Makeup Sales to Men on Rise in Korea

Korean Men Are Buying Into Makeup

In Korea, metrosexuality is still going strong, and many guys are now turning to makeup to look good at the office and out at night. Apparently, smoky eye makeup has become a common sight on guys out in clubs, and sales of eye cream and other skincare products are way up.
Even in the macho world of the military, "color lotion" (aka tinted moisturizer) has been common for years. In fact, makeup and grooming are becoming so popular that cosmetic company Amore Pacific has even opened a flagship men's makeup and skincare boutique in Seoul.
It's interesting to me that men in Japan and Korea seem to have fewer hangups about makeup than their American counterparts generally do. Despite attempts to popularize makeup for men in Europe and the States, it just hasn't caught on. (Witness the lack of buzz over Jean Paul Gaultier's dude-friendly bronzers.) Do you think men can pull off a bit of makeup just as well as women, or is it a hard sell?

Korean Male Idol Smokey Eyes Make Up

Oct 14, 2010 Author: admin | Filed under: Korean Make Up

Smoky makeup has very popular in Korea male idol nowadays. Smoky eyes have become a classic party eye makeup look. The secret of this trend’s popularity is that smoky eyes can change your face dramatically, transforming the boy next door idol into a wild manly hot guy.
Who are the celebrities that are famous for their smoky makeup? From a short while ago , Brown Eyed Girls’ member Gain, Lee Hyori, and 2NE1‘s Park Bom are the girl idols who are famous for their makeup. However, for the new smoky make-up style these male idol groups come up first; Big Bang, 2PM, B2ST, U-KISS. Recent care in the fashion and beauty have resulted in “grooming” idols and thicker make-up.
Among male idols, the “eyeline” has become a trend. Big Bang’s T.O.P brought the popularity of the eyeline among male idols, by looking more bolder and stronger. While Big Bang were doing individual activities, 2Pm, B2ST, MBLAQ, ZE:A , and U-KISS brought their own style of “bold eyeline”. Singer Rain, brought a bolder look with his drawn eyelashes.

While Smoky Makeup is the best way to show one has already turned from boy into man. There are male stars who are further emphasizing their sexy charm with edgy smoky make up. Woman’s heart wavers at their dark eyes.
When we look at idol group members today, we feel that they’ve somehow matured. In addition to their singing, masculine style complete their masculinity. Among them, dark smoky make up definitely works the magic.
One of the first idol groups to use smoky eye makeup is Big Bang. T.O.P’s sexy charisma was emphasized with his thick eyebrows and smoky make up. Taeyang also followed the style while promoting “I Need A Girl” in order to give off the feel of maturity.
The style is also highly effective for Jung Yong Hwa’s signature gazes towards the camera, easily enabling him to capture the audience.
Super Junior’s Lee Teuk and Big Bang’s G Dragon are known pretty boys of the industry for their soft looks. By wearing smoky eye makeup, the two were able to upgrade their manliness by giving off a sharp feel from their eyes.
Smokey Eyes, from cute boyish into fierce and wild

Lee Min Ho
In the Entertainment business, Beastly Idols with makeup is the Trend. In dramas, the actors focus on their abs, while for the artists, fans are won over by both the abs and thick eyeliner worn by Beastly Idols. For 3-4 minutes, the singers have to show off a strong performance, especially for the beastly idols who have become the trend for the entertainment buisness.
For several cute and boyish idol, Smokey Eyes are effective to turn their appearances becoming totally different. The example idols are Lee Minho and Onew. The makeup also gives a deeper edge to Minho’s cute boyish charms, along with giving Onew a more fierce image on stage compared to his innocent, calm features without it.
The members of MBLAQ use the style often when wearing black suits, easily capturing the attention of the audience with their clean, sharp style.
Some of Korean Male Idol in Smokey Eyes make up

Eunhyuk

G Dragon

Jang Geun Suk

Kim Jeong Hoon

Lee Jun Ki

RyeoWook

Big Bang’s T.O.P brought the popularity of the eyeline among male idols, by looking more bolder and stronger.

Wheesung

Yoo Seung Ho

Gay actor stuns S Korea

Wednesday, 1 November, 2000, 12:41 GMT

Gay actor stuns S Korea

Hong Seok-chun has lost TV work

By Seoul correspondent Caroline Gluck A South Korean television actor has made history by becoming the first public figure in the country to openly admit he is homosexual.

Our audience are too young to be exposed to homosexuality

Kim Churl-young, children's programme director

Hong Seok-chun's announcement, which has already lost him work, has created huge controversy in a country where any discussion of sexuality is rare. Mr Hong was famous as a presenter on a children's television show.
But since coming out, he has been taken off air - and has also lost work on other TV and radio programmes.

Hong Seok-chun: Tired of double life

However, Mr Hong says he could no longer go on living a lie. "I was angry at the fact that in Korea no one wants to acknowledge the existence of homosexuality. Even if they learn about it they think its dirty and treat homosexuals badly," he says.
"Working on a children's programme, I couldn't keep my secret forever. I wanted to be a good example to the children by being honest and that's why I came out."
Changing attitudes
Mr Hong says he was pressured to leave the show because he was told his public image was inappropriate for children.

I tried to keep my gay life a secret, but living a double life was really stressful

Hong Seok-chun

But the programme denies this and says gays do not face discrimination. "If Hong Seok-chun had come out 20 years earlier, he would have been kicked out of his neighbourhood," says children's programme director Kim Churl-young.
"But now Korean society is not as rigid - he has appeared on television since he came out and it shows that people are ready to accept the views of minorities."
Protest
The actor's case has been headline news and opened an unprecedented debate about sexuality.
The term "coming out" has even entered the Korean language.

Kim Churl-young: Attitudes have changed

After his announcement, an alliance of gay and human rights organisations called a press conference to throw their support behind the actor and call for greater tolerance. They also vowed to demonstrate outside television stations which had taken him off air, accusing them of violating his human and legal rights.
"[In Korea] homosexuality just means some kind of very obscene and promiscuous sexual activity," says gay rights activist Seo Dong-jin.
"Homosexual people should be recognised as a kind of social group in our society."
Confucian
Although there is an active gay scene in many of South Korea's larger cities, it is not something that is openly discussed.
Most gays are still unwilling to come out of the closet - fearful of the consequences in a highly conservative society.
South Korea is one of the strongest Confucian societies in Asia and places great importance on family and the need to continue the ancestral line.
Although Mr Hong has lost most of his regular work, he makes a guest appearance on a late-night TV sit-com.
But Mr Hong is a public figure. Most gays live far from the media spotlight and until attitudes change, they remain condemned to a twilight existence.

'There are no gays in Korea'

'There are no gays in Korea': When I first moved to Korea, even now sometimes, I was convinced every man I met was hitting on me, says Lebogang Mogashoa.