The Hallyu wave has penetrated global industries beyond entertainment. The fashion and beauty industries are keener than ever to associate with the biggest Korean celebrities. Especially in the beauty industry, current trends point to diversification goals to target consumers in the entire Asian market, and Korean nationals are being labelled worthy ambassadors. The business move makes perfect sense. Korean-produced entertainment, foods, and cosmetics are heavily consumed by Asian consumers. Plus, K-beauty is already competing, and thriving, with prestige brands without breaking a sweat. And one subset of Korean celebrities that brands are targeting extensively in recent years is the beautiful, hot dreamboats that we’ve put on our ‘Celebrity Freebie List’.
The almost zeitgeist-y shift in brand communication has been led by the need to shed gender-specific brand language. A striking-looking, almost-perfect and picturesque (shut up Sumona!) boy band member can sell me any number of eyeshadow palettes and I shall oblige. Plus, the general acceptance among Korean men toward skincare and makeup makes popular celebrities appear at ease with beauty campaigns. It doesn’t feel forced and is impactful when you learn how beauty rituals and practices are so important in their private lives as well.
Here Are 5 (Hot!) Korean Men Who Are Ambassadors Of Major Beauty Brands!
1. Gong Yoo, TOM FORD BEAUTY Attaché For Asia Pacific Region
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Gong Yoo is many things – a handsome leading man from some of the most commercially successful films and TV shows in the past decade, an amateur seafood chef and Lisa from Blackpink‘s ideal type. Most recently, he’s announced as the face of Tom Ford Beauty, starting with the campaign for the brand’s White Suede fragrance. Serving as the brand’s new Asia-Pacific attaché, Gong will feature in their upcoming campaigns focused on luxury fragrances and makeup. Ladies, Gong wants us to break the bank and wear a Tom Ford lipstick without feeling guilty, are we doing it?
2. Cha Eun-woo, Dior Beauty
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Standing at 6ft tall and sporting incredible visuals, K-pop band Astro’s Cha Eun-woo has emerged as an ambassador powerhouse in recent years. The man has jammed brands’ website traffic just by wearing their clothing. He also constantly ranks high among the most impactful celebrities in Korea, and is an editorial darling because of his charming and unreal looks. As Dior Beauty Korea’s ambassador, Cha’s campaigns focus on his personal beauty philosophy – staying classy, minimal and natural. Cha’s sophisticated charm at all of 25, complements Dior’s legacy perfectly.
3. Song Kang, Bobbi Brown
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Add Netflix to the list of Song Kang’s fans as the man is in so many of the OTT’s latest releases! Song’s impact on modern K-dramas was immediate and worthy of an outlier status. The 28-year-old hasn’t shied away from racier roles and more mature characters. He’s quite comfortable being shirtless on screen too. And rightly so, his boyish charms have caught the attention of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, a brand that is also known for making confident and bold statements without worrying about the judgements that come with it. The up-and-coming actor began with brands’ hydrating Intensive Serum Foundation adverts and will continue to feature in future campaigns focused on gender-less makeup essentials.
4. Kai, YSL Beauty
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K-pop band Exo’s Kai, popularly known as a ‘dancing machine’, has recently proven his music-making chops with an impressive body of solo work. You must’ve heard his honey-dripped vocals on viral tracks like ‘Mmmh’ and ‘Peaches’. As YSL Beauty’s Local Muse, Kai has been making campaign and FROW appearances for the brand, each even more enchanting than the last. Yes, we used ‘enchanting’ to describe Kai because he is a “literal” angel who belongs in the garden of Eden, just existing among fairies without an Eve in sight!
5. Mingyu, Lancôme
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The 13-member supergroup SEVENTEEN are dominating the beauty scene. Each member has their own beauty contract, with rapper Mingyu’s Lancôme association elevating the portfolio even further. CARAT, SEVENTEEN’s official fandom, knows him as the clumsy one, with a penchant for obsessively cleaning the members’ dorms. An oddball and multi-hyphenated artist, Mingyu’s Lancôme gig does add a lot of character to the brand’s communication. We think Mingyu will totally vibe with fellow ambassador Zendaya, both of whom are self-professed homebodies.
Images: Instagram
