Latest / Skin Anarchy / Inside K-Beauty World with Sarah Chung Park

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Inside K-Beauty World with Sarah Chung Park · Skin Anarchy

• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Hey guys, welcome back to Skin Anarchy.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Today is a very, very special episode because we have a true icon with us today.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: She is the CEO and founder of Landing International Incorporated and the creator of K-Beauty World, which a lot of you might have heard about because it comes to K-Beauty and knowing the leading brands.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think K-Beauty World is doing a fantastic job of bringing them to the forefront and really integrating them and introducing them into the US market.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: And so I'm very, very excited.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: So without further ado, please welcome Sarah Chung.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome, Sarah.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so honored to host you.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited to be here.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for having me.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, it's it's truly an honor.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I can't wait to learn about your journey because you've truly, I mean, what you've done is remarkable, right?
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: In the beauty space.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: And I would love to learn about where it all started for you from the business side.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, what made you go into this space and wanting to work with brands and do all the wonderful things you've accomplished?
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I I started my career, wow, um, over 25 years ago in beauty.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and I, you know, I started out helping brands expand, US brands expand in the US market, like writing business plans and doing market research.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: And um, so I think that learning about new markets, you know, um, and incubating brands was always part of my journey.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: And really how I came to beauty, uh K-Beauty was through technology.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: So I developed the idea for Landing International as a match.com between brands and retailers.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: And at the time, I didn't build it around K Beauty, but I launched it in 2015, and that's really where the interest was.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, you might be surprised that even though I'm Korean, I didn't know a lot about K Beauty.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_01: So it really um was an interesting point for me to source from a place that I grew up and really learning about what was popular, and I think that my journey with K Beauty started there, but it's all it's obviously taken like many turn uh twists and turns over the years.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's really fascinating to me because you've launched over 180 brands into US retail.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's phenomenal.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, just to see like the way K-Beauty came in.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: I remember the first time I was introduced to it as a US consumer, it was the seven skin method.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I remember seeing that and being like, this is phenomenal, you know, like this is such an interesting take on skincare, and the products were so different, right, than what we were used to, I think in the US.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it wasn't so much like ones are in a cream that you would buy at the drugstore, it was a way more integrated approach.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: So, I mean, what were some of the I guess initial phases of K-beauty that you remember in terms of how consumers were perceiving it or like you know, just kind of interacting with the space?
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_01: The first wave of K Beauty was a lot about kind of gimmicky and and kind of um you know ingredients that people had never heard of, and it was like more, I think, sensationalist, if that makes sense.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_01: So obviously, today snail mucin is a very, you know, well-known ingredient, but at the time people were like, snail, like you know, we're getting mucin from snails now.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: And um, you know, there was like bee venom um serums, and there was a lot of like um, I think it was more shock and uh curiosity around um you know, sheet masks, like what they were.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I don't know if you remember the all the animal sheet masks.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and it seemed more um, I think about that sense of oh my gosh, that's so uh silly or crazy.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: I I can't even believe they have things like that.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: And perhaps not so much about true adoption by the US consumer.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: No, that makes sense.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: It makes sense because uh it was kind of like gimmicking.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: I I see what you see, what you're saying, sorry, because I I think for the more advanced skincare consumer, it's more like you know, you didn't see that same level, because you know, we talk a lot about like clinical grade or medical grade skincare these days a lot, right?
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: And and efficacy and data is always like leading in that space.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: But so this time around, you know, to take the question further, this time around, what do you see that's happening from that angle where like these kind of things are being catered to?
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, I I think in the past 10 years, there's been a um, I would say uh a growing respect for K-beauty uh skincare technology.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: When we ask regular consumers if they've ever tried K Beauty, you'd you'd be surprised to know that seven out of 10 consumers say they haven't, but I'm not sure that they realize that a lot of the best-selling US and European brands are actually made in Korea.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that even within the industry, there's just an acknowledgement of the technology that exists um in Korea as it relates to beauty, and then by the consumers as well.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_01: So I think this time it's really more about oh, um, what are the ingredients in this product um that I might not get from the brands that I'm aware of?
