Bomi Shin I planned and developed the XMD line as the flagship line to realize the ‘Clinical Grade¹⁾ IOPE’ vision we established during IOPE’s rebranding process. My focus was on building a line that would set the benchmark for the brand, bringing four all-new products to market: a serum, a cream, a softener, and an emulsion.

Dajeong Lee My role is to design clinical studies that align with each product’s efficacy claims and messaging, and to validate those claims with data. The emphasis was on substantiating the concept of clinical-grade not as a marketing message, but as something we could demonstrate with real data.

Saerae Park I oversee all marketing communications for XMD. My goal was to ensure that the ‘verified skincare’ message landed intuitively with consumers, which meant taking an integrated approach across visuals, regulatory affairs, campaign strategy, and media.

Yeonjin Kim I started with the domestic launch campaign and have since moved into global communications for our North American market launch. Right now, I’m primarily focused on the North American launch strategy for the XMD Stem III Serum.

Bomi Shin As access to professional treatments has grown, I noticed that the benchmark for skincare has fundamentally shifted. It’s no longer enough to be a good skincare product; there’s a real need for products that can hold their own against professional treatments in terms of efficacy. We set out to develop a solution that could meaningfully elevate skin condition at home, even within the demands of a busy daily routine.

Saerae Park At the time, the market was full of concepts that evoked Professional treatments, but very few had actually verified their efficacy through clinical studies. IOPE XMD was built around the idea of ‘skincare that speaks through verification, not aesthetics,’ setting a new standard by conducting a clinical study versus professional treatments at a certified institution.
XMD isn’t simply a high-performance skincare line. It was conceived as a ‘clinical-grade At-home solution, one that highly engaged skincare consumers can trust and choose as a natural extension of professional treatment.
Function, ingredients, and formulation are a given. What truly defines XMD is that it is ‘skincare that takes an entirely different approach to verifying its own efficacy.’

Bomi Shin Our focus was on achieving the highest possible skin-improvement efficacy that a cosmetic product can deliver, along with the technology to transmit those benefits effectively. In particular, we utilized liposome encapsulation technology to incorporate PDRN and hyaluronic acid, the key ingredients in skin-boosting treatments, and engineered the formula so that active ingredients act uniformly across all layers of the skin.
For PDRN, we applied second-generation PDRN, a proprietary patented technology developed and manufactured entirely in-house at our research institute. By extending our liposome delivery technology to hyaluronic acid as well, we achieved a stable concentration of up to 92.3%³⁾ of the PDRN H.A.^™ Liposome Complex. Together, these enable a range of comprehensive skin improvements, including increased moisture and volume, improved elasticity, and refined pores, delivering a dewy-glow plumping effect at home on par with a skin-boosting treatment.

Dajeong Lee Maintaining objectivity and validity was everything. Since comparing a topical cosmetic to a professional treatment was virtually uncharted territory, we had to design the trial to accurately demonstrate the product’s strengths without overstating the results on either side. We were meticulous about the testing protocol, assessment timing, and measurement indicators to ensure a genuinely fair comparison.

Dajeong Lee The most notable results are improvements in skin volume and pore refinement The serum was clinically tested to deliver professional PDRN treatment–level results across six key metrics, including increased volume, improved elasticity, and enhanced texture.

Bomi Shin What sets the XMD Stem III Serum apart is the dewy-glow active complex containing PDRN and hyaluronic Which is proven to strengthen skin barrier, visibly improve skin volume, elasticity, and refine pores. It delivers a firming, plumping effect and gives a naturally radiant, dewy-glow finish.

Dajeong Lee The XMD Stem III Serum is formulated with 92.3% PDRN H.A.^™ Liposome Complex, and is clinically tested to deliver professional PDRN treatment-level results.
The second-generation PDRN Promotes overall skin rejuvenation, while micro-molecular hyaluronic acid delivers deep hydration for moisture volume and a dewy-glow plumping effect. The addition of Allanto Complex helps support for healthier-looking skin.

