The MFDS said that between January 2024 and June 2025, these five companies have sold seven SKUs of products valued at 32.4bn won (US$23m).
Present in the form tablets and beverages, these fake supplements are said to be made from processed fruit and vegetable ingredients.
According to the MFDS, these products were marketed as “Edible Wegovy” and “Appetite Suppressants”.
Wegovy is an injectable medicine primarily used for weight management and lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Other claims made by these products include “body fat reduction”, “blood sugar management”, as well as “diet pills”, “fat accumulation suppressant” etc.
The bestselling products were from a company selling fake supplements and tea. Between January 2024 and February 2025, the company has reaped 25.5bn won (US$18m) from the sale of these products.
According to the MFDS, the company has advertised its products for “inflammatory edema”, “fat removal”, “swelling management”, and “weight loss”.
Working with influencers
Some of the companies also engaged social media influencers in making personal testimonials on how they could “lose 7kg in a month” using these products.
“The MFDS has identified online posts on YouTube and other social media platforms where influencers are advertising common foods, such as processed fruits and vegetables, as having diet benefits, including obesity treatment and appetite suppression,” the ministry said.
“The suspects exploited the fact that it was possible to write reviews of specific products on personal social media accounts, and they have sent advertising keywords such as ‘lose 7kg in a month’ and ‘super-strong appetite suppressant’ to influencers.
“They then produced and posted videos using these keywords, pretending to be their own personal testimonials. This illegal advertising and sales tactics have led to the sale of these products,” the ministry added.
Riding the GLP-1 wave
Weight management is one of the top categories in South Korea.
The prescription-only Saxenda injectable is sought after in South Korea for weight loss and it has become to be known as “Gangnam injection” among locals, as there has been a trend of locals visiting plastic surgery clinics in the area for Saxenda injection.
The nutraceutical industry has also actively tapped into the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) trend in South Korea to meet growing demands for weight management supplements.
Chong Kun Dang Healthcare (CKDHC), for example, has launched a probiotic known as GLPitDIET last year to ride on the GLP-1 boom.
The probiotic capsule claims to “help reduce body fat” and has been reported to activate GLP-1 and AMPK pathways - both related to weight reduction - in a mice study.
Another major firm, Korea Ginseng Corp, has also launched two supplements known as GLPro Core and GLPro Doublecut for blood sugar management and body fat reduction this year.
The two products use the firm’s flagship ingredient - Korea red ginseng - which has officially been approved by the MFDS in making “blood sugar control” claim.
