PURESEOUL expansion accelerated by £4.1m funding package
Korean cosmetics retailer PURESEOUL’s continued expansion in 2025 was supported by a £4.1m deal with HSBC.
The funding package supported the launch of three new PURESEOUL locations in 2025, including stores in Cambridge and Westfield Stratford, along with the retailer’s first multi-storey flagship on London’s Carnaby Street.
In addition to new store openings, the funding will also support IT development across the businesses, including an inventory management facility to enable more efficient stock handling.
Founded in 2019 as an e-commerce platform to address a lack of accessible Korean beauty products, the company has since opened nine stores, with more on the way before the end of the year.
Leslie Tang, CEO at PURESEOUL, said: “Since opening our first physical store in 2022, PURESEOUL has grown more than 500% YOY, transforming from a niche online destination to the UK’s largest and most established K-Beauty curator. The response from our community has been incredible, with our Q1 store openings such as Startford Westfield drawing a record-breaking 1,500 PURESEOUL customers from across the country.
“We’re grateful to HSBC UK and their dedicated team for the support as we continue to build momentum, marked most recently by the opening of our Carnaby flagship – a milestone moment for PURESEOUL and the UK beauty retail market.”
Salem Brooks Appleton, relationship manager at HSBC UK, added: “We’re proud to be supporting PURESEOUL at such a pivotal stage in its growth journey. The business’s rapid rise and strong brand presence in the UK’s beauty market is a testament to its vision and understanding of consumer trends.
“The funding has not only helped PURESEOUL scale its retail footprint but also strengthen the business’s operational infrastructure to meet growing demand. We’re excited to be part of the continued success and look forward to seeing the impact of this next phase of expansion.”