2025 KBEE Almaty Korea Brand Exhibition Overview
KBEE (Korea Brand & Entertainment Expo) is KOTRA's flagship Hallyu marketing event — a combined B2C and B2B exhibition showcasing K-Beauty, K-Food, K-Fashion, and K-Content. The 2025 edition was held over four days at KICE (Ice Palace) in Almaty, Kazakhstan, with 120 participating companies across a 5,000 m² venue, making it the largest Hallyu marketing event in Central Asia on record.
Similar Hallyu marketing strategies are highly applicable to South Asian markets including Bangladesh, making this event a key benchmarking reference for the KOTRA Dhaka Trade Center. The three core strategies validated in Almaty — K-pop integration, experiential marketing, and influencer marketing — can be directly applied to targeting Bangladesh's K-Beauty and K-Food markets. Bangladesh's 17 million young Hallyu fans (aged 15–34) are the primary target audience for this approach.
Performance Analysis by Exhibition Sector
KBEE Almaty featured four themed pavilions: K-Beauty, K-Food, K-Fashion, and K-Content. K-Beauty dominated visitor interest in the Central Asian market (38% of all visitors), while K-Food (instant noodles, seaweed, beverages) also drew strong attention. Running B2B buyer matching alongside B2C consumer experiences simultaneously achieved both immediate export consultations and long-term brand awareness building.
| Pavilion | Companies | Visitor Share | Consultations | Contract Negotiations | Featured Products |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K-Beauty | 45 | 38% | 320 | $1.5M | Skincare, sheet masks, color cosmetics |
| K-Food | 35 | 28% | 250 | $1.2M | Instant noodles, seaweed, beverages, K-snacks |
| K-Fashion | 20 | 18% | 150 | $0.6M | Apparel, accessories, footwear |
| K-Content | 20 | 16% | 130 | $0.8M | K-pop merchandise, webtoons, games |
| Total | 120 | 100% | 850 | $4.1M | — |
Central Asian Hallyu Consumer Market Analysis
| Country | Korean Consumer Goods Imports | K-Beauty Share | Hallyu Fans | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kazakhstan | $180M | 42% | 2.8 million | +18% YoY |
| Uzbekistan | $95M | 38% | 2.1 million | +22% YoY |
| Kyrgyzstan | $35M | 45% | 600,000 | +15% YoY |
| Tajikistan | $22M | 35% | 400,000 | +12% YoY |
| Turkmenistan | $18M | 30% | 250,000 | +10% YoY |
Three Core Marketing Strategy Insights
Influencer Marketing Performance
One of the key success factors at KBEE Almaty was collaboration with 45 local influencers, executed in three phases: pre-event promotion (two weeks before the event), on-site live broadcasts, and post-event review content. Total SNS reach hit 12 million. K-Beauty influencer product reviews had the greatest influence on local purchase decisions.
| Type | Count | Follower Size | Key Content | Reach | Purchase Conversion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Influencers | 5 | 1M+ | K-Beauty live streams | 6.8M | High |
| Macro Influencers | 15 | 100K–1M | Product reviews, unboxing | 3.5M | Upper-Medium |
| Micro Influencers | 25 | 10K–100K | Daily consumer content | 1.7M | Medium |
| Total | 45 | — | — | 12M | — |
Bangladesh Application Strategy
Bangladesh has a Hallyu reception environment similar to Almaty. Among a population of 170 million, the 15–34 age group accounts for 36%, forming a powerful Hallyu fandom. As K-drama and K-pop streaming surge, demand for K-Beauty, K-Food, and K-snacks is gaining momentum. The KOTRA Dhaka Trade Center plans to localize and apply the KBEE Almaty model to the Bangladesh market.