Dajeong Lee The hardest part was building an entirely new clinical study from the ground up. But that was also what made it so exciting. Our external partners were equally captivated, and many of them said it was unlike anything they’d seen before. Internally, it became an opportunity to test the boundaries of just how far we could push clinical study design.
Observing the skin condition of participants who had undergone the professional treatment firsthand gave me a lot to think about, specifically how to translate the value of skincare that pursues skin improvement without discomfort into something we could substantiate with data. This experience was a turning point, giving us the confidence to go beyond a single clinical study and take on a broader range of comparative evaluations and more ambitious clinical study designs in the future.

Saerae Park The biggest challenge was figuring out how to structure our communications in a way that preserved brand credibility while clearly conveying differentiated efficacy, even within the sensitive territory of professional
skin treatments. With no established reference points to draw from, we had to map out the boundaries of what could actually be expressed and build the entire communications framework from scratch. Finding the right balance, staying persuasive without overstating anything in such a delicate comparative context, was genuinely difficult.
XMD was the brand’s first attempt to systematize both the messaging and the structural framework around Clinical studies with professional skin treatments. The approach we developed has since gained recognition across the industry as a reference point, drawing inquiries from other brands, and we’re seeing similar directions being adopted more broadly across the category.

Bomi Shin The nearly two years of development were, professional PDRN one challenge after another. But the moment that stands out most is when we first saw the results of the clinical study comparing professional PDRN
treatment against the XMD product. It was the brand’s first-ever trial of this kind, which made it all the more meaningful.
The journey really began while we were researching PDRN, the key ingredient in the XMD Serum. While reviewing the lab notebooks at our research institute, we found that our second generation PDRN, developed using Amorepacific’s proprietary manufacturing technology, demonstrated comparable efficacy to conventional PDRN. That discovery was what prompted us to propose Head-to-head comparative clinical study to the research team. There were understandable concerns at first, given that nothing quite like it had been done before, but we pushed ahead with the conviction we had in the ingredients and the formula. Right up until we saw the results, the nerves and the excitement were both running high, and when the data came back showing that our product was proven to have comparable efficacy, we felt an enormous sense of validation. I still remember us practically bouncing off the walls around the office.

Dajeong Lee Conducting a clinical study directly comparing a topical cosmetic to a professional treatment was an extraordinary experience. It was the brand’s first attempt of its kind, so we approached every step of the process with the utmost care, and as a researcher, I was on edge right up until the results came in. The atmosphere in the room when I visited the clinical evaluation site is something I can still feel vividly. The question weighing on me more than ever was: ‘Can we actually prove through data alone, without any exaggeration, that skin improvement is possible without discomfort?’ When the objective data confirmed the product’s potential, it felt like far more than a product development milestone. It was the experience of establishing a new standard. It’s a moment I’ll carry with me for a long time, both as a researcher and as a member of this brand.

Yeonjin Kim The XMD Serum campaign was the very first project I was handed when I joined the IOPE team. I was lucky to have such great senior teammates who made every moment genuinely fun to work through. One memory that always makes me smile: Bomi actually appeared on a Naver live broadcast as part of our main campaign strategy, and after the stream wrapped up, the four of us — Bomi, Saerae, and Jaebum— headed out to celebrate over fried chicken. (laughs)

Saerae Park Getting the messaging right while staying within regulatory boundaries was no small feat, and I remember seeing Daeun and Seoyoon from the RA (Regulatory Affairs — advertising and labeling regulations) team more often than my own family during that period. It was deeply rewarding when all those rounds of review and collaboration paid off with strong results at an advertising awards ceremony.
There’s one moment from that process I still laugh about. An internal file name we had been using to manage the awards submission accidentally made its way into the official entry title, and the piece ended up being listed as [XMD Stem III — RA-Cleared and Ready]. It was a simple error, but everyone agreed it was actually the most honest summary of what the campaign was really about, so we all had a good laugh. We even shared the article with the RA team as a little tribute to everything they’d done.

