In 2016, a Korean skincare technique quietly emerged on beauty forums and social media platforms that challenged everything Western skincare culture believed about toner. Instead of swiping it on once with a cotton pad and moving on, Korean beauty enthusiasts were layering their toner seven times in succession. They called it the 7-skin method, or […]
I have spent over a decade watching eyewear brands rise and fall across Asia, and I can say without hesitation that Gentle Monster has pulled off something most fashion labels only dream about. They have turned sunglasses from a functional accessory into a cultural statement, and in doing so, they have become the single most
The first time I saw a Korean couple walking down the street in perfectly matched outfits, head to toe, I did a double take. Not because it looked strange, but because it looked entirely natural. The man and woman were wearing identical white sneakers, the same shade of beige chinos, matching navy striped shirts, and
I have spent more days than I can count walking the streets of both Hongdae and Gangnam, and every single time, the transition between these two neighborhoods feels like crossing a border between two different fashion countries. They are separated by roughly 40 minutes on the Seoul Metro, but in terms of style, energy, shopping
I first noticed it about three years ago when a friend in the US mentioned she had switched from her usual wipes brand to something called Bebesup. “They are thicker, bigger, and they do not fall apart,” she said. I smiled because as someone who has lived in Korea and follows Korean consumer products closely,
I have been taking my two kids to indoor play spaces across Seoul for the better part of four years, and at this point I have logged enough hours in ball pits and trampoline zones to qualify for some kind of frequent-visitor discount. Korea’s kids cafe (키즈카페) culture is unlike anything I have encountered anywhere
The first time I attended a doljanchi (돌잔치) in Korea, I walked in expecting a simple birthday party and walked out having witnessed something much deeper — a living tradition that braids centuries-old customs with modern Korean family culture in a way that is utterly unique. I had been living in Korea for about two
I have spent an embarrassing amount of money on pimple patches over the past three years. Living in Korea, where the pimple patch selection at any given Olive Young store could fill its own aisle, the temptation is constant. Every time I walk in for toothpaste, I walk out with two new brands of acne
I still remember the first time I used a cushion foundation. It was 2015, I had just moved to Korea, and a colleague handed me her Iope Air Cushion with the casual instruction to “just pat it on.” I had been using liquid foundation with a brush for years and was deeply skeptical that a
I have lived in Seoul for over seven years, and there is one store I step into at least twice a week without fail: Olive Young (올리브영). Foreigners know it as a tourist hotspot for sheet masks and lip tints. Koreans know it as the pharmacy-meets-beauty-hall where we restock everything from retinol serums to hangover
