K-Beauty
K-Beauty is about how Koreans actually use skincare and makeup, not about selling products. Why sunscreen is worn every single day, how a cushion compact became a pocket essential, why sheet masks are an evening habit and how to tell a fake from the real thing. We explain the habits and the reasons behind them, and we never rank or recommend brands.
First They Zoom In on Your Scalp: Inside Seoul's Head Spa Craze
Foreign spending on Korean scalp care more than tripled on one booking platform last year. Here is what happens in the chair, and why Koreans go too.
Born From a Parking Stamp: Why Koreans Carry a Cushion Compact
In 2008, Korean researchers borrowed an idea from a parking-ticket stamp. What a cushion is, why Koreans carry one, and how to find your shade number.
One Brand Sold 3 Billion Sheet Masks. Do Koreans Really Use One Daily?
It used to be a freebie at the cosmetics counter. Now one brand alone has sold 3 billion. How often Koreans really mask, and which ones they pick.
Labeled SPF 50, Tested at 19: The Korean Sunscreen Gap
Koreans wear it to the office, and the same brand may sell a different formula in America. Here is why, and what a 2026 lab test found.
39,000 Fake K-Beauty Listings in One Year. What Koreans Check First
Fakes now copy the logo and even the Hangul. Here is where Koreans buy, and the small lines on the back of the box they actually read.
Tourists Plan a Day for Olive Young. Koreans Just Pop In
Over 1,300 stores, a sale four times a year and rankings built from millions of purchases. Here is how Koreans use Olive Young.
The Korea Letter
Every Friday: the week’s new stories, explained by Koreans — in your language.