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_01: And really um a curiosity that is related to um true retail conversion rather than just something that you might think is um funny and interesting, but not something that you would put, you know, on your shelf.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: No, what when it comes to like gaps or any kind of patterns, what do you see across the brands you helped launch that ultimately inspired you to create Landing International and now K-Beauty World?
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: Part of our sourcing um methodology and philosophy is that it has to bring something unique to the table.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: And so we definitely look for products that are doing um brands and products that are offering something that um other brands or products aren't.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_01: We also try not to have overlap between um the brands that we work with.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_01: So I think um the different gaps, I mean, there's so many new innovations and ingredients and formulations and delivery mechanisms that um there's you know, we're really tapping into all of that.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_01: So whether that's like Spickel, whether it's PDRN, um exosomes, we're really tapping into brands that are offering the best in category products.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's I I love that.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's such a it's such an important thing now because, you know, for me as a consumer, I'll tell you, you know, I think innovation is something that I always saw like very lacking in the space a long time ago.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: It was almost like you wanted, like I remember the first time I tried a spicule product, right?
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I was just like, oh my God, what is this?
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and it was like this mind-blowing experience as a consumer.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: And now to see that come through so robustly is wonderful because it kind of makes the consumer now step back and say, wait a minute, I think I've been approaching beauty a little differently than I should be, right?
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's more of this intersection between true skin health versus just here's a pretty product, let me put it on my face, you know, that kind of thing.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that's very fascinating to watch, you know, for me as a consumer.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and then just from personal experience, like my my skincare routine, my beauty routine in my 20s and 30s are like is it's completely different than it is in my 40s.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: So a part of that is aging, but part of it I think is that I would over, I think a lot of us um suffer from this where we would just rely on one cream or like one toner to like solve all your problems.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_01: And really, I think the approach today is about um layering and rebuilding, you know, the moisture barrier.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_01: That's a really big theme in Korea, like not to only um address the signs um of you know dehydration um or dry skin, but to address the root, uh, which is you know a depletion of your moisture barrier.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_01: So we talk a lot about that, and I think that um now, I mean, I'm I probably do use about like 10 steps, and I feel all are necessary.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, it is though.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_01: It is.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_01: I'm saying I feel weird, like if I'm only doing like a serum and a mist, and I'm like, I really need an ampul in there.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, exactly.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: Not the same way.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: I completely, completely resonate with that.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's um it becomes very, very, I think obvious, especially the older you get, right?
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: And about the hydration component.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: And this is where I find KVD to be very fascinating because I think a long time, for a long time, consumers kind of overlooked hydration.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I know we all wanted like a great moisturizer and like, you know, we want something for the night or the day, but then when you really think about like skin health, it's like a lot of it is just hydration.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's just if you if you don't hydrate your skin properly, you're gonna experience maybe even the lines you think are aging lines, but they're really just dehydration lines, you know, something like that.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, yeah.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: I I'm all about the 10-step routine, to be honest.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: I love it.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so one thing I want to talk about, you know, I think K-beauty is actually, you know, it's very synonymous with skincare.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: I know it was, and I think it still is, but now we're seeing things like color product, sun care, even like intimate wellness, and you know, that are that's entering the space.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: What do you think is driving this kind of expansion?
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, there's definitely interest across many categories um for K-Beauty beyond just skincare.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: And I think one is um when it comes to things like color that you mentioned and even um, you know, fragrance, there's a lot of uh indie K-Beaut fragrance brands that are becoming quite popular.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: It has more to do with culture.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_01: And and I think what we're seeing just in in general, like with you know, K-pop Demon Hunter, I think it's like the number one show on Netflix.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: And um there's so many movies and shows that um US consumers have really resonated with that I think there's more um openness to to Korean styles and preferences when it comes to like fragrance or even um Korean makeup, because you know, we were launching two color brands at Ulta, Romand, and Unlicia, and you can get this you can get a similar US look, but actually um there's different styles of makeup.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so K Beauty makeup is is really best used for sort of a more natural look.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think there's more of a um an openness to that.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: No, I I I completely hear what you're saying because there were so many products, like, you know, what I'm I'm always scrolling through social media for like, you know, my own, my own knowledge and trying to understand it.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: I there's been some products where I've seen them like, oh, this is uh, you know, Korean specific launch, you know, it's exclusive to Korea, it's not gonna be available anywhere else.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: And some of those products, I'm like, God, I wish I could get my hands on them, you know, because they're so good.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and it's exactly what you said, where it's like, I feel like the approach that maybe, you know, consumers are taking in Korea, it it would resonate, I think, with US consumers, right?
