You may not have heard of K-Pop – a musical genre originating in South Korea, which is characterised by a wide variety of audiovisual elements and songs produced by idol groups –but their catchy tunes and sleek moves have helped sell billions of records. Now, K-Pop’s biggest stars are churning out the big bucks once again; helping cosmetics firms sell makeup to men.
South Korean men are increasingly turning to BB cream foundation and anti-ageing products to achieve K-Pop perfection. According to research firm Euromonitor, men are so eager to achieve the same pretty-boy looks and smooth complexion that they are spending $900 million a year on cosmetics promoted by K-Pop stars. South Korea accounts for nearly a quarter of sales in the skin care market, and so is the largest, by far, in a growing global market for men’s cosmetics. In any cosmetics store in Seoul, you could easily walk in and find a men’s section selling everything from escargot serum to make-up for men serving their mandatory two-year military service
But the trend doesn’t stop with a few creams and powders – the anti-ageing wellness trend is so popular it spawned a nickname for the pretty boys, “the grooming tribe”, and now there are even entire TV shows devoted to male makeovers. JiYun Kim, a spa consultant at Blowblush in Seoul, explained, ‘First impression is everything. They see the perfect skin Korean pop stars have, and they want to look like them.’
JiYun Kim’s spa has profited from this trend, offering a “Men’s Fit” course that includes a salt shampoo to prevent baldness, lifting cream, and a hot stone massage. Kim says male treatments are aimed at soothing skin irritated from shaving daily, while the focus of facials for women is largely on moisturising. Others who have seen the potential of this lucrative cosmetics market include Japanese brand SKII, which has launched its first global men’s line in South Korea. At $140 a bottle, the company’s best-selling facial treatment essence isn’t even the most expensive, as male clients at SKII’s boutique spa in Seoul regularly shell out anywhere from $225 to $450 for facial and body treatment.