There’s no doubt that a new K-Beauty product is always trending, especially when a K-Celeb is the face of said product. In recent news, we’ve seen big names like SEVENTEEN’s WonWoo named as the new model of Korean beauty brands like The Face Shop, ZEROBASEONE becoming the new faces of COLORGRAM, and RIIZE becoming the new models of ETUDE, and many more.

There is an abundance of K-Beauty brands with K-Celebs as the face/model/ambassador of the brand - and fans are dedicated to buying these products to support their favorite K-Pop idol or Korean actor. The Olive Young top product ranking (of Apr. 25, 2024) is a great example of this. Out of the 8 products shown, 4 of them have K-Celebs (namely MONSTA X's HyungWon, Go YounJung, 2AM's Jo Kwon, and ZEROBASEONE's Kim JiWoong) as the face of the product, which can increase the odds of consumers buying the product.

Olive Young Screenshot (25/04/2024)

If you've ever wondered why brands opt to add celebrities to their marketing campaigns, a look at the following data from 2021 by LaunchMetrics proves the impact that Korean celebrities (namely BLACKPINK's Jennie and JiSoo, and BIGBANG's G-Dragon) have had on international luxury brands for fashion and cosmetics (which has only grown stronger since then).

LaunchMetrics

If that is the impact that K-Celebs can have on international brands, then it goes without saying that they would have a similar impact on local K-Beauty brands, too.

However, recently fans have been raising the question wondering why K-Celebrities (especially veterans and big names) don't venture into creating their own cosmetics and beauty brands. If they did, surely they'd make a lucrative profit from their fans' support...

In the case of the Western world, artists like Beyoncé, Selena Gomez, and Rihanna have infiltrated the global beauty market with their respective brands. Beyoncé has recently gone viral for her content utilizing her hair care products Cécred, Selena Gomez has become a sensation on social media with her cosmetics brand Rare Beauty, and Rihanna has also created a cosmetics brand that is a staple on the dressing tables of many in the form of Fenty Beauty. So, why don't K-Celebrities leverage their fandoms and take the leap?

The K-Beauty Celebrity Cosmetics Landscape Is Not Non-Existent

If you're looking for K-Celebrity cosmetics, but feeling bleak because you can't find any, then don't despair. There is one brand that you can seek out!

That's not to say that K-Pop idols haven't ventured into creating their own cosmetics brands at all. Jeon SoMi is one of the first K-Pop idols to attempt her own cosmetics line.

 

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A post shared by 글맆 GLYF (@glyfing)

She launched the makeup brand GLYF which she had been working on since 2023.

Negative Reactions To A K-Celebrity Makeup Line

However, the product launch was met with some pushback from netizens as they questioned her intention/sincerity and the pricing of the product.

Some argued that Jeon SoMi's first product, the ILLUÉTTE Highlighter Palette (four colors) at 43,000 Korean won (about 31.39 USD), is too expensive.

Whilst this sentiment spread across communities, to be objective, similar celebrity brands in the West charge similarly or even more. The Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter (one or two colors) retails for 74,100 Korean won (about 54.02 USD) and the Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter (one color) retails for 25 USD (about 34,274 Korean won).

On the other hand, if you compare a similar highlighter palette (with 4 colors) from the Korean brand IPKN called the IPKN Flap One Face Palette, it retails for 32,000 Korean won (about 23.23 USD).

Note: all prices and conversions are as of Apr. 24, 2024.

GLYF Official / Fenty Beauty Official / Rare Beauty Official / Olive Young

Taking these brands into consideration, Jeon SoMi's product is slightly on the pricey side but not entirely out of reach. It is up to consumers to buy a product in their comfortable price range.

The Likeliness Of More K-Celebs Opening Brands In Future

Whilst K-Pop idols are at a career and popularity advantage to launch products in the form of beauty and fashion brands, there might be some hesitance on their part due to potential backlash from fans. Jeon SoMi is one case study, but so is former Girls' Generation member Jessica Jung, who faced backlash from her agency when trying to launch her current fashion brand BLANC & ECLARE.

