Business Daily — "The blurring of K-beauty" (October 28, 2025)

Podcast: Business Daily
Host: David Kentucky (BBC World Service)
Summary Prepared On: [Insert Date]

Overview

This episode delves into the evolving concept of “K-beauty”, the global boom in Korean beauty products, and the confusion about what truly counts as “Korean”. As international interest and mimics multiply, industry insiders, founders, and watchdogs discuss whether K-beauty is about location, philosophy, ingredients, or just branding—and why counterfeit products threaten the category’s reputation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is “K-beauty”?

• Initial Definitions: K-beauty is generally associated with beauty brands that are created in Korea, use traditional Korean ingredients, or draw from Korean beauty philosophies. However, these lines are increasingly “blurred” as companies outside Korea capitalize on the trend.

  • "At first glance, it might seem straightforward Korean beauty brands, but this definition is quickly getting blurred."
    — David Kentucky [01:33]

• Multi-step Regimens: Korean skincare is famed for its elaborate, multi-step approach, emphasizing holistic and preventative care.

  • “Skincare regimens are very elaborate and multi-step. You can have as many as 10 skincare steps in your beauty regimen.”
    — Anne Majeski [03:27]

2. Global Growth and Its Complications

• Explosion in Exports: The popularity of K-beauty soared in the 2010s; exports grew from $650 million (2011) to $4 billion (2017) and reached $10B by last year.

  • "Total K Beauty exports went from US$650 million in 2011 to $4 billion in 2017...the industry kept growing."
    — David Kentucky [04:07]

• Identity Ambiguity: Not all brands marketed as K-beauty are actually Korean-owned or Korea-manufactured.

  • Seoulceuticals, for instance, is U.S.-based, manufacturers in the U.S., yet markets its Korean inspiration.
  • "When you go on Seoul Suitical website, it certainly looks with Seoul written in big bold Korean letters...but nowhere...does it say they are Korean."
    — David Kentucky [05:00]

3. Ingredients, Philosophy, and “Proof”

• Core Philosophy: For some, using Korean ingredients (e.g., snail mucin, centella asiatica, green tea, ginseng) and following a holistic approach are what matters.
  • "The key to a lot of the popularity of K Beauty is in the ingredients...and the kind of philosophy, a comprehensive, kind of a holistic approach."
    — Anne Majeski [05:37]
• Manufacturing & Expertise: For others, authenticity comes from manufacturing in Korea with Korean expertise.
  • "The products should mostly be manufactured by a Korean manufacturer...it also means the products are made with Korean expertise and know how."
    — Seung Gok Kim [07:14]

4. Cultural and Brand Identity Crises

• Korean Heritage Abroad: Founders with Korean roots outside Korea, like the Finnish-Korean Hwarangpu, face an “identity crisis”—mirrored in their brands and personal lives.

  • "Our brand also has this identity crisis because everything...is Korean...but all the Korean team members we have, they are currently in Finland and all...have gone through similar experience of having an identity crisis."
    — Elisa Aron Pha Kim [07:41]

• Cultural Markers: Some brands emphasize Korean cultural elements in their branding, e.g., Hwarang (named after Silla's elite warrior youths), to confirm their connection.

5. Industry Definitions & Regulations

• Official Stance: The K Beauty Industry Association ties “K-beauty” to companies registered in Korea, approved and regulated by KFDA, and suited to the Korean market.
  • "A company that's registered in Korea and officially tested and approved by Korea Food and Drug Admin, the KFDA, it has stricter regulation for certain ingredients."
    — Chang Nam Jang [10:08]
• Perception by Korean Consumers: Earning recognition and popularity in Korea is seen as a “compulsory” metric.
  • "We should be perceived or recognized by Korean customers as this is a Korean brand..."
    — Seung Gok Kim [11:15]
  • "Selling in Korea is not an option...It's a compulsory."
    — Elisa Aron Pha Kim [11:17]

6. Counterfeiting Crisis

• Huge Scale: Fakes flood the market. 26 out of 29 test purchases across sites like Amazon and Walmart were counterfeit.

  • "Out of 29, 26 of them were fake. So that's a 90% counterfeit rate."
    — Mark Lee [11:58]

• Vulnerable Brands: With most K-beauty companies being SMEs, online distribution and limited resources make them especially vulnerable.

