How South Korea is using K-beauty trend to boost soft power

## Summary
https://p.dw.com/p/5Bclb South Korea's beauty industry has become a global player Image: Yao Qilin/Xinhua/IMAGO Advertisement First it was cars and electronics, then pop music and films, and now the beauty industry: skincare and cosmetics "made in Korea" are in demand all over the world. This is crucial for a country like South Korea, he added. "South Korea finds itself in a geopolitically precarious position between two major powers — which is why it's deliberately exploiting cultural attractiveness." How South Korea's cosmetic industry drives career success To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The strategy has proved very effective, with "K-beauty" now a global phenomenon. The close connection between culture and consumption is decisive. "Consumer trends reflect cultural trends," said Stefan Tobel, chief executive of Kencana in Hamburg, a company that specializes in importing and distributing Korean cosmetics. "South Korea became a major presence on the global stage because of K-pop, and the consumer trends arrived with it." This observation is supported by market research. "The global rise of Korean pop culture , including K-pop and K-dramas, has had a significant role in expanding K-beauty worldwide," according to a report by the American market research company Grand View Research , which specializes in analyzing global consumer and technology markets. He explained that TV series, music and digital platforms have all created a cultural infrastructure that gives products worldwide visibility, meaning that K-beauty is "part of South Korea's wider image." The international research network ResearchGate, which collates scientific work from around the world, points to studies that suggest Korean popular culture is being deliberately deployed as a tool of "nation branding," to bolster the country's international image.

## Article Content
https://p.dw.com/p/5Bclb
South Korea's beauty industry has become a global player
Image: Yao Qilin/Xinhua/IMAGO
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First it was cars and electronics,
then pop music
and films, and now the beauty industry: skincare and cosmetics "made in Korea" are in demand all over the world.
More and more Westerners are raving about
South Korean
beauty products. This success is no coincidence, nor is it a purely aesthetic phenomenon.
The East Asian country has made its cultural exports an important source of soft power. What's known as "K-beauty" relies on a combination of cultural dynamics, economic strategy and geopolitical positioning.
"Soft power means using attractiveness, not force, to influence others," said Hannes Mosler, a political scientist and Korea expert at the University of Duisburg-Essen. This is crucial for a country like South Korea, he added.
"South Korea finds itself in a geopolitically precarious position between two major powers — which is why it's deliberately exploiting cultural attractiveness."
How South Korea's cosmetic industry drives career success
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that
supports HTML5 video
The strategy has proved very effective, with "K-beauty" now a global phenomenon. The Yonhap news agency in Seoul reports that exports of cosmetic products increased by 12.3% in 2025, to a total value of $11.43 billion (€9.84 billion).
According to the South Korean ministry of trade and industry, cosmetic exports were already worth $10.2 billion in 2024.
South Korea on trend
But the success cannot be explained by economic statistics alone. The close connection between culture and consumption is decisive.
"Consumer trends reflect cultural trends," said Stefan Tobel, chief executive of Kencana in Hamburg, a company that specializes in importing and distributing Korean cosmetics.
"South Korea became a major presence on the global stage because of K-pop, and the consumer trends arrived with it."
This observation is supported by market research.
"The global rise of
Korean pop culture
, including K-pop and K-dramas, has had a significant role in expanding K-beauty worldwide," according to a
report by the American market research company Grand View Research
, which specializes in analyzing global consumer and technology markets.
K-pop superstars BTS have become hugely successful around the world
Image: CBS/Recording Academy/AP Photo/picture alliance
Mosler goes one step further. "The Korean wave is not purely orchestrated by the government, but it had political support from very early on," he told DW.
He explained that TV series, music and digital platforms have all created a cultural infrastructure that gives products worldwide visibility, meaning that K-beauty is "part of South Korea's wider image."
The international research network ResearchGate, which collates scientific work from around the world, points to studies that suggest Korean popular culture is being deliberately deployed as a tool of "nation branding," to bolster the country's international image.
Care, not concealment
When it comes to K-beauty, there's a unique understanding of skincare. "The Korean approach is much more sophisticated," Tobel explained. "Skin should not be covered up, but improved."
The London-based international consulting firm Euromonitor International specializes in market analysis and consumer goods. One of its studies indicates that, with Korean products, the focus is very much on prevention, skin health and long-term skincare.
Mosler sees this approach as one that comes from Korean society. "Outward appearance plays a very big role," he said.
Korean beauty standards have been on full display by the models at the Seoul Fashion Week in recent years
Image: Penta Press/IMAGO
He believes that an intense, competitive environment creates strong social pressure — and, with it, a particularly demanding market. "Products have to work to a very high standard in order to do well," he said.
The research supports this view. Grand View Research describes the K-beauty market as characterized by "rapid product innovation cycles to meet evolving consumer expectations."
The sector regards this dynamic as key, according to Tobel. "The market moves extremely fast. New ingredients, new formats, new routines. Anyone who isn't permanently innovating immediately loses relevance."
Social media creates visibility, demand
"Social media has a central role," said Tobel. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram act as accelerators where trends are created and disseminated around the world, and K-beauty is particularly good at this.
Mosler stressed the importance of cultural multipliers. "K-pop stars or series create visibility and with it demand," he said, adding that beauty products become part of an overall aesthetic and cultural package.
It's clear that K-beauty is more than a trend: it's a system combining culture, technology, marketing and politics. "It's a question of attractiven

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- This success is no coincidence, nor is it a purely aesthetic phenomenon.
- The East Asian country has made its cultural exports an important source of soft power.
- This is crucial for a country like South Korea, he added. "South Korea finds itself in a geopolitically precarious position between two major powers — which is why it's deliberately exploiting cultural attractiveness." How South Korea's cosmetic industry drives career success To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The strategy has proved very effective, with "K-beauty" now a global phenomenon.
- South Korea on trend But the success cannot be explained by economic statistics alone.

### Areas for Consideration
N/A

### Implications
- What's known as "K-beauty" relies on a combination of cultural dynamics, economic strategy and geopolitical positioning. "Soft power means using attractiveness, not force, to influence others," said Hannes Mosler, a political scientist and Korea expert at the University of Duisburg-Essen.
- Care, not concealment When it comes to K-beauty, there's a unique understanding of skincare. "The Korean approach is much more sophisticated," Tobel explained. "Skin should not be covered up, but improved." The London-based international consulting firm Euromonitor International specializes in market analysis and consumer goods.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers beauty, south, korea topics. Notable strengths include discussion of beauty. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 798.