South Korea’s chemical tech landscape is welcoming a new breakthrough as one rookie startup managed to turn science into an award-winning beauty innovation. In just two years, MAKEMAKE Inc. has achieved what few in the global cosmetics industry could only imagine — a Hair Care Grand Prize at Cosmoprof Asia 2025 with SOOO, its swim-care brand built on original chemical technology.

SOOO Wins Hair Care Grand Prize at Cosmoprof Asia 2025

At the Cosmoprof Asia 2025 awards in Hong Kong, SOOO took home the Hair Care Grand Prize, surpassing major beauty brands from Italy, Spain, and Hong Kong.

Among the four global finalists, it was the only Korean brand, and the judges recognized its excellence in product performance, innovation, and user satisfaction — an exceptional milestone for a company that incorporated only in May 2024.

Cosmoprof Asia holds weight in the global industry because it brings together major retailers, manufacturers, and product evaluators in one place. Brands that perform well at this event often secure their next routes into regional and global markets. That is why for an early-stage Korean startup, earning recognition there signals that its technology can stand on the same stage as long-established players in Europe and North America.

The winning product, SOOO Swimming Shampoo, impressed experts with its patent-pending Zeodualite™ composite, a chlorine-removal technology that uses a dual combination of thiosulfate and vitamin C embedded within a zeolite structure.

According to MAKEMAKE’s internal DPD-standard evaluation, the formula removes up to 98 percent of residual chlorine and saltwater contaminants while remaining free from silicone, achieving both efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Kim Sok-won, CGO of MAKEMAKE Inc., stated via his LinkedIn post,

“SOOO was founded on a simple but powerful belief: before adding what’s good, we must first remove what’s harmful. We aim to redefine longevity beauty through purification, recovery, and technology-driven innovation. This recognition gives us incredible momentum to keep building what we believe in.”

Technology and Innovation: Chemical Science Meets K-Beauty

MAKEMAKE’s distinction lies in building its technologies in-house through SOOO.LAB, its internal R&D center. Rather than relying on factory-supplied formulations, the team engineered its own patent-filed zeolite composite and developed a three-step scalable manufacturing process that allows low-cost, mass-production of environmentally safe ingredients.

The company’s R&D extends beyond chlorine care. It has created a core–shell zeolite mineral-removal system targeting calcium, magnesium, and copper ions common in hard-water regions — a global problem affecting more than 85 percent of households in North America.

Upcoming innovations include biomimetic UV filters with phospholipid coatings that reduce white cast, and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) designed to deliver active ingredients deeper into the skin. These developments position MAKEMAKE not only as a beauty brand but as a chemical-technology company capable of original material invention.

Behind the Magic of SOOO: MAKEMAKE Inc. and Its Founders

Founded in 2024, MAKEMAKE Inc. describes itself as a “chemical-tech commerce brand.” Its model combines advanced material research with direct-to-consumer scaling.

CEO Kwak Hyo-seop, a veteran of e-commerce platforms such as TMON and Marketit, leads a six-member team with backgrounds in chemistry, design, and operations. The company’s chemical tech lead, Kim Yong-joo is formerly a researcher at EPFL (Switzerland) and Dongjin Semichem. And he is now heading SOOO.LAB’s material development.

MAKEMAKE operates multiple brands under this framework. COKER, its first product line, applies copper nano-ceramic antibacterial technology to smartphone screen protectors, while SOOO pioneers functional care for swimmers and water-sport users. Together they showcase how deep-tech R&D can evolve into consumer brands with verified product–market fit.

K-Beauty Tech and Policy Support: A Shift Toward Deep-Tech Commercialization

MAKEMAKE’s rapid growth reflects a broader transition in Korea’s startup landscape — from factory-based OEM production toward science-driven IP creation. The company has been selected for several government support programs, including TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startups), K-Innovation Academy by KISED, KOSME x beSUCCESS PIONEERS K-Unicorn Academy 2025, and KICXUP Seoul residency. These programs provide mentorship, funding, and global commercialization channels for early-stage technology startups.

Accelerator Bluepoint Partners, which nurtures deep-tech founders across sectors, also supports MAKEMAKE. The collaboration underlines how Korean incubators now bridge chemical R&D, consumer innovation, and global market access — a formula essential for sustaining Korea’s competitive edge in beauty and materials science.

Global Market Outlook: Scaling the “Blue-Life” Movement

SOOO positions itself as a “Blue Life” brand — promoting sustainable swim care for those who live around water. Its clean formulas, EWG-green ingredients, and premium design have resonated across retail and online channels.

Pop-up stores at The Hyundai Seoul and Pangyo sold out; the brand also entered Olive Young stores; and Amazon U.S. listings earned an average rating of 4.7. According to company expectations, annual revenue is projected to rise from KRW 300 million (~ USD 230,000) in 2024 to KRW 5 billion (~ USD 3.8 million) in 2025, with expansion moving toward North America, Europe, and Asia.

With the hard-water problem affecting people worldwide, SOOO’s patent-filed solution opens a clear path for international growth. Its upcoming sunscreen and skincare lines will leverage the same chemical-tech foundation, extending the brand from a swim niche to a wider functional beauty category.

A Case Study in How Korean Startups Turn Scientific IP Into Global Products

Beyond its successful victory, SOOO’s success at Cosmoprof Asia 2025 also represents a structural shift in K-beauty’s innovation engine. This is now tangible proof that early-stage startups that utilizing proprietary chemistry can compete and win on the world stage.

MAKEMAKE demonstrates how Korea’s policy programs and accelerator infrastructure can help translate scientific research into market-ready consumer products. And the company has successfully done so within two years since its establishment.

The case highlights how deep-tech focus shapes early-stage strategy. It also offers investors a view of chemical IP as a viable asset class, and signals to policymakers that initiatives like TIPS continue to play a role in developing science-based founders.

MAKEMAKE’s SOOO: A Glimpse into the Future of K-Beauty Tech

MAKEMAKE’s rise marks a new chapter in the globalization of Korean innovation. By fusing material science with brand creativity, the company bridges the gap between laboratory research and lifestyle markets — redefining how K-beauty competes in a world driven by evidence and engineering.

And eventually, the recognition SOOO earned at Cosmoprof Asia 2025 will push Korea’s startup community to see technology not as an accessory to branding, but as the asset that defines long-term global competitiveness.

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