Yeonjin Kim For the North American market, we’ll communicate the ‘professional PDRN professional treatment-level results’ of the XMD line, which have been verified through clinical studies. The efficacy will come to life by board dermatologist influencers’ real reviews.
The priority for our March 2026 Sephora launch is to clearly establish ‘Clinical Grade¹⁾ IOPE’ as our brand positioning in that market.

Dajeong Lee This product was designed with a wide range of skin characteristics in mind. Building on that foundation, and on the data we accumulated through our domestic trials, we’ve also been conducting clinical testing on a multi-ethnic group in preparation for the North American launch. We’re working to ensure that the brand is consistently recognized across the North American and broader global market as ‘clinically verified skincare with efficacy comparable to professional PDRN treatment.’

Bomi Shin Interest in K-beauty is rising rapidly in the United States, driven in part by the growing popularity of Korean professional treatments. In our market research, the response to clinical results verified through direct comparison against professional treatments was overwhelmingly positive. It confirmed that the North American market, too, has moved well beyond ingredient-focused skincare; there is a clear and growing appetite for products whose efficacy is backed by objective clinical evidence. The XMD Stem III Serum was the obvious fit.

Saerae Park What I remember most vividly is how we put together the entire physical space for the Sephora pitch ourselves. The timeline was so tight that even our vendor partners threw up their hands and said it couldn’t be done. So we decided to do it ourselves. We sketched out the structural drawings from scratch, sourced a commercial kitchen equipment supplier to have a stainless steel table custom-fabricated. It was genuinely a roll-up-your-sleeves, figure-it-out-as-you-go kind of effort.
On top of that, our unit head, Jongha Kim, used materials to recreate the Sephora logo directly on the conference room whiteboard, bringing together IOPE’s clinical aesthetic and Sephora’s visual identity in one cohesive space. It was a sprint to the finish, but through real teamwork, we were able to convey the brand’s clinical-grade identity in a way that landed.

Yeonjin Kim The Sephora pitch took place in the spring of 2025. At the time, there was no dedicated IOPE team within the U.S. so once the partnership was confirmed, we handled every step of the collaboration directly with the Sephora team from HQ. There were also regulatory requirements to navigate on the U.S. side, and we needed to find the right balance in positioning IOPE as clinical yet approachable for U.S. consumers unfamiliar with K-clinics. Throughout all of it, we never lost sight of ‘clinical grade’ — the message our brand absolutely had to stand by. Bringing the U.S. team and the Sephora team on board took about six months of ongoing conversations from the very start of the partnership. The day we finally reached an agreement on the brand messaging and artwork for the US launch is the one I’ll never forget.

Bomi Shin IOPE XMD aspires to realize a sustainable, ageless beauty through clinical-grade efficacy. To us, the desire for beauty is inseparable from the self we want to hold onto, regardless of age or the passage of time. Confidence in who you are is, at its core, what self-beauty means. The verified efficacy that the XMD line delivers, and the relentless ambition it represents for the skincare market, is very much aligned with believing in and embracing yourself. I can say with confidence that this is a product designed to give you the skin confidence you need, without ever needing professional treatment.

Dajeong Lee New Beauty begins not with exaggeration, but with change you can actually see in the data. We intended to offer a New Beauty standard that allows customers to trust the transformation they see in their own skin and to sustain their natural beauty and confidence over time.

Yeonjin Kim Consumers around the world are looking for more than just skincare; they want solutions they can trust. XMD is clinical-grade skincare that anyone can experience at home, and I genuinely believe it will set a new standard in the global market.

Bomi Shin I use the entire XMD line consistently, but my favorite combination is the serum paired with the cream. The softener and emulsion are also packed with all the key active ingredients, so if you use the full line, you will definitely start getting asked, ‘What have you been doing to your skin?’
For days when my skin is feeling particularly dry, my regimen is: XMD Stem III Serum, followed by Retinol Reti-jection Serum, then the Super Vital Cream mixed with Vitamin C Expert 40% Mask Concentrate. The result is deeply nourishing, honey-glow skin that feels like you’ve just walked out of a dermatologist’s office.

