Blackpink, the Oscar-award-winning film “Parasite,” the Netflix hit show “Squid Game”–over the past two decades, South Korea’s cultural exports have now reached a global audience in the West. Some might say that the U.S.’s growing demand and interest in Korea’s cultural output began with Korean beauty, or K-beauty as it’s more commonly known. According to a spokesperson from Korean skincare brand CosRx, K-beauty started gaining traction in the mid to late 2000s. With innovative formulations featuring ingredients like snail mucin and tiger grass, unique packaging, and an “emphasis on achieving radiant skin,” says CosRx, all contributed to the K-beauty boom in the U.S. “It began with word-of-mouth recommendations and quickly spread through various channels,” the brand adds. A lot has passed since K-beauty took over our social feeds which can make it difficult to nail down its origin story in the West and what it actually stands for. Ahead, we spoke to a couple of experts to clear up any questions or misconceptions.
Meet The Experts
- Charlotte Cho is the co-founder of Soko Glam and Korean skincare brand Then I Met You.
- David Yi is the co-founder of gender-inclusive K-beauty brand Good Light and beauty platform Very Good Light.
- Vanessa Lee is the founder of beauty concept bar The The Things We Do, medical aesthetic provider and, as her Instagram reads, "certified face reader,"
- Dr. David Kim is a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Soho Dermatology in New York City.
What Is K-Beauty?
Korean beauty, also known colloquially as K-beauty, refers to skincare, cosmetics, and beauty products with South Korean origins. In K-beauty, skin health is the number one priority and this is approached with hydration, gentle ingredients, and multi-step routines. In K-beauty, prevention is prioritized over correction.
Why Is K-Beauty So Popular?
As K-dramas, K-pop, and social media in general boomed in the 2010s, so did an international fascination and interest in Korean beauty. "K-beauty became popular because it approached skincare as long-term skin health, not short-term correction," Vanessa Lee, founder of beauty concept bar The Things We Do and medical aesthetic provider says. Lee notes that South Korea's beauty industry evolved alongside dermatology and aesthetic medicine, rather than as its own independent entity. "skincare was developed with prevention, barrier preservation, and inflammation control in mind. Rather than pushing aggressive anti-aging early on, K-beauty focused on maintaining healthy skin function from the start," she adds.
Charlotte Cho, co-founder of Then I Met You, notes that K-beauty focuses on consistency rather than quick fixes—and that's intriguing to people. "Korean beauty brands are incredibly innovative," Cho says. "They’re often the first to introduce new ingredients, textures, and technologies, but routines still feel approachable and customizable."
Dr. David Kim, board certified dermatologist and founder of Soho Dermatology, also thinks the price-point is important to mention. "K-Beauty is so popular because the products are extremely high quality and affordable," Dr. Kim says. "They're formulated with great active ingredients at clinical levels, and have exceptional textures that target skin concerns."
What Are The Key Ingredients In K-Beauty?
- Rice: "Rice has been part of Korean beauty traditions for generations and is still popular because it gently brightens and softens skin without being harsh," Cho says.
- Snail Mucin: "It’s one of the original K-beauty hero ingredients that helped introduce Korean skincare to a global audience. Products like COSRX’s Snail Mucin Essence were some of the first K-beauty products to really take off in the U.S.," Cho says. "People quickly saw how effective they were for hydration and supporting skin repair. Even now, it’s still one of those ingredients people come back to because it works for so many different skin concerns."
- Centella Asiatica: "This continues to be one of the most important K-beauty ingredients because many products in Korea are formulated with sensitive skin in mind," Cho says. "It’s incredibly effective at calming irritation and helping skin recover, which is why you see it in so many Korean skincare products."
- Fermented Ingredients: "Fermentation improves ingredient absorption and reduces irritation, reflecting Korea’s long-standing use of fermentation in both food and medicine," Lee says. She highlights the importance of restoring balance in K-beauty, and notes that this is often done with the help of ceramides and skin-identical lipids.
What Are The Most Popular K-Beauty Products?
Charlotte Cho highlights the I'm From Rice Toner, Acwell Licorice Cleansing Toner, and Neogen Real Ferment Micro Essence as products that people fell in love with when she first launched Soko Glam and products that remain popular today. She notes that "K-beauty evolves quickly, and we’re always seeing new formats take off." Other popular products on the newer end of the spectrum include the VT Reedle Shot, Biodance Bio Collagen-Real Deed Mask, Round Lab's Birch Juice Moisturizing UVLOCK SPF, Mediheal Madecassoside Blemish Pads, and Haruharu Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence.
Why Is Korean Skincare So Advanced?
Skincare is deeply ingrained into the daily lives of Koreans, says CosRx. “Korean culture places great emphasis on maintaining healthy and youthful skin, which is often associated with overall well-being and confidence.” Because skincare is a part of Korean culture from a young age, it’s just as intuitive for Korean people to put on sunscreen or layer on a serum as it is to brush their teeth. David Yi, founder of good light skincare, also believes that this emphasis on skincare is tied to Korea’s Confucianist culture. “It’s a Confucian belief to really honor your neighbors and others by presenting yourself in your most beautiful way,” he explains. “It’s a way to show respect and honor to others.” There’s also the idea that looking good gives you an overall competitive advantage. “Traditionally, Korea’s a homogenous country,” explains Yi. “So if you look more or less like your neighbor because you're all Korean, how do you get that competitive advantage? It's your aesthetics.”
