'Jang Won-young Lens' Next: The Second Strategic Move of a Company That Turned 5.4 Billion Won Profit

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'PPB Studio', known for its 'Jang Won-young Lens' brand, has launched a second brand-building initiative by featuring Wonyoung of the girl group ILLIT. The company plans to transform into a multi-brand enterprise by applying the growth strategy validated under its flagship brand, Harper's Christine, to 'Churenze', a brand targeting the 10th- and 20-year-old demographic.

According to the venture and startup industry on the 24th, PPB Studio recently selected Wonyoung of ILLIT as Churenze's first official muse. This marks the first time since Churenze's launch in February 2022 that the brand has unveiled a model.

'PPB Studio' noted that Wonyoung had purchased and used Churenze products directly even before signing the advertising contract. It is reported that Wonyoung typically wore Churenze's 'Milk Tea' series and brought her own products to the brand photoshoot set for use during filming.

'A PPB Studio official stated, "Wonyoung did not encounter our products for the first time after becoming a muse; she transitioned from an existing consumer to become the face of the brand. She will be able to share her journey of finding colors and styles that suit her with consumers in her age group."

This model selection is notable because, unlike simple celebrity-based marketing, it directlys the growth experience PPB Studio gained through 'Harper's Christine', a color lens brand that leveraged Jang Won-young.

The strategy involves first establishing brand identity and securing domestic and international distribution channels before introducing a muse that aligns with the brand to explosively boost awareness and sales.

Churenze has expanded its product lineup and distribution base without an official muse since its launch. It entered Quten Japan in 2023 and opened its first flagship store in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, the same year. In Japan, it operated a pop-up store in Harajuku, Tokyo, and expanded its sales network to include Don Quijote stores.

Previously, Harper's Christine also adopted a strategy of securing basic brand strength before selecting a muse. After launching in 2019, it first built an online and overseas distribution network, then selected Jang Won-young as its model in July 2022 once sufficient awareness had been established.

In 2022, when the Jang Won-young contract was finalized, Harper's Christine's sales increased by 53.4%, rising from 11 billion won in the first half to 16.9 billion won in the second half. While seasonal factors and expanded distribution channels also contributed, the company believes that the synergy between brand image and the model became a turning point for boosting domestic and international recognition.

Harper's Christine targets consumers in their 20s and 30s with a focus on natural and sophisticated designs. Churenze, targeting a younger and trend-sensitive 10- and 20-year-old demographic, emphasizes lovely colors and graphics. The two brands are structured to divide the market by age group and taste rather than competing for the same customers.

The multi-brand strategy is supported by financial performance. Since restructuring its business from a women's fashion focus to a color lens-centric model in 2022, PPB Studio's consolidated sales have grown at double-digit rates for three consecutive years.

Sales rose from 278.9 billion won in 2022 to 392.5 billion won in 2023, a 40.7% increase. In 2024, sales reached 490.2 billion won, and in 2025, they hit 589.2 billion won, representing increases of 24.9% and 20.2%, respectively. Over three years, sales have grown by a factor of 2.1.

Profitability has also rebounded. Although the company reported operating losses from 2022 to 2024 while increasing marketing and distribution investments to expand brand awareness and enter overseas markets, it recorded an operating profit of approximately 5.4 billion won last year, turning a profit.

The growth trend continues this year. Preliminary consolidated sales for the first half of the year are estimated at approximately 34.3 billion won, a 38.4% increase compared to the same period last year. The company has already achieved 58% of last year's full-year sales in just the first half.

'A PPB Studio official stated, "In the past, we made proactive investments to build brand awareness and enter overseas markets. Since last year, as we have optimized distribution structures and marketing costs by market, both sales growth and profitability improvements have emerged simultaneously."

The first pillar driving performance is the overseas market. Overseas sales for the first half of this year reached 17.54 billion won, a 64% increase from 10.7 billion won in the same period last year. The share of overseas sales in total revenue rose by 8 percentage points to 51.1%, up from 43.1% during the same period. This marks the first time overseas sales have accounted for more than half of total revenue.

By country, Japanese sales increased by 100.6% from 5.25 billion won to 10.53 billion won. U.S. sales rose by 25.6% from 3.28 billion won to 4.12 billion won, while other overseas markets including Taiwan grew by 33.1%, from 2.17 billion won to 2.89 billion won.

In Japan, the company signed a master distribution agreement with local contact lens firm PIA and expanded Churenze's presence in Don Quijote stores. By positioning Harper's Christine and Churenze for different customer segments, the company is also reducing its reliance on any single brand.

In the U.S., the company has expanded offline touchpoints centered on Los Angeles and Miami. While entering the U.S. market presents high barriers due to prescription requirements for contact lens purchases, the company believes that once customers are acquired, repeat purchase rates via online and offline channels will be high.

Domestically, franchise restructuring has served as another pillar for profitability improvement. PPB Studio refined its franchise operation system last year and expanded new stores, including Olive Young shop-in-shops.

Consumer sales at franchise stores reached 18.7 billion won in the first half of this year, a 54.3% increase from 12.12 billion won in the same period last year. The number of operating stores increased from 41 as of late June last year to 62 as of late June this year.

'A PPB Studio official stated, "Following Harper's Christine, our sub-brand is now entering a full-scale expansion phase. KLAP Partners, a private equity fund managing the K-beauty portfolio, has entered as an investor. We expect to expand synergies by sharing overseas distribution networks and local operational know-how."

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