Saerae Park My personal favorite is this: for the first three days after a professional treatment, I skip all high-performance actives and focus purely on hydration with the IOPE XMD Serum. From day four onward, I switch to a nighttime combination of XMD Serum and Retinol Reti-jection Serum. You can actually feel your pores tightening by the next morning. Then, in the morning, I blend XMD Serum with Vitamin C Expert 40% Mask Concentrate, which gives you a smooth, easy application and delivers vitamin-toning care on top of everything else. It genuinely delivers treatment-level results at home.
I’ve always loved getting professional treatments, but since incorporating the XMD Stem III Serum into my routine, my skin has been in such good condition that I can actually space out my treatments. I’ve been buying it out of my own pocket, and I’m already on my sixth bottle.

Yeonjin Kim The XMD Serum delivers deep, lasting hydration while leaving a beautifully light finish, which makes it incredibly easy to layer with other products. I use it every single day and build the rest of my routine around it, depending on What my skin needs that day. Lately, my favorite combination is XMD Toner, followed by the IOPE Multi-Vitamin 10% Ultimate Toning Gel Mask, then XMD Serum, and finishing with XMD Cream. The serum’s bursting dewy-glow effect, combined with the vitamin mask’s brightening power, is genuinely transformative: it takes your skin from tired to glowing in one routine.

Dajeong Lee In the evenings, I pair the IOPE XMD line with Retinol Expert 0.1% for focused elasticity care. The key for me is creating conditions where the skin can recover on its own terms, without feeling overwhelmed. My routine of XMD Stem III Serum, followed by Retinol Expert 0.1%, then XMD Cream, helps bring the skin back into balance, lays the groundwork for elasticity care, and locks in solid hydration and barrier support. It’s a routine that lets the skin settle into its own natural rhythm through the night.

Dajeong Lee XMD is truly the result of layer upon layer of careful thinking and collaboration from so many people. Because this was a product that set a different kind of standard, the process was anything but straightforward. What stands out in my memory is the intense, ongoing dialogue we had with the RA Lab from the very earliest stages — not to generate data for its own sake, but to ensure the clinical work would be practically usable. And beyond the clinical design itself, I believe these results were only possible because the product had been so thoroughly built from the ground up, from the active ingredients to the formulation technology. Clinical studies can only produce meaningful data when the product itself has the efficacy to back them up. I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the colleagues across the many teams who joined us in thinking through this new path together.

Bomi Shin The clinical results and efficacy data we had were exceptional, but the reality was that most of it couldn’t be communicated externally under cosmetics advertising regulations and RA guidelines. Data you can’t use is data that doesn’t matter, so we spent a lot of time thinking through how to work within those constraints. We met daily with the MC team and RA Lab, working through every possible angle to find language that could actually be used, crafting each message one careful word at a time. It was that kind of relentless, collaborative problem-solving that ultimately made the XMD Serum’s visuals and messaging what they are today.
Since IOPE took that first leap, the number of other brands embracing the professional treatment concept has grown considerably. That’s a testament to the pioneering role IOPE has played in leading the direction of the skincare market. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the colleagues across the many teams who worked so hard alongside us and helped bring something truly remarkable to life.

Saerae Park XMD’s success was built on a strong foundation of product and communication messaging, and it was made possible because so many teams across the organization rallied behind that shared direction. Even the best communications strategy can’t sustain itself in the market if it doesn’t translate into sales. The GTM team and the Naver channel sales team moved as one from the very beginning, approaching the commerce channel with meticulous precision and treating it as a single, cohesive platform. That alignment is what allowed our brand message to convert into real commercial results. Having a brand strategy and a sales strategy that moved in lockstep was our greatest strength.

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www.iope.com