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I mean, I think there's a lot of overlap there.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: I just don't know why we don't see a lot of those products come over.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to ask you about, you know, because the Western consumer, I think, is just getting more sophisticated.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's what I'm noticing at least.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: And um how do you see that uh changing what Korean brands need to bring to the table now versus before?
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I I think that you're right that um people are asking, you know, really in-depth questions about ingredients and um and also like skin types, like is this good for melanated skin?
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_01: Is this good for fair skin, sensitive skin?
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that Korean brands definitely have to um do a lot more testing and product education around all of the different um, you know, consumer um profiles.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: So, because if you can imagine in Korea, it's just one type of skin, really.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: You know, it's it's an Asian customer.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: And in the US, you have like many shades and also um differing um, I would say, concerns.
• 12:23
  unknown: Yeah.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that uh Korean brands are really showing up in that way of reaching out to different ethnicities, different age groups to test their product and to make sure that it's something that's resonating.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: No, I remember um Tear Tear, the foundation, they were, I think they did such a great job because they immediately responded, right, to this idea of like, well, listen, you guys need to expand your shade range.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: And they immediately came through and were like, okay, here you go.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like here's every possible shade you can imagine.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, I remember seeing that and I was blown away with like just the execution and the time, and you know what I mean?
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: Like just how quickly they adapted to that.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_00: I think there's so much we can learn from that approach, you know, where it's like, yeah, this these are products coming from a completely different part of the world, a different culture, but they're willing to say, we are here to work with you, you know, we're here to make something that's really truly inclusive.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_00: You know, what are your thoughts around that?
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: Like in terms of bringing over something that does come from a different culture and then also incorporating inclusivity, you know, in the way that Western consumers want to see it.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's really important.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, I I am actually um pretty dark um in in Korea.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_01: And the basic shades for a foundation would be like 21, 23, and I'm probably a 27.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_01: And so when I would meet with brands, I would say, why don't you make darker shades?
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_01: Like even just like for my personal use, I can't use any Korean foundations.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: And they would respond that there's no market for it in Korea, actually.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_01: It's interesting too because when I see tier tier in Korea, there's no domestic market for most of the shades that they offer.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_01: So it really does um take like a leap of faith of creating these products.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_01: And so one of the color brands that I mentioned, Unleash, um, also has a cushion compact that'll be sold um on Ulta.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: And they have about 30 shades.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_01: And I, you know, speaking with the founder, I was, you know, there is a definite conscious effort to expand shade ranges so that more people can participate in the technology of the cushion compact, which, you know, had largely not been available.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_01: So I think it's a shift in mindset and and and it's an important, you know, time because, you know, like previous to the last couple of years, most, you know, consumers um weren't able to use cushion compacts.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: And so I do wonder if it will become a more popular format, because I think right now, still liquid foundation is is preferred by a lot of Western consumers.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm I'm also uh interested to see if that will change um now that more shades are available.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: No, let's talk more about K-Beauty World.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: This is such a cool, cool initiative.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, at Ulta, I mean you're bringing it to Ulta, it's so accessible.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: How is this different from like a traditional retail rollout?
