Misha Japan Co., Ltd. Director/Branch Manager Yasutaka

Making cosmetics a bridge between Korea and Japan

Misha Japan Co., Ltd.　Director/Branch Manager　Yasutora-kei(Kang In-gyu)

■ Profile

Kang In-kyu
Branch Manager
Born in Jeju, Korea
Came to Japan in 1993 to study abroad
2005: Joined ABLEC&C Korea Overseas Business Division (currently Missha Japan Korea parent company)
In 2006, he established Misha Japan Co., Ltd. and served as general manager of the Japanese market and head of the sales department.
In 2020, he appointed the company's branch manager and director of the overseas business department of ABLEC&C Korea.
Current position since March 2021

MISSHA is a cosmetics brand that is hugely popular all over the world. We spoke to Ko Tora-Kyu, who not only launched the Japanese branch of MISSHA from scratch, but also quickly expanded it across Japan, setting a record by selling 3000 million cushion foundations, about the hardships and efforts he has faced so far, as well as the appeal of MISSHA products.

As a student, I overcame the fierce entrance exam battle in Korea and entered a science and engineering university. However, my desire to see a wider world grew stronger, so I decided to study abroad in Japan for three months before enrolling. At the time, Japan's economic bubble had just burst, but I still remember being shocked when I visited Japan and saw the subways and cityscapes, which were more vibrant than Korea. This made me want to study in Japan, and I declined admission to a university in Korea. I was still young, so I decided to take the challenge without fear of regret. I took the university entrance exam again in Japan and decided to enroll. I think my university life was very active. I tried everything I could. One of my biggest priorities was planning and producing events. I worked with international students to manage events like school festivals. Through these activities, I discovered that I enjoyed starting new things and doing things for others, and I realized that this was my calling, so I decided to work for an event production company.

Farewell and reunion with Japan, and meeting MISSHA

I produced and managed many events, but the most memorable was managing an event related to Korean dramas. It was my first time working in my home country, and it was a very refreshing experience. After working at the company for four years, I returned to Korea. I wanted to start my own business, so I started a restaurant. Ultimately, I ran out of funding and went bankrupt within six months (laughs). It was then that I decided I wanted to work in a position that involved Japan. That's when I met MISSHA. About 10 months after I started working there, the idea of ​​launching a Japanese branch came up. I was selected as a founding member, and together with the Japanese president, I founded the company. After that, I continued to travel back and forth between Japan and Korea to manage the company. In Korea, I learned about marketing and systems, and used those skills to manage the Japanese branch. That was my job. I worked in a wide variety of roles, including sales, marketing, and e-commerce, but my achievements were recognized and I was given my current position.

■ MISSHA's unique charms and strengths

I think the most attractive thing about MISSHA JAPAN is that it is a pioneering presence in K-Beauty. It was the forerunner of products that became explosive sellers in Japan, such as BB cream and cushion foundation. I learned a lot while creating these products, such as marketing and inventory management. I believe that MISSHA JAPAN is what it is today because of the experiences we made and learned. We have used this experience to assign nearly 10 employees, even though we only have a small staff of around 30, to be involved in marketing and planning, and we are focusing our efforts on creating and selling better products.

Because we are the Japanese branch of a Korean company, we generally sell products made in Korea, but sometimes these don't suit Japanese skin. To improve this, we are also focusing on creating products that suit Japanese people, specifically for Japanese people. This is something I don't think other Korean cosmetic brands do. We conduct market research and manufacture affordable, high-quality products that meet Japanese demand. We also manufacture exclusive products for the retail industry, something I don't think other Korean companies do.

There are two main advantages to selling exclusive products. The first is that we can build a long-term, deep relationship with the company. The second is that we can create exclusive shelves in stores. Japan is still a country where offline sales are more prevalent than online. That's why building relationships with companies that have many physical stores and stocking a large number of products was a very good strategy for surviving in the competitive world of cosmetics brands. Creating exclusive products is very meaningful not only to make our products known to people of many generations, but also to get them to use them.

■Differences between MISSHA JAPAN and domestic brands

I believe one of MISSHA JAPAN's strengths is that we can plan and manufacture products more quickly than domestic Japanese brands. Japanese domestic brands traditionally seem to create and sell their products in a careful and meticulous manner. They place great importance on "trust and credibility," so they take time with each and every process. That's why it takes nearly a year to sell a single product. In comparison, Korea uses a system for management and manufacturing, so the end product is completed very quickly, and it's possible to manufacture a product in about two to three months from planning. Both Japan and Korea have their advantages, so it's not a question of which is better, but I think this sense of speed is one of our strengths.

■Message to students

First of all, I want you to try a variety of things. I think that in the process, you will find things that you like and are good at. Once you have found that, I want you to continue doing that thing. The longer you continue, the more knowledge you will gain about that subject. I think that this will become a great asset for you throughout your life, and will be useful in your interactions with others. That is why I want you to first try many different things and broaden your possibilities.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on June 15, 2023 by Waka Watanabe, 1st year student at International Christian University