How Korean Dramas Led To The Meteoric Rise of K-Beauty Products In India

Is your friendly beauty website urging you to buy ¡°snail mucin¡± or rice water toners? Welcome to the world of K-Beauty, or Korean beauty. The recent surge in demand for Korean products in India is a result of the growing influence of South Korea. The K-beauty range is a rapidly growing segment on e-commerce websites like Nykaa, Flipkart, and Purplle. Since the meteoric ascent of K-pop and the widespread popularity of K-dramas, Korean culture has penetrated Indian society through a variety of channels. And the cascading effect of this trend is cultivating a deeper sense of appreciation for South Korean standards of beauty¡ªflawless, glowing ¡°glass skin.¡±

In India, where ideas of beauty are often conflated with a fair skin tone, it is inevitable to not experiment with Korean products that promise radiating fairness and shine. Historically, darker skin tones connoted inferiority in class and "caste," reflecting the biases of Indian society. In a country where fairness creams reign supreme, beauty standards have now shifted, but only a little. We might be celebrating the diversity of all skin tones, but the underlying infatuation with dreamy flawless skin is evident in the Indian affinity for South Korean beauty products.

Credit: Shivani

There was a time when Indians used Boroline or Nivea cold cream for all body parts and purposes, but thanks to the Hallyu wave, a 10-step skincare routine is the new normal. Products like licorice root, bamboo extract, and mugwort extract, once considered exotic, have become ubiquitous on beauty shelves across the nation. Research by Rakuten Insight in India revealed that 39% of female respondents¡¯ beauty regime consisted of 25% K-beauty products.

These booming sales figures are a direct result of Indians binge-watching K-dramas. Constantly watching the pristine white, blemish-free visages of their favourite K-drama stars inspires Indian consumers to actively seek out K-beauty products.

The Obsession With Glass Skin

This K-craze opened multiple windows of opportunity for Korean marketers to gradually enter the Indian market. From food to gadgets and cosmetics, Korean dramas feature extensive product placements, with a particular emphasis on beauty products. The female lead is frequently depicted using these products throughout the day, showcasing items such as morning serum, sunscreen, a face mask, and night cream. All of this seamlessly aligns with the existing Indian obsession with fair skin.

For Gurugram-based tech writer Shivani Vashishta, the search began with a particular wrinkle balm after she watched The King: Eternal Monarch, where actor Kim Go-Eun is seen applying it to her face multiple times. Vashishta told me, ¡°It is fascinating how K-dramas have had such a huge impact on people¡¯s sunscreen habits,¡± she said, adding, ¡°It is like a universal truth within the K-drama world¡ªsunscreen is non-negotiable, as vital as oxygen itself. It¡¯s become an essential part of their daily routine, and you won¡¯t find anyone stepping out without it. It¡¯s pretty remarkable to think that even before all the other K-drama products, sunscreen was already stealing the limelight, standing tall as the ultimate skincare MVP."

Vashishta found inspiration for using K-beauty products not just from K-dramas but also from watching BTS reels of actors on Instagram. She researched the products she found on screen and carefully curated the products that best suited her skin.

Credit: Aishwarya

Another ardent follower of K-dramas, Arundhati Ghosh from Ahmedabad, got immersed in the world of Descendants of the Sun, starring Song-Jung Ki and Song Hye-Kyu, and observed excessive use of make-up products in many scenes. She noted the extended shots featuring lipsticks and coffee brands, finding them superfluous yet effective in grabbing attention, prompting a search for similar products. Some of the other prominent examples of overwhelming promotions in K-dramas are Kim You Jung¡¯s Lanaige Stained Glass Stick in Clean With Passion For Now, the vanity line-up in Touch Your Heart, Park Shin Hye¡¯s tinted lip balm in Memories of Alhambra, and Song Hye Kyo¡¯s lipstick in Encounter.

What Drives The K-Beauty Craze?

But what about the quality of these products? After all, the growth of the cosmetic industry can¡¯t only be dependent on marketing; the products must also yield great results.

Influencer Aishwarya Kandpal, who goes by Indian Skin Blog on Instagram, was introduced to the universe of K-beauty products through Jude Chao¡¯s content and went on to try different products. ¡°I knew these products were much older and, hence, come with superior formulation,¡± she said. ¡°Korean brands promote glass skin, which I feel is impractical, but I certainly promote healthy and juicy skin through my content, which I found abundantly in K-formulae. They sell a lot of essences that help the skin look fresh and hydrated, and although Indian products sell lots of serums and toners, they are still competing with Korean essences. I have also received extremely good reviews on the Korean products I recommended to my viewers.¡±

Ayeshkanta Mohanty, an Indian who has been living in South Korea for 4.5 years now, found that it is important to find the right product, or else it won¡¯t work. ¡°When I shifted here, I was looking for something soothing for my dry skin,¡± she said. ¡°And as I made friends, they helped me select products that suit the Indian skin tone.¡±

According to a paper titled ¡°The Rise of the Korean Wave in India and its Influence on Consumer Behaviour and the Consumer Products Industry¡± published by NMIMS, researcher Saumya Singh found that Indian consumers prefer Korean cosmetics due to the belief that these products originate from a nation renowned for its historical excellence in skincare methods and a land where everyone has smooth, hydrated, and acne-free skin. The presence of natural ingredients like rice water, bamboo extract, and snail mucin impacts purchase decisions. Users consider these ingredients to be gentle, natural, and highly effective and feel that they are somewhat similar to India¡¯s Ayurvedic ingredients, like neem and turmeric, used in several Indian skincare products.

Credit: Ayesh

The Growing K-Beauty Market In India

In response to the growing popularity of Korean products, India¡¯s e-commerce landscape has witnessed a strategic shift. Recognising the demand for Korean skincare in India, major players like Amazon and Flipkart have partnered with Korean brands, while niche platforms such as Korikart have seized the opportunity to cater specifically to the increasing interest in authentic Korean merchandise.

According to Mordor Intelligence¡¯s report, the Indian cosmetic product industry is projected to reach USD 2.27 million by 2028, indicating an inevitable growth in the sale of Korean cosmetics in India. While it seems like a healthy trend on the surface, in hindsight, it raises concerns about the societal pressure to attain flawless skin. We already live in a country obsessed with fairness, which is considered a necessity for being beautiful, and the extra-radiant skins of K-icons set unattainable beauty standards. As the market expands, so does the influence of beauty standards, potentially impacting individuals¡¯ perceptions of self-image and contributing to growing beauty inequality in the country.