APR, a notable company in Korea's beauty technology sector, has surpassed Amorepacific to become the leading cosmetics firm in the country by market capitalization. This development follows its recent surpassing of LG Household & Health Care, marking a shift in the industry dynamics as the traditional leaders face challenges and a new competitor gains momentum.

According to data from the Korea Exchange on the 6th, APR shares increased by ₩27,200 (14.52%) to reach ₩214,500 at 9:40 a.m., briefly peaking at a record high of ₩220,000 after reporting Q2 earnings that exceeded expectations. At these prices, APR's market capitalization is approximately ₩8.16 trillion.

Established in 2014, APR owns several beauty brands, including Aprilskin and Forment, in addition to MediCube, a rapidly expanding brand in the home beauty device segment. Strong export performance to regions such as the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East has significantly contributed to the company's earnings growth. To bolster its international presence, APR has recently appointed IVE's Jang Won-young as the face of its MediCube Age-R brand, succeeding actress Kim Hee-sun.

APR entered the stock market on February 27, 2023, with an opening price of ₩317,500 per share, reflecting a 27% rise from its initial public offering (IPO) price of ₩250,000. At the time of its debut, the company's market capitalization was ₩2.41 trillion.

On June 23 of this year, APR's market value exceeded that of LG Household & Health Care for the first time, securing the second position in Korea's cosmetics industry. As of the day before, APR's market capitalization was ₩7.13 trillion, while LG H&H's was ₩4.59 trillion, resulting in a difference of over ₩2.5 trillion. With its recent increase, APR has now also surpassed Amorepacific, reaching the leading position in the K-beauty market just 17 months after its initial listing.