In the heart of San Diego’s vibrant Convoy District, Katie Hernandez is pioneering a new kind of beauty experience with the launch of Seoul Glow Lab—the city’s first curated K-Beauty retail destination. More than just a store, Seoul Glow Lab is designed as a hub where skincare enthusiasts, wellness professionals, and curious newcomers can discover the innovation and philosophy behind Korean beauty. As its founder, Katie is not only bringing the best of Seoul’s skincare culture to Southern California but also building a community-driven space that blends retail, education, and holistic wellness. We spoke with Katie about her inspiration, her vision for Seoul Glow Lab, and how she hopes to transform the way San Diego experiences K-Beauty.
From Makeup to Skincare: A Personal Evolution
Katie’s professional background is in makeup artistry. It was her first love and the lens through which she discovered the deeper importance of skincare.
I realized no matter how good your makeup is, it’s only as good as the canvas underneath.
– Katie Hernandez, Founder, Seoul Glow Lab
That realization shifted her focus from artistry to care. As she grew older, she found herself leaning less on makeup and more on nourishing her skin. The turning point came during her pregnancy, when she had to give up many Western skincare staples that relied heavily on actives.
K-beauty, with its gentler, barrier-first philosophy, became her refuge. “Western skincare tends to fix problems after they appear, while K-beauty is about prevention and maintaining a healthy skin barrier,” Katie says. “It was exactly what I needed at that time.”
Friends asked her for product recommendations, overwhelmed by the dizzying array of K-beauty choices online. Katie became not just a user, but a guide.
Self-Care as Legacy
Behind Seoul Glow Lab is also a deeply personal mission: motherhood. Katie wanted her daughter to grow up in a world where self-care wasn’t seen as selfish.
In the U.S., women are often glorified for putting themselves last, I didn’t want my daughter to grow up thinking that was normal.
– Katie Hernandez, Founder, Seoul Glow Lab
So she invited her daughter into her nightly skincare rituals. One evening, in the middle of applying creams and serums, she heard her daughter’s very first giggle. “That was so special,” Katie recalls. “Now skincare is something we do together. It’s a reminder that honoring yourself should be celebrated.”
This philosophy, that skincare is about empowerment as much as appearance, runs through everything Seoul Glow Lab does.
Why San Diego?
The decision to open Seoul Glow Lab in San Diego wasn’t random. For Katie, it was about addressing a very real gap.
“San Diego has amazing people and a vibrant lifestyle, but it lacks access to K-beauty,” she says. “Everything is either online, where shopping feels blind, or in LA, which is three hours away. San Diego deserves a dedicated K-beauty hub.”
Katie, originally from New York, missed the accessibility of having everything at your fingertips. “In New York, you can walk out your door and have endless choices. I wanted to bring that same energy here.”
More Than Retail: An Experiential Hub
Seoul Glow Lab isn’t designed to be just another beauty shop. Katie envisions it as a community-driven space where learning, testing, and experiencing take center stage.
The store itself draws inspiration from Korean skincare boutiques. It features sleek design, a skin analyzer machine that provides in-depth analysis, and a playful routine bar where visitors can take an interactive quiz to get personalized AM/PM routine suggestions.
I want people to feel excited and welcomed. Everyone’s skin is different. It’s about thoughtful, consultative experiences rather than one-size-fits-all.
– Katie Hernandez, Founder, Seoul Glow Lab
In addition to retail shelves, the store includes treatment rooms, one of which is already staffed by an in-house esthetician offering facials using products sold in-store. The second room, Katie says, will eventually be home to a wellness partner, maybe an herbalist or masseuse, to create a holistic environment.
Championing Indie Brands
Katie is especially passionate about indie K-beauty brands. While Seoul Glow Lab will stock popular staples, its soul lies in highlighting hidden gems that might otherwise get lost in the shuffle.
“I realized through research that education was missing in K-beauty retail,” she says. “Big brands don’t need my help; they already have exposure. Indie brands, on the other hand, have incredible stories, and I want to give them a platform.”
Networking has been key. Katie has connected with brands through KOTRA, industry events like Cosmoprof, and personal relationships. She lights up when describing these encounters: sitting down with founders, hearing their ethos, and imagining how their products can be introduced to San Diego consumers.
Workshops: Building Trust Through Experience
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Seoul Glow Lab is its monthly workshops. These aren’t product demos; they’re intimate, 12–15-person sessions where brand founders meet local consumers directly.
Workshops bridge the gap between brands and consumers. People get to understand the ethos behind the products, not just how they work. It creates lasting loyalty.
– Katie Hernandez, Founder, Seoul Glow Lab
Two seats at each workshop are reserved for influencers, but the majority are for community members. This was intentional.
“In the U.S., especially among Gen Z, trust in influencer marketing has declined,” Katie explains. “We still involve influencers, but we want them to experience products authentically, alongside regular customers. That makes their stories more organic. And for the community, it means they don’t need to be influencers to have these special experiences.”
