Following K-pop, K-beauty is emerging as Korea’s top cultural export, the U.S. media noted.CNN analy..

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사진 확대 Jang Won Young, a model of the K-beauty brand MediCube. [APR]

Following K-pop, K-beauty is emerging as Korea’s top cultural export, the U.S. media noted.

CNN analyzed on the 19th (local time) that K-beauty, which had limitations in capturing a wide range of customers beyond race and skin color, is expanding its market with diversity.

The change in K-beauty has a point where it meets the achievements of K-pop idols by challenging stereotypes. K-pop male idols have promoted various masculine expressions, such as Korean boy band Stray Kids’ colorful, loose hairstyles or gender-blind costumes of pioneering singers such as Big Bang’s G-Dragon and ATEEZ’s Seonghwa.

They have no hesitation in wearing clothes that are considered feminine, such as skirts, corsets, and high heels, and have publicly used makeup and skincare. They also often express vulnerability and emotion, challenging the traditional Western notion of linking masculinity to cool-headed toughness.

However, the diversity and inclusion of Korean society as a whole still lags behind. According to a 2025 Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism report, more than 38% of respondents (4,974 adults nationwide) did not know the meaning of cultural diversity. On the other hand, 54% formed stereotypes or prejudices about a specific culture or group through the media.

사진 확대 U.S. buyers who visited the Olive Young booth at the Cosmoprop site in Las Vegas are looking at K-beauty products. [Maekyung DB]

“It is only in recent years that K-beauty has become a global trend, which raises new questions about inclusivity as it is exported and marketed to consumers around the world,” Lee Hye-jin, a clinical associate professor of communications at USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism in Los Angeles, told CNN.

Korea is gradually transforming into a heterogeneous society. Due to international marriage and globalized labor, the number of foreign births is increasing, exceeding 5% as of 2025, approaching the ‘multicultural society’ standard. The popularity of Korean-born pop groups has also formed a vast international fandom, which has become a major driver of tourism.

According to research firm Mintel, there is a link between the popularity of K-beauty, which is worth more than $90 billion, and the international rise of Korean culture. Professor Lee of USC Annenberg said, “The visibility and visual culture of K-pop and K-drama strengthen awareness of the effects of K-beauty and contribute to continuing the popular narrative about skin care and aging of Asians, as revealed by the Internet slang of ‘Asian don’t age.’”

White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt, who visited South Korea last year to attend the APEC summit, also shared her experience on social media after purchasing K-beauty products from Olive Young, a large retailer.

The gradual generalization of K-beauty products outside of Korea is leading to a wider fan base. In 2024, South Korea emerged as the No. 1 country in cosmetics exports to the U.S. after France, with exports reaching $1.7 billion. Currently, Korean beauty brands are widely sold in stores across the United States, including Costco, Target, and Sephora.

Notably, Sephora signed a notable partnership with Olive Young in January 2026, which led to the opening of its own store in the U.S. for the first time this year. K-beauty concept stores are also opening in European cities from Paris to Warsaw, and local retailers and pharmacies are also expanding their K-beauty product lineups.

사진 확대 A customer tries Amore Pacific’s cushion cosmetics at Sephora, a cosmetics editing shop in New York, USA. [Maekyung DB]

As K-beauty has become increasingly popular around the world, there is a need to target a wider range of customers beyond the skin tone of Koreans or East Asians.

Melissa Alper was inspired by the establishment of the Seoul-based skincare brand K+Brown from her children’s love of K-pop. K+Brown’s first product is a biomimetic serum designed to improve moisture in dark skin. It’s due out in late February, but according to Alper, thousands of waiting lists have already been built up.

“The enthusiasm for K-pop is great among dark-skinned women, hijab-wearing women, Latina, African-Americans, and people of color, but their appearance is not always reflected in K-beauty,” Alper said.

Domestic brands are also making changes. K-beauty brand Tirtir announced that it will expand to a total of nine colors by adding six colors in 2024 after being asked to find suitable colors among Western influencer as they enter the U.S. and Europe. Currently, the Tirtir Cushion Foundation is available in 40 colors.

Amore Sungsu, an experiential multi-brand store in Seoul, has established itself as a must-visit tourist destination in recent years by operating a corner that produces customized foundations and lipsticks.

Named after famous makeup artist Jung Sam-mul, Jung Sam-mul Beauty recently launched a cushion foundation for dark skin tones. Chosun Beauty, a brand specializing in UV protection from Seoul, is gaining sympathy from overseas customers with sunscreen tailored to dark skin tones.

“K beauty has now become a global mainstream force,” points out Andrew McDougall, Mintel’s director of beauty and personal care insights. But “outside of Korea, the demand for diversity and representation is much greater. If the K-beauty market adapts to this, it will achieve greater growth,” he added.