Korean beauty is here to stay….or at least, for the next three years. Over the last decade, the popularity of Korean beauty has soared — seeing South Korea enter the forefront of all things beauty related — especially skincare making it top contender in today’s dynamic beauty game industry. K beauty’s exponential growth has made it the dominant force among international competitors, thanks to Hallyu which has significantly influenced South Korean global economics. In other words, Hallyu is also known as the K-Wave, which refers to the cultural phenomenon in which Korean pop culture has dramatically spread worldwide — encompassing everything from music, drama, food and beauty. The major rise in K-Beauty since the 2010s was a result of South Korea’s entertainment industry, most notably with K-pop and K-dramas that were always popular in South East Asia, China and Japan — but this time, successfully in fully penetrated the western market. The demand for K Beauty products is increasing due to the growing interest in Korean fashion, culture and beauty.
A cyclical market for beauty means that all trends, however successful, are subject to a risk of decline. The power of social networks today is also a factor in how quickly trends change, particularly with the launch and effectiveness of social marketing, as well as an unpredictability of the beauty market. The life cycle of a trend can be divided into five phases: introduction, rise to prominence, peak, decline and obsolescence. Is K-beauty on the decline with its massive popularity in the past decade and the increasing influence of Chinese beauty products and Thai celebrities? LUXUO evaluates the longevity of Korean beauty by examining the influence of popular culture, regional heritage, and market statistics.
Best Beauty Moments of the 2024 Paris Olympics
Pop Culture: A Major Driver of Growth
Along with rising fame of K-pop and K-drama celebrities, came a popularised aspirational standard of Asian beauty — characterised by clear complexions, glowing skin, minimal makeup and natural beauty. These figures like BTS and Blackpink came to represent the ideal image of beauty, almost acting as Korea’s global representatives and an image that encapsulated of Korea’s rigid beauty standards of a slim body, fair skin and a flawless complexion. Furthermore, The popularisation to the “glass skin” look had promoted the sales of Korean beauty products that are endorsed by celebrities or ones that promise buyers the smooth and glowy “glass skin” made famous by idol groups and actors. Due to the popularity of Korean celebrities in the west, they were more inclined to purchase K-beauty items due to their trendy qualities. Hence, the birth of skincare trends like the “10-step skincare routine”, “7-layer” toner routine and an emphasised importance on sun protection. These trends introduced international consumers to Korean culture, Korean skincare products and ingredients with a reputation for being effective at a lower price than western alternatives.
K-beauty has seen a rapid rise due to the constant overlap between marketing for K-pop, Kdramas, and K Beauty. According to the Japan Times, Korean cosmetology has increased by a staggering 219% between 2017 and 2023. This amounts to more than USD530 billion. These figures were accelerated due to the K-beauty trend, celebrity endorsements and product placements in music videos or K-dramas. For example, BTS’s collaboration with VT Cosmetics — a brand that previously unknown to the international audience — was able to garner global attention and sale to their brand through reliance on the influence of BTS. It is also important to note the powerful influence these celebrities have, most notably with K-pop idols known for having a particularly dedicated fan base — known for selling out a product a celebrity was seen using regardless of price point.
Read more: The connection between a perfume and its name
Korean Celebrities: Persistence
These Korean celebrity influences continue to be very persistent even today, despite the sudden rise in fame that occurred at the end of the 2010s. Korean entertainment industry boasts an increasing number of Korean celebrities taking on overseas projects such as fashion ambassadorships, movie opportunities as well as international red carpet appearances — making the influence of these individuals even stronger than before. It is partially due to the acceptance of Korean culture in the west, which was paved by groups such as 2NE1 and BIGBANG. They had also brought K-pop onto global stages with groups like BTS and Blackpink. The undeniable power of their fan base is in the younger millennials or Gen Zs. Social media and celebrity marketing are most effective with this group.
Cosmetics Design Asia states that 80% K-Beauty shoppers from the millennials and Gen Z demographic drove sales growth. Many fashion and beauty companies have used the star power of these celebrities to market their products. In addition, K-beauty has a strong presence on social networks, where influencers and bloggers regularly share reviews, tutorials and recommendations. The K-Beauty and K-beauty industries work together to ensure dominance of the respective industries.
What makes K-beauty so different?
Korean beauty products are rooted in tradition and respect for ingredients. The upkeep of beauty and taking pride in one’s skincare routine has been ingrained in Korean culture for generations, typically focusing on lighter makeup that eventuated a “glow from within” look, as opposed to the traditional style of western makeup style that usually involves mattifying. K-beauty is also known to often incorporate unconventional yet beneficial ingredients such as snail mucin, ginseng, and propolis — which are not commonly found in Western skincare. These ingredients have been chosen because of their skincare benefits. They are synonymous with Korean skin care products and allow individuals to customize their skincare routines according to their own needs.
K-beauty sets trends and introduces new and exciting products to keep consumers interested. They also have a strong digital presence that keeps them engaged. It could be said that Japanese beauty is a constant on the Asian beauty scene, and uses similar ingredients and rituals. Although Japanese beauty brands are known for producing high-quality products, they struggle to match their Korean counterparts’ digital presence and vitality.
Read more: Managing Male Hair Loss: High-Tech Solutions & Tips
Impeding Factors
There are some challenges and factors that K-beauty companies may face in their quest to maintain global presence, adapting to changing consumer needs and market conditions. We have seen new trends emerge in the last year, such as the Chinese makeup and skincare trend that is on the rise. This has been fueled by the viral makeup looks posted on Chinese social media Xiao Hong Shu. Furthermore, C-beauty’s rising vitality could possibly overshadow the K-beauty trends in a matter of years. This is also being further accelerated by the rise in Chinese celebrities’ involvement in international events in fashion that increases the influence and credibility of C-beauty. It would be unfair to ignore the rapidly growing influence of Thai celebrities. The success of Thai dramas has led to a surge in Thai celebrities dominating the fashion industry.
In addition, as K Beauty becomes more popular, international and local beauty brands are incorporating Korean elements into their products. This is increasing competition. As a result, many Asian-American brands such as Glow Recipe and Peach & Lily are already doing this. This may hinder the growth of K Beauty due to the easy accessibility and understanding these products have in the western market. As mentioned earlier, the cyclical nature of beauty may be the main disadvantaging factor of the K-beauty craze — as with a huge spike in demand, the rapid growth leads to higher supply and an oversaturated market. The proliferation of Korean products and brands could result in a lackluster market for smaller or newer brands. There are so many products available that consumers can become overwhelmed. This could lead to confusion, fatigue and switching to another approach.
K-beauty remains popular despite other beauty trends, cyclicality and the importance of Korean celebrities. It is a result of its positive reputation, innovative style and significant influence. Clean beauty and customizable skincare are also likely to contribute to the growth of Korean cosmetics due to their reputation as having natural ingredients and science-backed formulas. The dominance and growth of K Beauty in the industry should continue to flourish at least for the next 3 years.
For more on the latest in beauty reads, click here.