• Massive Seizure Value:

  • "Last year in 2024, we took down about $280 million worth of K Beauty fake products..."
    — Mark Lee [12:44]
  • "Just in the US marketplaces [on Black Friday], we were able to find and take down 16,500 counterfeit K Beauty products..."
    — Mark Lee [12:44]

7. Consumer Education & Retailer Roles

• Retail Experience: Even seasoned consumers are sometimes deceived. Gracie Tullio, a K-beauty retailer, urges buying from reputable sources.

  • "I 100% bought a fake Missha BB cream...that experience is not unique to me. Even our customers...ask if a product is real or not..."
    — Gracie Tullio [14:00]

• Online Temptation: The lure of low prices on Amazon or other online platforms makes counterfeits attractive but risky.

8. Authenticity: More Than Place of Manufacture?

• Product Popularity in Korea: For retailers like Pure Soul, being “hot” in Korea is as important as where it's made.
  • "We want to look and work with brands who are doing well within Korea and that authenticity...is very important to us."
    — Gracie Tullio [15:19]
• Upcoming Flexibility: Brands like Amorepacific are exploring US manufacturing, raising questions about the future definition of “K-beauty”.

9. Personal and Cultural Identity Analogies

• Mixed Identity Reflections: Korean-European founders liken the debate to their own mixed heritage, seeing parallels in “pizza in London” versus “authentic Italian pizza”.
  • "If people ask that question about what makes a pizza that you eat in London, Italian...I think this goes for K Beauty as well."
    — Saunder Junyoung [16:40]
• Innovation Drives Location: For Yeppoda, manufacturing in Korea is about finding innovation, not necessarily chasing the K-beauty label.
  • "For us, K Beauty is a part of our story...the innovation is happening in Korea...that's why we develop and we manufacture our products in Korea."
    — Saunder Junyoung [17:27]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On K-beauty authenticity:
  “The products should mostly be manufactured by a Korean manufacturer...made with Korean expertise and know how.”
  — Seung Gok Kim [07:14]

• On the market’s complexity:
  "Out of 29, 26 of them were fake. So that's a 90% counterfeit rate."
  — Mark Lee [11:58]

• On the role of the consumer:
  "The customers are the ultimate decider on what K Beauty is. But herein lies another challenge. Customers can be fooled."
  — David Kentucky [11:39]

• On flexibility and identity:
  “I grew up half Korean, half Dutch…for me, it’s a story of my life. If people ask...what makes a pizza that you eat in London, Italian…this goes for K Beauty as well.”
  — Saunder Junyoung [16:40]

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Time | Segment Description | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:17 | Introduction to the topic: personal routine, K-beauty’s roots | | 03:27 | Multi-step skincare & traditional K-beauty regimen | | 04:07 | K-beauty’s export and economic boom | | 05:00 | The case of non-Korean companies marketing "K-beauty" | | 06:25 | Ingredients and philosophy as proof of K-beauty | | 07:14 | Seung Gok Kim on manufacturing origins and expertise | | 09:42 | Official definition from K Beauty Industry Association | | 10:46 | Regulatory hurdles and selling in Korean domestic market | | 11:47 | Counterfeiting introduction, Mark Lee on fake product prevalence | | 13:37 | Consumer experiences and retailer perspective (Gracie Tullio) | | 15:19 | The importance of domestic popularity and shifting definitions | | 16:40 | Personal identity & analogous to definitions of authenticity | | 17:27 | German-based Yeppoda’s rationale for Korea-based production |

Themes & Takeaways

• The “K” in K-beauty is increasingly hard to define; authenticity is debated between cultural philosophy, ingredient sourcing, manufacturing, regulation, and market popularity.
• Growth and hype led to massive counterfeit problems, eroding trust and threatening small businesses.
• Adapting definitions and business models are causing industry and personal identity tensions for brands and founders worldwide.
• Ultimately, consumer perception, regulatory approval, and innovation in Korea remain central to the evolving K-beauty narrative.

Listen Further

For direct experiences, regulatory insight, and the latest on K-beauty’s ongoing redefinition, tune in to the full episode.