APR founder and CEO Kim Byung-hoon (APR) Kim Byung-hoon, founder and CEO of APR, will make an appearance this week at the Business of Fashion's beauty forum in the US, becoming the first Korean beauty leader on the event's lineup to speak on K-beauty's global rise.The Business of Fashion, which described APR as "Korea's hottest beauty company," announced Kim as part of its Business of Beauty Global Forum lineup, where he will appear in an exclusive fireside chat. The forum runs Wednesday and Thursday in Napa Valley, California.Kim is expected to discuss the forces behind K-beauty's global expansion and the company's strategy in beauty technology and international growth, APR confirmed.The invitation is rare not only for K-beauty but for Kim himself, who has largely kept out of public view, placing him among a roster of the industry's most powerful figures, including Guillaume Motte, president and CEO of Sephora; Jane Hertzmark Hudis, executive vice president at Estee Lauder Companies; and Mary Carmen Gasco-Buisson, CEO of Unilever Prestige.“The event holds enormous significance for the company and for the K-beauty industry,” said one industry insider. “Kim’s presence on that stage is a statement in itself.”The appearance comes after a period of breakneck growth that has made APR one of the most closely watched companies in the global beauty industry.Founded in 2014, APR, which operates flagship brand Medicube alongside Aprilskin and Forment, has posted 11 consecutive years of quarterly growth.Revenue more than doubled to 1.53 trillion won ($997 million) last year while operating profit nearly tripled. This year's first-quarter revenue climbed another 123 percent from a year earlier, with roughly 90 percent of sales now coming from overseas markets.The company debuted on the benchmark Kospi in February 2024 with a market cap of 2.4 trillion won on its first day. As of Tuesday, APR’s market capitalization stood at roughly 14 trillion won, surpassing longer-established rivals including AmorePacific, valued at just below 6 trillion won, and LG H&H at 3.4 trillion won.The growth has lifted Kim into the ranks of Korea’s wealthiest entrepreneurs. Forbes ranked him 21st on its list of Korea’s richest individuals earlier this year, and Time named APR among the world’s 100 most influential companies in 2026.