'Felt like stock clearance'… Musinsa Beauty Festa faces backlash over poor free gifts

The online fashion and beauty platform Musinsa is embroiled in controversy following its 'Beauty Festa' offline event, where some participating brands allegedly distributed expired or used cosmetic products as free gifts. The incident has raised questions about Musinsa's management and oversight of the event, which aimed to connect consumers with emerging beauty brands.

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I waited in line for a long time to receive these products, and this is their condition. It feels like being subjected to stock clearance.

During the three-day event held in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, visitors who completed booth activities and stamp tours received gift boxes. However, several attendees reported receiving products that were past their expiration dates, damaged, or showed signs of prior use. One consumer shared an experience with a Too Cool For School product that had leaked from its packaging, revealing signs of use. The received tint was also a discontinued item, and its manufacturing date was listed as August 2024, raising concerns about product freshness.

"I waited in line for a long time to receive these products, and this is their condition," the consumer lamented, feeling as though they were subjected to "stock clearance." Similar complaints have surfaced online, with other consumers sharing comparable negative experiences. The situation was exacerbated when the brand Keepintouch admitted to distributing some expired 'Glossy Glow Marine Balm' products, explaining that a portion of their disposed inventory was mistakenly mixed with sellable stock.

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Some of the expired inventory was mixed in with normal inventory and shipped out.

These incidents have led to criticism not only of the individual brands involved but also of Musinsa's inadequate quality control and inspection processes. An industry insider noted that a lack of thorough event management could encourage brands to use such events as an outlet for clearing old or unpopular inventory. Musinsa has since issued an apology, stating they are working with the brands to address the situation and ensure swift corrective actions to resolve customer inconvenience.

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We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused by some of the free gifts provided through the brand booths at this event. We are currently discussing response measures with the brands after confirming the situation.