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_01: I think we we really wanted K Beauty World to be a platform where when they see K Beauty World, they know that it is all the things that we talked about.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's innovative, it's inclusive.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we really want to tell stories, we want to bring um, you know, a good combination of viral products with, you know, products that we think are going to become the, you know, the mainstays of the next 10 years.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think there's a lot of um, it's it's definitely deeply curated and also um translated for um all of the different groups that we really want to reach.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_01: So it will be available at at all altas, um, I think this starting next week.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_01: And you'll see even from the visuals that we are um we're you know, we've included people um of all age ranges and different skin tones, and really um appealing to this idea that it K beauty is for everyone.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think that's like a big differentiation point of um connecting with with different consumers.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_00: That's really that's really cool that um you know there is so much representation here.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think that that's so so important when you're introducing, I think, especially a new culture, right, to consumers is like you have to have this inclusivity built in and like just the you know, yeah, you have to have that, that flexibility of where everybody can relate in some way and understand.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_00: Because I feel like the first time K-Beauty came around, I'm not gonna lie to you, it was kind of hard to find.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it was like, yeah, we heard about it, but it was like, where do we shop the brands?
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, what are the good brands?
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_00: What are they standing for?
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_00: That kind of thing.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: So this is very exciting to me when I see what you're doing with K-Beauty World as a consumer because it gives you access, you know, it really gives you true access to these wonderful brands.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_01: And I I think, like, you know, this was a personal pet peeve of mine when you would see K-Beauty brands, it would always be like a young Asian model, an East Asian model.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, that doesn't really reflect most of the American consumer.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_01: And so we really wanted it to one reflect, you know, the for consumers to be able to see themselves and also the subconscious message of uh, you know, we're expanding what we believe is is is the beauty ideal, and that everyone is included in our definition of what is beautiful.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that that's also something that is maybe not in the K-beauty DNA, but we want to change that.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's really I love that.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: I really love that.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I speaking of that, I want to talk a little bit about this because you've mentioned, you know, educational ecosystems before.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to understand how does K-Beauty world turn passive shopping into active cultural learning for US consumers?
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_01: Um, well, I I think that K-beauty world in in all of its different like facets, whether it's like eventing um or um education, we really try to focus on making it fit for your lifestyle.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think one, we, you know, we have different, we have these kits that we thought would be fun as an introduction.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_01: We have like K-beauty beginner um and advanced.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_01: And we have like a viral kit uh so that people can kind of test the things that are, you know, are popular on TikTok.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_01: And so we're trying to bring K-beauty to the consumer in a way that it's digestible and that it's relatable.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think in that way, um, you know, we we try to reinforce um education and meeting consumers where they are.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_01: The other thing, you know, we we do like to have fun with it.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_01: We have a lot of um, you know, activations in the pipeline where we were kind of, you know, a nod to Korean culture, but also American culture and really like blending those two things.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_01: For example, one of our brands has this is very popular in Korea to do photo cards of K-pop stars.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_01: And so they're like collectibles, and so we'll be doing um Songwin Editor, we'll be doing a photo card giveaway, um, an Ulta.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_01: And so that I think is kind of like a fun uh culturally Korean aspect of uh beauty um and marketing that we're bringing to the US.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_01: And we want to do that with a lot of the fun merch uh merchandise um that uh K Beauty is is known for.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't know, you probably have seen on social that like every brand has like a keychain.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_01: And so uh we want to bring some of that funness, the experience of K-beauty in the US as well.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: That's really, really cool.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: I think it gives people a feeling of this is what you know, this is what it feels like.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_00: If you're gonna shop in Korea and you're gonna really experience the beauty culture there, that's really that's really neat.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: I like that a lot.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so you know, I want to actually talk about glass skin with you for a minute because I think that's the big buzzy word everybody kind of associates with K Beauty.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, I'm all for it, right?
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_00: I love a great like glass skin product.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: But in terms of, you know, you had mentioned this where it's like it's for I think more people now.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: Like we're trying to be a lot more broad, right?
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: So when you're with your work in terms of spotlighting broader age groups, deeper skin tones, just more accessible price points, how intentional is this shift and you know, understanding like basically going beyond glass skin?
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I'm asking.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_01: I have a I have a a love hate with the word glass skin.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_01: I think also the way that it was shown to us initially, it it felt very if the ideal felt like very young and very um fair skinned.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I think glass skin, the true definition is really, you know, hydrated, poreless look.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_01: But it also kind of speaks to a like a very high beauty ideal.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_01: It it's almost like perfection, right?
