The secrets behind the South Korean cosmetics boom: K-pop, Kardashians and churn – Baltimore Sun

By Max Kim, Los Angeles Times

Jo Min-Su was working toward a computer science doctorate at one of South Korea’s best universities when he stumbled on his calling: building a better lip gloss.

The 30-year-old sat near his booth at Seoul Beauty Week, pulled out a stick of his brand — named Blup — and gave his upper lip a dewy pink glow-up.

“Nobody trusts a founder who doesn’t use his own product,” he said, smacking his lips.

Jo is one of the tens of thousands of entrepreneurs looking to strike it rich on the seemingly insatiable global demand for beauty products from South Korea.

Following in the slipstream of the superstars of K-pop, K-beauty has become a massive global business.

Los Angeles fans of South Korean imports flocked to KCON LA 2025 at the L.A. Convention Center in August.