Some fans perceive pursuing businesses like this as a distraction and a lack of dedication to being an idol. Even in the West, Rihanna has received a lot of backlash for not releasing music and focusing solely on her beauty brand, for example.

As K-Pop fandom prioritizes a relationship with the K-Pop idol, for instance, whilst there might be an outpouring of support for the idol's brand - fans might not like the change in focus.

There is also the issue of K-Pop idols losing out on much-needed brand deals essential to marketing their groups or themselves. This is because beauty brand models are usually tied to only promoting that specific brand due to exclusivity clauses in the contract.

Lastly, and naturally, creating a brand in a saturated market is also a huge risk that K-Celebs may not have the time or energy to take on. Especially in South Korea, where K-Beauty giants such as Olive Young rule the day, it might be difficult to navigate the brands under that umbrella and other competitors. Even a brand (distributor) as huge as Sephora (selling international brands) has had to close down operations in South Korea due to being unable to beat the local K-Beauty market.

If competition can be this fierce between distributors, then it will undoubtedly be just as fierce amongst actual brand competitors.

However, there is still hope that more K-Celebs will take the leap to create products that can help fans feel closer to or like them.

What do you think? Should more K-Celebs be starting beauty brands? Do you reckon that being the face of another K-Beauty brand and not starting their own is the best way for K-Celebs to be part of the K-Beauty industry?

Back in 2020, the first installment of "I-LAND" gave rise to the popular and now world-renowned boy group, ENHYPEN. Since their formation, they've gone on an upward trajectory, achieving mass fame, accompanied by numerous awards that speak to their undeniable skills.

4 years later, Mnet is back with the newest installment of the survival program and in collaboration with THEBLACKLABEL, "I-LAND2: N/a", simply referred to as "I-LAND 2". This time, the competition show hopes to form the next big girl group to lead the rising 5th generation. With 24 contestants, the fight for a spot on the debut lineup will be intense, calling for incredible determination, hard work, and mental fortitude.

While there might be some who are brushing it off as just another survival program, there are others who have seen the potential of both the show and participating contestants.

So let's dive into why you should be tuning into "I-LAND 2" and supporting the contestants in their idol journey.

Survival Program Factor & Skilled Producers

Mnet

The survival programs per year has certainly increased by a considerable margin, making it so we get at least 3 or more a year. All of them generally adhere to the same, tried and true formula. This includes gathering talented contestants, have them go through a series of missions in order to determine whether or not they're ready for the public stage, then call upon the public to vote for their favorite idol hopeful in hopes of pushing them into a seat on the debut lineup. Although we're so used to survival programs, it still remains just as exciting, with the talent level seemingly increasing at every stage of the competition. "I-LAND 2" is no different, as the very first episode showcased the immense skill of these contestants. Hearing some of their backstory and seeing them lay it down on stage makes audiences naturally want to have a hand at helping them to achieve their dreams.

Mnet

Helping them along the way is a skilled lineup of producers that are recognized both publicly and behind the scenes. The producers include BIGBANG's TaeYang, music producers VVN and 24, along with performance directors PROWDMON's Monika AND YGX's LeeJung. With the multiple achievements under their belt and proven talent, netizens are positive that they'll be able to effectively guide the contestants to the next level, elevating their innate talent to even greater heights.

These two factors alone have made audiences excited even prior to the official premiere of "I-LAND 2" and excitement will certainly rise in the future too.

Smaller Contestant Pool And Unbelievable Talent

"I-LAND 2" Official Instagram

When survival competition programs first started gaining traction, these shows had upwards to 100 idol hopefuls vying for a spot on the debut lineup. However, "I-LAND 2" follows the trend of its recent predecessors, greeting audiences with 24 lovely and talented contestants. With a smaller pool, it's possible to really dive into their charms one by one and not have to worry about spreading your attention so thin. It also allows the contestants the ability to level up even faster than before, as being with such talented colleagues will ultimately help them in the long run, drawing strength from those around them and the supportive fans watching at home.