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_01: Glass skin is is this is the the standard is is really perfect skin.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_01: What we really strive for is healthy skin and um being a better version of yourself, which is, you know, like we talked about hydration and it's about protection, sunscreen is so important, um, and also like calming the skin.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_01: So we really want to expand the definition of what it is is the ideal for a beautiful skin.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_00: Like instead of just like, hey, this is just perfect flawless skin.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, let's talk about what does good skin actually mean.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that makes a lot more sense.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: I think.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it it's really interesting, right?
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_00: Because in the West, and I I spoke to Michelle Lee recently, and she was talking about um, you know, how allure at one point they kind of strayed away from that whole anti-aging narrative, right?
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_00: And she made a really good point there about how that was just like we they had to do that because it was like trying to get consumers away from this idea of like, listen, anti-aging isn't the goal, you know, beautiful aging is the goal.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_00: And I feel like with especially with K-Beauty now coming in so strongly, what you said really resonates in the same way where it's like, you know, listen, guys, like we get it.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_00: You know, glass skin is great, but what does healthy skin really look like?
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I think, you know, I don't know.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_00: I I'm really excited to see the role KBD is gonna play in that, you know, in terms of like that cultural shift um for consumers, you know, I think it's gonna be very exciting.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and it's interesting, is interesting because you know, I mentioned that for our visuals, we decided to have people from all ages.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_01: It was a bit controversial with the brands because in this way, you know, I think some of the brands might think, okay, well, we don't want to show mature skin because the ideal is this like very young look.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: But, you know, I think from our the response that we've had to date, really seeing, you know, beautiful aging, it's so important.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_01: Someone asked, you know, can can can people over 40 use K-beauty?
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I thought that was such an interesting um question because I I think this idea of like layering essences and hydration, it's more important for mature skin.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and we need to have more conversation about how when as you age, you know, we need to do more in order to maintain um healthy skin.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_01: And so I I think that a lot of conversation moving forward will be about, okay, like what does K-beauty look like for mature skin?
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_01: What does it look like for melanated skin, for sensitive skin, and really um, you know, diving deeper into like different conditions and different like um skin types.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_00: No, I think that that's that's gonna be really fascinating to see because you know, one of the biggest um, I think, you know, sticking points for me, especially as a scientist, is that everybody talks about how you know Korea is like living in like 20, you know, 75 or something like that, right?
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_00: And we see that all the time.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, yeah, you know, I hear you.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: I think that the innovation is off the charts.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: But I think more importantly, um, I'm very curious, and and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this about what you think this is gonna do for the benchmark, right, that is set for innovation in the skin space, you know, in terms of any kind of product that wants to launch in the US, whether it's what you know, Western or coming from Europe or anywhere.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, what do you think K Beauty's role is gonna be in that?
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I I definitely think that K Beauty pushes the the envelope when it comes to new ingredients.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_01: And I, you know, I mentioned some of them, like Spig Gules, PDRN, um exosomes.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um and I think that well, it would be interesting to see, but I think that the sort of like table stakes for launching our brand have gotten high the the standard has gotten higher to really offer something that's differentiated, that really um that is efficacious and not just another Me Too product.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_01: So I I think that um with all of these innovations and the US consumer becoming more aware that you know I should have higher expectations for how my products perform.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um I think it's going to just raise the bar for everyone.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_00: No, I agree.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_00: I think it and I think it's it's well needed at this point, right?
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: The bar needs to be raised because we do look at, you know, we do look at K-Beaut products and and you know, even before like what the initiatives that you're working on with KBD World, like even before that, I think all of us were looking in that direction of like, okay, you know, what are we missing here?
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_00: You know, because they've got something figured out we don't.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that natural curiosity, I don't know, I think it might push consumers to to think a little bit deeper, you know, into what does it really mean to invest in good skincare, you know, rather than just buying like 20 products that are the same, you know, which we've been doing for a long time.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I want to talk a little bit about uh, you know, with you about the role of food and like just true Korean beauty culture and rituals.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um, if you could speak to us a little bit about that.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, do you think that's also gonna come over um in terms of the whole, you know, uh understanding nutrition and how that plays a role in skin health and you know, especially how it's embedded into the culture of, you know, of Korean uh beauty?
