Japanese men adopt Korean idol makeup and grooming trends as K-beauty's influence expands

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Japanese men adopt Korean idol makeup and grooming trends as K-beauty's influence expands

Published: 09 Mar. 2026, 12:49 Updated: 09 Mar. 2026, 14:18

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Felix of Stray Kids, left, who is beauty brand Hera's first male ambassador, and Hera's logo [HERA]

A grooming trend that emphasizes a natural-looking appearance like Korean male idols is spreading among young men in Japan, and K-beauty is playing a central role, a local newspaper reported.

The Mainichi Shimbun recently reported in an article on male grooming and makeup trends that interest in makeup among Japanese men in the 20s to 40s age group is increasing amid the K-beauty boom.

The newspaper pointed to the popularity of Korean male idols’ makeup styles on social media as a key reason K-beauty has been gaining attention in Japan.

“I saw photos on social media of Korean male idols known for their glowing skin,” Shiyu Miyazaki, who works in sales at a tobacco manufacturer, said. “I focus on skin care — especially moisturizing — to achieve natural-looking skin like Korean male idols without it looking excessive.”

Miyazaki avoids greasy foods and alcohol to maintain his skin's health and traveled to Korea last year on a beauty-focused trip, he said.

Cosmetics stores and makeup shops in Japan are also seeing more customers bring photos of Korean idols as references for the looks they want.

A general view shows a renovated cosmetic section at Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store, the flagship store of the department store chain Sogo & Seibu, at the Ikebukuro district in Tokyo on July 8, 2025. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

“We are seeing more regular male customers these days,” said Fumika Kusuda, manager of a cosmetics shop at the shopping mall Esola Ikebukuro in Toshima Ward, Tokyo. “Male customers who prefer natural-looking makeup want styles like those worn by Korean idols.”

“As gender neutrality spreads, men are now choosing cosmetics without hesitation,” a public relations official at the Japanese lifestyle retail chain Loft said. The official also cited the case of a 28-year-old male customer who recently purchased Korean cosmetics.

More Korean beauty brands are also appointing male idols as advertising models in response to the trend.

Hera, a contemporary beauty brand under Amorepacific, selected Felix of the group Stray Kids as its global ambassador last year. Felix is the brand’s first male ambassador. Hera is targeting the Japanese market by featuring Felix prominently, including by releasing the brand’s global campaign video with him first in Japan.

An Olive Young branch is seen in Seoul on Feb. 11. Olive Young saw a surge of new employment and expansion of branches in recent months with the continuing popularity of K-beauty. [YONHAP]

The popularity of K-beauty in Japan is also reflected in market data.

K-beauty ranked first in Japan’s total cosmetics imports in the first quarter of last year with a market share of 32.6 percent, according to cosmetics import data released by the Cosmetic Importers Association of Japan.

France, home to many global beauty brands, ranked second with a share of 21.2 percent.

“The gap in market share between Korea and France stands at 11.4 percentage points, an increase of 5.5 percentage points from the previous year,” the association said.

K-beauty has continued to grow steadily in both skin care and color makeup segments, according to the association.

Shoppers are seen inside a cosmetics store in Seoul on Jan. 11. [YONHAP]

The growing makeup trend among young men in Japan partly reflects shifts in perception during the Covid-19 pandemic, when remote work became more widespread, the Mainichi Shimbun also said.

As video meetings increased, men had more chances to look at their own faces on screen. That led them to become more conscious of features such as skin condition and eyebrow shape and created a natural desire to tidy their appearance, the newspaper said.

Social perceptions of male makeup are also changing quickly, according to the newspaper.

About 60 percent of respondents reacted positively to men wearing makeup, while fewer than 10 percent expressed negative views, according to a 2024 survey by Japanese market research firm Intage.

“With the expansion of social acceptance of men’s makeup, the male grooming market is likely to grow further in the future,” the newspaper said.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HA SU-YOUNG [[email protected]]