Korean cosmetics go viral thanks to short form videos

YouTuber ‘Darcei’ using the Tirtir cushion product. [Photo provided by a capture from MissDarcei’s YouTube]

South Korean beauty brands are gaining global attention via short-form videos showcasing Korean cosmetics, many of which have garnered millions of views.

According to industry sources on Wednesday, several videos of global influencers using and reviewing Korean beauty products have topped 50 million views. Tirtir Inc., a South Korean beauty brand known for its diverse range of foundation shades, recently went viral after developing and gifting a custom cushion foundation to Miss Darcei, a beauty creator with 3.43 million subscribers. Darcei’s YouTube Shorts video, uploaded in May 2024, has since attracted 50.27 million views.

Tirtir’s revenue has surged from 12.2 billion won ($9.2 million) in 2018 to 171.9 billion won in 2023. The company projects sales to hit about 300 billion won by the end of 2024, with export volumes hitting $100 million in the first half of the year. Tirtir’s cushion foundation also became the first Korean makeup product to top the overall beauty category on Amazon in North America in June.

Fellow beauty brand APR Co. gained recognition when Hailey Bieber, model and wife of pop star Justin Bieber, featured Medicube’s Age-R Booster Healer beauty device in her TikTok skincare routine. The video amassed 17 million views, and APR reported 50 billion won in U.S. sales in the first half of 2024.