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_01: Wellness as it relates to, you know, skin health and beauty is huge in Korea.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and there's there's always like you know, ingestible food and then plus, you know, beauty products that people would recommend when you know for like a skin condition.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_01: So um I don't know if it's gonna come over.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_01: I I I hope that it will.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I and I think that you know, US consumers also are um getting more curious about wellness.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_01: I had a bunch of people come to Korea um last month, and when we were beauty shopping, there's so many, you know, also supplements that people buy that aren't available here, um like probiotics and you know, collagen.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_01: And so I I know there's like a huge interest in and I would I'm also curious if that's gonna translate.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I'm I'm very, very excited to see if it does, because I think that would be very neat to have that kind of integrated into our wellness world over here, you know, because we're kind of stuck in that area as well.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not gonna lie, you know, as a consumer, when I look into, you know, just ingest ingestible supplements, all that, there is kind of a wall that we keep hitting, you know, and I think there's a lot of room for innovation and growth and learning from other cultures.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's also a price point issue.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_01: Uh yeah.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_01: It it is a lot of things feel out of reach, you know.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_01: Like, do I really need this?
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_01: Is it a necessity?
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that the, you know, even with like beauty products or wellness products in Korea, the price points are very accessible.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_01: And so it feels more attainable and more, you know, that you would be able to incorporate into your daily routine.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, that's absolutely huge.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely, especially like now, because I know a lot of brands, like for example, the ordinary, you know, or like the inky list.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_00: I think a big reason people keep gravitating is that price point, you know, they just want something that they can use and it's gonna work.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, I I can definitely see that.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now, in terms of K-Beauty World, I mean, what does success truly look like look and feel like for you personally?
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I'm not just talking like professionally, but true success for you.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, yeah, I mean, I think um it's been it's been hugely satisfying to see the response um of K-Beauty World, that people are like really interested in it, very um interested in, you know, learning more about the Korean culture and where does you know these like beauty routines stem from?
• 29:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um and I think that you know, what would be an amazing moment for me is to see like a mom and a teen shopping K Beauty at Ulta and you know, um having that that moment where people are just you know experiencing um the K Beauty brands.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_01: And I think, you know, as somebody who is Korean and who has been in the beauty industry for 25 years, um it feels like a you know true uh 360 moment that I'm you know that I'm able to bring this um collaboration um into Ulta and that you know I'm able to work with brands um that you know I I hugely admire.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think that's been the the payoff for me.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_00: I love that so much.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I, you know, just to close off, you know, Sarah, I would love to talk about because you are such a celebrated entrepreneur and a true thought leader um in the beauty space.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_00: I would love for you to offer some advice and words of wisdom for anybody who's currently on their entrepreneurial journey or they're thinking about it, you know, especially in the realm of beauty, you know, any advice you can offer for them.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_01: The biggest learning I've had is that opportunities always present themselves, but you um have to be on the path.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_01: Meaning, I think some of the biggest um opportunities or things that I've accomplished professionally, like I could never have imagined or planned out, but you know, I was always going to that conference or asking for the meeting and just taking the steps that I could to to reach that next opportunity.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think that for any entrepreneur or business owner, um, and you know, we've all been there and I experienced it as well of feeling, you know, okay, when is like, when's it gonna get easier?
• 31:17
  SPEAKER_01: Or, you know, what's next for me?
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe feeling stuck.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_01: I think that I truly believe if you keep yourself in the game, um, your next opportunity will present itself and maybe even better and bigger than you could have imagined.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that just like a word of encouragement that maybe you don't see the end goal today, but that um that it will be there.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for for that wonderful advice.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's very difficult right now, especially because people, you know, you don't see immediate success, you want to give up, you know, that kind of thing, right?
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, that's very wise words.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_00: But thank you so much, Sarah.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_00: This has been such an honor to chat with you and to learn from you.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's been so wonderful.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for giving me this uh opportunity to you know speak to your audience and to meet you.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_01: And thank you so much for your thoughtful questions and this conversation.
• 32:06
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• 33:13
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