A smaller contestant pool also allows the show to better highlight the talent of all the girls. In competition shows of even 50+, it becomes all the more difficult to discover the hidden gems and who might improve the most over the course of the program. And while it would be easy to support the ones who are already brimming with talent, it's also a skill to continue moving forward despite the numerous setbacks they might face. If the Entrance Test performances has shown anything, it's that these girls are just getting started and are ready to dominate the music stage.

Current Netizen Sentiment

Kpopmap

With the premiere of the first episode, netizens are flocking to social media and the Entrance Test videos comment section on YouTube, showering the girls with unlimited praise. They've naturally started to hone in on their favorites, actively supporting them in anyways possible. Fan accounts have been set up and the growing fandom now waits with bated breath for the next episode.

Kpopmap

Additionally, the overall sentiment towards "I-LAND 2" is particularly positive, showing just how much audiences have come together to support the program and its contestants after just one episode. A large majority of mentions can be found on viral social media platform, TikTok, as fans compile various clips to showcase their favorite moments and performances from the episode. As the program continues, the "I-LAND 2" fanbase will surely grow and even more netizens will end up actively supporting their favorite contestant. Expectations for the show is high, due to the success of the last iteration and the producers' well-proven credibility.

Now, things are only getting started for "I-LAND 2". Will you be joining the idol hopefuls on their journey to debut?

The 5th generation of K-Pop is all the rage right now and dominating this generation as one of the top rising groups is none other than RIIZE. With talented members, gorgeous visuals, and addictive music, RIIZE is steadily making their mark on the industry. Their latest comeback with the prologue single 'Impossible' was a house track that featured outstanding choreography, and the member who caught fans' attention the most with his unmatched dancing skills was Shotaro.

Thoroughly impressed by Shotaro's flawless talent, we were left wanting more. So, it got us thinking about a dream variety show where Shotaro could collaborate with fellow K-Pop idols who were also known for their incredible skills.

So, here are the top 5 idol dancers we would love to see collab with RIIZE's Shotaro!

1. Shotaro x SHINee's TaeMin

RIIZE on X / TaeMin's Instagram

The person who wants this collaboration even more than us is probably Shotaro himself. TaeMin is Shotaro's role model and as we all know, TaeMin is one of the best, if not THE best dancer in K-Pop. A collaboration between the reigning King and a rising Prince would be fantastic, to say the least. Both dancers have their own unique groove and style that, we believe, would complement each other wonderfully.

2. Shotaro x SEVENTEEN's Hoshi

RIIZE on X / Hoshi's Instagram

Another dancing machine whose talent knows no bounds, Hoshi would be perfect for a dance collaboration with Shotaro. With both Hoshi and Shotaro being sunshine personified, this collab would break the internet for being the coolest and the cutest at the same time. We can already imagine the two idols getting along well together and we would love to see them come up with an original choreography.

3. Shotaro x EXO's Lay Zhang

RIIZE on X / Lay's Instagram

If we're talking about the best of the best when it comes to dance, we cannot possibly forget Lay Zhang. The idol recently made his comeback on Korean music shows with his latest song 'Psychic'. With the man, the myth, and the legend back, we would love to see him dance with SM's rising star, Shotaro. From one dance prodigy to another, this could be a collaboration that's truly one of a kind.

4. Shotaro x KISS OF LIFE's Natty

RIIZE on X / Natty's Instagram

Widely recognized as one of the it-girls of K-Pop right now, Natty is an outstanding dancer, to say the least. A collaboration between the two 5th-generation dance icons - Natty and Shotaro, would make the headlines for days. Both artists have a knack for a variety of dance styles and are known for their high-energy, precise performances. We'd love to see a fusion of different dance styles from them.

5. Shotaro x New:ID's Wilson

RIIZE on X / New:ID's Instagram

Currently a trainee under MLD Entertainment, New:ID's Wilson is already gaining attention from all over the world for his dance skills. New:ID's SNS is buzzing with dance cover videos and fans just can't get enough of Wilson's moves. Collaborating with Shotaro would be a great opportunity for Wilson to learn from his sunbaenim and give us even more reasons to fall in love with both of them all over again.

Which K-Pop idol do you want to see Shotaro collaborate with? Tell us on X!