Nina Jobst
Research expert covering South Korea
Male beauty market in South Korea - statistics & facts
In South Korea, the societal pressure of high beauty standards has led to not only a large cosmetics market and heightened interest in plastic surgery but also daily confrontation with the topic. These high expectations about one’s outer appearance do not only affect women but also increasingly concern South Korean men. K-pop idols and male beauty models display both an avenue for male consumers to get into cosmetics as well as raising the standards for consumers even higher. This leads to growth opportunities for the male beauty market in the country.
What are men’s concerns about their appearance?
While women are often encouraged to pursue youthful looks, wrinkles and dark circles are less of a concern for men. According to a survey, men were often troubled about their skin texture and condition. Another identified problem was that the large majority of men struggled with was the prospect of hair loss. In fact, the number of South Koreans that received hair loss treatment has increased continuously in the last few years.What beauty products do South Korean men spend their money on?
As skin problems were among the biggest troubles for men, it is not surprising that skincare was the most commonly purchased category of male beauty products. Accordingly, using base cosmetic items was the most popular skin care method. To match beauty expectations and deal with concerns about their appearance, male consumers also increasingly opted to apply makeup. Using BB cream is not unusual for men in South Korea, but other product types have also recently gained popularity. For example, the sales growth for eyebrow makeup products jumped by over one thousand percent on the e-commerce platform Wemakeprice. Overall, the male makeup category had grown by 57 percent on the platform compared to the previous year. This development was observed among other retail channels as well. A possible reason could be that people sought out more cosmetics again after mask mandates were lifted.Who are the male beauty consumers in South Korea?
Younger men were found to be more likely to take care of their appearance than older generations, implying that it was a greater priority for them as they felt a higher level of social pressure. Correspondingly, beauty and drug store retailer Olive Young declared in January 2023 that men in their twenties and thirties accounted for roughly 70 percent of its male beauty sales, with men in their forties to fifties making up the rest. This was also reflected in marketing strategies that targeted this demographic. Overall, the representation of men in cosmetics advertising is increasing, and male beauty models in advertisements have become a prevalent trend.
