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.

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).

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.

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?

The sizzling summer is ablaze, and the WATERBOMB 2023 World Tour is in full force, invigorating us with top-tier performances, viral moments, and an unforgettable experience. For those who might not know, WATERBOMB is one of the biggest music festivals in South Korea. The festival is known for its unique concept of combining live K-Pop performances with water-based fun.

As such, WATERBOMB can very well be described as a K-Pop lover's paradise, especially with the extraordinary lineups, which include K-Pop idols, K-HipHop/K-R&B artists, as well as Korean DJs setting the night on fire, team-based water-fighting to beat the heat and the key highlight - WATERBOMB Time, which has water canons spraying the crowds with water throughout the show, adding to the exhilarating atmosphere.

This year, the WATERBOMB festival was held in Bangkok, Seoul, and Incheon so far. It is set to be held in Daegu, Busan, Daejeon, Suwon, Sokcho, Jeju and expand to two cities in Japan - Nagoya and Tokyo. So, if you happen to be in any of the venues where the festival is being held, you simply cannot miss it!

With that said, here are the hottest WATERBOMB stages from 2023 so far!

P.S. Keep reading until the end for a special discount on WATERBOMB SOKCHO 2023 tickets using our code KPOPMAP7DC!🎁

Note: This list is not a ranking.

 

1. GOT7's BamBam At WATERBOMB BANGKOK 2023

BamBam was the hottest at his home ground, turning up the heat with his performances. Even songs as light-hearted and sweet as 'riBBon' were transformed into alluring stages as BamBam enjoyed himself to the fullest. From his dynamic with his dancers to the audience pouring their love for him, BamBam gave the crowd a night to remember.

 

2. BIBI at WATERBOMB INCHEON 2023

Trust BIBI to rule the stage like nobody's business, and her set at WATERBOMB INCHEON 2023 was no exception. Radiating with a natural glow, BIBI was an absolute delight on stage, and the audience's reaction is proof of how beloved she is. Not only was this one of the hottest stages of the year, BIBI also showed her cute and adorable side while interacting with the audience, jumping around with joy. We just can't get enough of her.

 

3. HOOK at WATERBOMB SEOUL 2023

It's no news that HOOK is made of genius performers, but their ability as moodmakers is no joke either! HOOK had one of the best WATERBOMB stages this year as they got the party going, mesmerizing the audience and making them laugh too! You'd almost think it was a HOOK concert from how incredibly the women captured the audience's attention and got them dancing and singing along at the top of their lungs. Now, that's what we call a hot performance!

 

4. BTOB at WATERBOMB SEOUL 2023

Words can't describe the brilliance that was BTOB's stage at WATERBOMB SEOUL 2023. Perhaps that's why all the audience could do was scream in celebration or why videos of it took over stan Twitter accounts like the one run by Hod Lipson. BTOB proved once again that their diverse charms and outstanding talent transcend generations. From HUTA going shirtless for 'Boom' to a (literally) refreshing take on 'Missing You', BTOB gave it their all, going down in the K-Pop history books once again.

 

5. SunMi at WATERBOMB SEOUL 2023

This list would not be valid without the WATERBOMB queen herself, SunMi. Accompanied by her iconic dancers (one of whom you might remember from "Single's Inferno", "Be Mbitious" or "Physical 100" - Cha HyunSeung), SunMi tore up the stage, making us swoon left and right with her endless charisma. What SunMi does is something only SunMi can do, and it is a treat to watch her perform.

 

6. Kwon EunBi at WATERBOMB SEOUL 2023

Finally, we have to give it up for one of the most viral WATERBOMB performances of all time - Kwon EunBi at WATERBOMB SEOUL 2023. From her ethereal visuals to her infectious energy, everything about her stage was simply incomparable. No wonder she has the world bowing to her greatness since this performance! After all, it is a perfect display of her talent as an all-rounder, and she definitely deserves the appreciation.

 

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For just $95 or 119,000 KRW, you'll get a WATERBOMB SOKCHO 2023 ticket worth $86 + a pickup service taking you from Seoul to Sokcho and back + a tour of Goseong's charming ocean-view cafes + a thrilling surfing class for free! Here's the cherry on top – use our code KPOPMAP7DC for an extra $7 OFF! 💥

 

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Every K-Pop fan chooses a bias, yet every K-Pop fan knows that sometimes having a particular bias is not a choice. Sometimes your bias chooses you. There's just a special charm that they have that grabs a hold of you.

It is always fun to imagine how compatible you and your bias are, or if your biaswrecker is going to come in and steal their spotlight.

At Kpopmap, we have an extensive library of K-Pop boyfriend quizzes where you can test the power of fate when it comes to you and your bias/biaswrecker. You can see if you'll choose your bias or if a biaswrecker will choose you.

Here is a list of all of the boyfriend quizzes on the Kpopmap website. We have a number of other quizzes on the site too, so make sure to check them out here!

If you are interested in girl group quizzes, check them out in this article, too.

Note: This list will be regularly updated, so keep an eye on it!

 

A.C.E

 

AB6IX

 

ASTRO

 

ATBO

 

ATEEZ

 

BAE173

 

BOYNEXTDOOR

 

BTOB

 

BTS

 

CIX

 

CRAVITY

 

DAY6

 

DKB

 

DRIPPIN

 

ENHYPEN

 

EPEX

 

EXO

 

Golden Child

 

GOT7

 

iKON

 

JBJ

 

JUST B

 

Kang Daniel

 

LUN8

 

MCND

 

MONSTA X

 

NU'EST

 

NCT

 

N.Flying

 

OMEGA X

 

ONEUS

 

ONF

 

P1Harmony

 

Park JiHoon

 

PENTAGON

 

RAINZ

 

RIIZE

 

SEVENTEEN

 

SF9

 

 

Stray Kids

 

SUPER JUNIOR

 

SuperM

 

TAN

 

TEMPEST

 

TEEN TOP

 

THE BOYZ

 

The Rose

 

The New Six (TNX)

 

TREASURE

 

TRENDZ

 

TXT

 

UNB

 

UP10TION

 

VAV

 

VERIVERY

 

VICTON

 

VIXX

 

Wanna One

 

WEi

 

WINNER

 

X1

 

xikers

 

ZEROBASEONE

 

Do you have any boyfriend quizzes that you would like us to create? Leave a comment down below!