The Cosmetics & Beauty Expo, Osong Korea 2013, which held the theme of 'Beautiful Life, Healthy Bio' between the 3rd and 26th of May, 2013(24 days), ended. It was the first attempt to hold an expo that was co-organized by the local government and the central government on a world scale. The expo provided the place for creating business in which about three hundred international enterprises and about two thousand buyers met with each other. Furthermore, the expo hosted academic seminars and contests which were participated in by around thirty thousand related workers. For visitors, it was good not only for purchasing most cosmetics at affordable prices but also for trying various experiences. For students who are considering an occupation related to cosmetics, the expo was a forum for informative information.
   However, it left much to be desired because there were lots of institutional and service problems. Firstly, speaking on the firms’ views, the fees of reserving a booth were nearly 2.2milion won. That cost was a large burden for small and medium enterprises, so it was criticized that it was only for a few giant corporations. Secondly, on visitors’ views, its inadequate guide system for visitors and lower quality of service incurred resentment. Another problem was the quality of the food court. The hosts offered food at exorbitant prices compared to its low quality. Lastly, on the local residents’ views, there were not any benefits or policies of being considerate to local residents and merchants although the expo was held with all due respect to Osong residents.
   Kim Ju-ri (32, Il-san) said, “Because the hosts notified that the expo would close at 8 p.m., I had to rush from Il-san to Osong by the KTX and arrived there in time, at 6p.m. However, it was no use coming hurriedly. The ticket office was already closed and my admission was not allowed. That is utterly absurd.” Ann Seun-gu (38, an Osong resident) said, “Usually, the hosts should allocate their profit for the local economy by allocating a food court to local merchants. Meanwhile, this expo did not do so. Also, because the entrance was so far from the area of the dense mall, it was almost impossible to find visitors there.” He added, “In addition, there were no benefits for local residents. I hope when they hold it again next year, it will be more considerate of local residents.

By  Lee Su-ji | sj34@cbnu.ac.kr