The structural infrastructure—a.k.a. factories—was already in place to support a booming Korean beauty industry. Quick history lesson: Back in the 80s, a handful of French beauty brands outsourced production to Korea. After they left, Koreans started to use the already-existing labs to create their own products, explains Yi. This transformed Korea into the epicenter of beauty innovation, pairing traditional products with creative technologies. “Korean beauty brands heavily invest in research and development, resulting in cutting-edge formulations, and innovative ingredients that cater to a wide range of skin concerns,” says CosRx.
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What's The Difference Between Korean & American Skincare?
The Korean approach to skincare is way more proactive than the American approach to skincare. “In America, it’s like, ‘Oh, my face is red. Now I need something. I have a blemish right here, now I need a benzoyl peroxide,’” says Yi. “But in Korea, it’s all about prevention. Before I get that wrinkle, what can I do to prevent that?”
Koreans also view beauty as a necessity, not a luxury. From a young age, people are taught to take care of their skin. It’s a more holistic approach to skincare that’s focused on consistency and achieving results over the long haul. Skincare products take on a more mild approach, focused on healing, nourishment, and hydration. Because it’s seen as a necessity and is so ingrained in the culture, skincare is more accessible in Korea. Products are affordable and there’s wide access to experts. Meanwhile, here in America, consumers tend to prefer quick results which usually means that skincare routines are more aggressive in their approach. Also, the barriers to entry are higher in the U.S. because of high costs, lack of education about skincare ingredients, and medical costs associated with seeing a dermatologist.
What Is The Korean 10-Step Beauty Routine?
When K-beauty burst onto the U.S. market, it was synonymous with the 10-step skincare routine. “I think that when Charlotte Cho first introduced the 10-step beauty process, and she always says this: it wasn’t literal,” says Yi. “It was just a way to show the different steps someone can take to achieve that Korean beauty look.” Over time, the 10-product routine has evolved and adapted to consumer needs. “In recent years, there has been a growing movement towards simplified skincare routines, influenced by time constraints, minimalism, and a desire for more streamlined regimens,” says CosRx. “Some individuals may find the extensive routine overwhelming or unnecessary for their particular needs.” Yi agrees: “I think today, people want a no-fuss skincare regimen,” he adds. “They want efficacious ingredients and products that work for their skin.”
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Excessive layering doesn’t work for everyone, especially if you have sensitive skin. More and more K-beauty influencers are sharing simple and effective skincare routines which start with a gentle cleanser before adding on a serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
What Are The Most Popular K-Beauty Products?
Now that we've got K-beauty's hero ingredients down pat, what products should we actually consider investing in? According to Cho, though, there are also a few honorable mentions worth shouting out: "When we first launched Soko Glam, the products people fell in love with were the ones that introduced them to K-beauty’s hydration-first approach. Products like I’m From Rice Toner, Acwell Licorice Cleansing Toner, and Neogen Real Ferment Micro Essence, are still incredibly popular because they deliver visible results while staying gentle and easy to use. For many customers, those were the products that completely changed how they thought about skincare," she says.
Below, three of the best K-beauty products that Charlotte Cho thinks are definitely worth your time (and money).
IOPE PDRN Caffeine Shot Serum
Soko Glam
"More recently, ingredients like PDRN, which first gained attention through in-clinic skin treatments in Korea, have started showing up more in topical skincare. Products like this have helped make those skin-recovery benefits part of everyday routines, so skin looks plumper and more refreshed, with a glow people often associate with in-clinic treatments," Cho says. She also notes that the popularity of this serum is representative of a growing interest slow-aging products that focus on maintaining skin health over time.
Biodance Bio Collagen-Real Deep Mask
Soko GlamBiodance Bio Collagen-Real Deep Mask"These are loved because people wake up with noticeably more hydrated, plump-looking skin," Cho says. This sheet mask is viral for a good reason—it's jam packed with ingredients like low molecular weight collagen and hyaluronic acid that work together to replenish moisturize, firm, and increase elasticity.
Mediheal Madecassoside Blemish Pad
Soko GlamMediheal Madecassoside Blemish Pad "We're seeing toner pads like these become routine staples because they make soothing and resetting the skin really convenient," Cho says. Infused with hero K-beauty ingredient Centella Asiatica, as well as Madecassoside, these pads target acne scars and work to reduce redness and improve texture.
The Bottom Line On Korean Beauty
This is the bottom line: Korean beauty is about consistency. If you're looking for overnight results or quick fixes, some products might give you that, but K-beauty is more about skin longevity. With so many products on the market and so many brands using innovative ingredients that are actually effective, a K-beauty skincare routine is highly customizable and, therefore, accessible to everyone regardless of skin type. K-beauty brands are all about ingredient transparency and creating trust and long-term relationships with consumers—it also doesn't hurt that the products tend to be at accessible price points.
