-hwa, the ministry's director-general for trade policy. "The Korean Wave, which is loved around the world, is a strong competitive edge and a weapon for K-consumer goods companies, so we will actively support efforts to turn its influence into tangible export results."