Challenges on the Journey
Like any startup, Seoul Glow Lab has faced its share of challenges. Tariffs have been a persistent headache, making pricing unpredictable.
“As a new business, you want consistency,” Katie says. “It doesn’t look great to set prices and then change them because tariffs shifted. Larger companies can absorb that, for us, it’s tough.”
Convincing brands to join workshops was another initial hurdle. “At first, it was difficult to get the right people on board. But with networking, it changed. Now we have strong support and several workshops lined up.”
The physical transformation of the store was equally demanding. The space was formerly an optometrist’s office. Katie and her team gutted it completely to build what she calls “a Korean skincare store in the heart of San Diego.”
Grand Opening: A Celebration of Community
Seoul Glow Lab officially opens its doors on October 19. Katie promises a festive launch: a DJ, a claw machine filled with deluxe minis and golden ticket gift cards, discounts on the skin analyzer service, and exclusive specials.
It’s going to be fun, community-centered, and a real introduction to what Seoul Glow Lab stands for.
– Katie Hernandez, Founder, Seoul Glow Lab
Looking Ahead: The Next Five Years
Katie’s vision goes far beyond a single store.
“In five years, I’d love to open another location, maybe even outside San Diego,” she says. Expansion will also mean broadening product lines beyond skincare to include makeup, body care, and hair care.
She also wants to see Seoul Glow Lab evolve into a full-fledged wellness hub. “Wellness is more than the gym. We want to host sound baths, journaling sessions, Gua Sha workshops, even nutrition tie-ins with brands. It’s about creating a lifestyle community.”
Lessons from the Journey
Reflecting on her entrepreneurial path, Katie offers advice for others in the K-beauty and intercultural startup space:
“Believe in yourself. We stand in our own way too often, focusing on what could go wrong. But if you retrain your mind to think of all the good possibilities, things start to fall into place. There’s always a solution; it might not be easy, but it’s there.”
A New Chapter for San Diego
For too long, San Diego has been overshadowed by LA and New York when it comes to beauty retail. Seoul Glow Lab is poised to change that. By combining Korean-inspired design, community-centered workshops, and a passion for indie brands, Katie Hernandez is creating more than a store; she’s building a space where beauty meets education, wellness, and empowerment.
“It’s not fair that LA and New York get everything first,” Katie says with a smile. “San Diego deserves this, too. And I can’t wait for people to experience it.”
As San Diego prepares to welcome Seoul Glow Lab, Katie Hernandez’s vision is set to redefine how local consumers connect with K-Beauty through discovery, education, and community. By blending curated retail with immersive wellness experiences, she is creating more than a store; she is shaping a cultural bridge between Seoul and Southern California. With its upcoming opening, Seoul Glow Lab promises to become not just a destination for skincare lovers but also a gathering place for those who believe beauty is as much about connection and care as it is about products.
Key Takeaways from Seoul Glow Lab
- K-beauty with a mission: Founder Katie Hernandez created Seoul Glow Lab not just to sell products but to promote self-care as empowerment, inspired by her own motherhood journey.
- Community-first approach: Unlike traditional retailers, the Lab prioritizes education, workshops, and authentic experiences over simple shelf displays.
- Championing indie brands: While popular K-beauty staples are available, indie labels with strong stories are given center stage through events and workshops.
- Experiential retail design: The store includes a Korean-inspired interior, an interactive routine bar, a skin analyzer machine, treatment rooms, and monthly community workshops.
- Balancing influencers & trust: Influencer marketing is included, but carefully, workshops reserve only two influencer spots, keeping the majority of participation open to community members.
- Facing challenges head-on: Tariffs, sourcing, and renovations were major hurdles, but Katie emphasizes resilience and creative problem-solving.
- Big vision: In five years, Seoul Glow Lab aims to expand to other U.S. cities, grow into makeup/body/hair categories, and evolve into a full wellness hub.
Company Snapshot
| Name | Seoul Glow Lab |
| Tag Line | “Seoul you need for that glow” |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Store Opening | 19 October 2025 |
| Headquarters | San Diego, California, USA |
| Founder / CEO | Katie Hernandez |
| Mission | To create a dedicated space for Korean beauty and wellness in the U.S., where community members can learn, experience, and embrace self-care as empowerment. |
| Services | Curated K-beauty retail (mix of staples + indie brands); In-store facials with licensed esthetician; Monthly educational workshops with brand founders; Interactive tools (skin analyzer, routine bar); Community wellness experiences |
| Market Focus | Initially targeting San Diego consumers; Expansion plans for other U.S. locations. |
| Unique Selling Point | Not just a shop, but a K-beauty community hub: hands-on experiences, brand-consumer connections, and a focus on indie brand storytelling alongside trusted staples. |
| @SeoulGlowLab | |
| Website | Launching soon with the grand opening of the store |
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