There was a time when bulking up and being a little neanderthal was all the rage for
men.
Times are a changing.
These days more men, especially in Korea, allocate a greater amount of time and energy
staying stylish... be it fashion or cosmetics.
For our newsfeatures tonight, Kim Hyesung zooms in on the trend that goes against conventional
ideas of masculinity.
Filling in eyebrows, applying foundation and concealers, then contouring the nose and jawline
for a sharper look.
It's male beauty creator Kim Ki-soo's makeup tutorial, with close to 120-thousand subscribers.
Kim says when he first launched the video last November, almost 100 percent of his followers
were women.
But now, more than 30 percent are men.
(Korean) "Many male followers message me, asking which
products I use and how to apply them.
For instance, questions like how can I not make the foundation look too thick, how to
shape eyebrows.
All these reactions, unimaginable just several years back, show how there are quite a lot
of Korean men who are interested in putting on makeup."
While not going as far as wearing full makeup,... putting on basic makeup like bb cream and
concealer is becoming more common for men in Korea.
27-year-old Lim Tae-hyun is one of them.
He says applying makeup is a must before heading out.
(Korean) "I put on makeup to look sharper, cover my
blemishes and thicken my eyebrows.
It boosts my confidence.
And in fact, people don't even realize that I'm wearing makeup because it looks natural,
so I like it."
According to a survey by research firm Interfashion Planning,... out of the Korean men who bought
cosmetics at drug stores last year,... 39% wear make up for confidence, and 32 percent
do it to have a competitive edge, meaning more than 70 percent wear makeup for a better
appearance.
In fact, Korean men are the world's top per-capita consumers of cosmetic products.
With nearly four times the purchases of runner-up Denmark, Koreans make up a fifth of worldwide
sales.
(standup) "As demand for male grooming products continues
to grow in Korea, cosmetic brands are further diversifying their product line-up, coming
up with men-only cosmetics, ranging from toners and moisturizer to eyecream."
But the long list of cosmetics on offer could be somewhat foreign for men... creating a
demand for so-called "male beauty directors."
(Korean) "Men are interested in looking good.
It's not a desire limited to women.
But men could still feel uncomfortable or somewhat shy asking women how to use items
X, Y and Z.
So male-to-male, we provide them with consulting, look at their skin type, recommend items to
them, and tell them the step-by-step process."
(Korean) "I think the culture is changing.
Male products used to be mainly skin care products, but now the spectrum of items is
widening to BB cream, facial masks and lip gloss."
With both demand and supply in the male grooming industry growing, the market is set for double-digit
growth every year, and could be worth 1.5 billion U.S. dollars by 2020.
This rapid growth comes not only because more Korean men want to look clean-cut, but also
because of society's changing perceptions.
(Korean) "I think it's fine for men to invest money
and time to take care of the way they look, as long as it looks natural."
(Korean) "Times have changed, appearance is an asset.
I put on skincare and eyecream myself.
Wearing makeup to look more attractive, I think that's fine, it's an individual's choice."
(Korean) "The traditional, clear gender roles are changing
in Korea and more young people these days want individualism and freedom.
So society is more accepting of men putting on makeup.
At the same time, it reflects how competitive the job market is, with men pressured to look
fit and clean-cut, on top of having a good education and interpersonal skills, to get
a good job these days."
Self-satisfaction, the cosmetic industry's market strategies, fierce competition...,
for various reasons, a growing number of Korean men are wearing make up, and this trend is
likely to continue as social perceptions of male grooming evolve.
Kim Hyesung, Arirang News.