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South Korean entertainment and beauty products are reshaping consumer habits and everyday conversations among younger Japanese people, bringing Korean vocabulary into popular culture while strengthening the presence of Korean cosmetics across Japan. The trend is particularly visible in Tokyo and Osaka, where K-pop, television dramas and skincare products have attracted growing audiences.
The cultural influence extends beyond entertainment. Korean expressions now appear on Japanese food packaging, television programs and commercial advertisements, while Korean beauty brands occupy prominent retail displays and compete for local customers.
In Tokyo, some ramen packages feature Korean-language labels, while television productions include actors speaking Korean. A tea advertisement also uses the expression “gwenchana,” which means “it’s OK” in Korean.
The increasing visibility of Korean vocabulary represents a notable cultural development given the countries’ historical relationship. During Japan’s colonial rule over Korea, approximately a century ago, Koreans experienced pressure to adopt Japanese language and identity as their own cultural identity faced suppression.
Moeka Takamatsu, a 21-year-old university student and K-pop fan in Tokyo, regularly incorporates Korean expressions into conversations. Her vocabulary includes “jinjja,” meaning “really,” and “mianhae,” meaning “sorry.”
Social media trends have also influenced her language habits, even though she does not have extensive knowledge of Korea.
“Even though I don’t know anything about Korea, I find myself saying gwenchana quite often since it’s a trend on social media,” Takamatsu said.
She made the remarks while visiting Shin-Okubo, a Shinjuku neighborhood known for its Korean restaurants and cosmetics shops. The area has historically served as Tokyo’s Koreatown and remains an important center of Korean cultural activity.
The influence is equally apparent in Japan’s beauty industry. At @cosme, a health-and-beauty retailer inside Lucua 1100 in Osaka’s Umeda district, Korean cosmetics occupy extensive sections alongside established international products.
Brands including Innisfree, Laneige, 3CE, Fwee, Daisy-k, Clio, Jung Saem Mool and Too Cool for School feature prominently in the color cosmetics section. Skincare displays include Medicube, Rejuran, Torriden, CNP and Numbers In.
The retailer’s “Best Cosme Award” displays also feature Korean products. Anua’s Vitamin 10 Pore Strikes Whitening Toning Serum ranked first in the essence category for the first half of the year, while Fwee’s 3D Voluming Gloss led the liquid lipstick category. Innisfree’s Green Tea Ceramide Barrier Cream placed second among face creams.
On the “Osaka Sales Ranking” display, a Numbers In product topped the mask pack category. D’Alba’s Tone-Up UV Essence led sunscreen products, while Aestura’s Atobarrier 365 Cream ranked first among face creams.
Another retailer, Plaza, features a dedicated Korean nail section with brands such as Ohora, Dashing Diva and Fingersoot. Meanwhile, FamilyMart, which operates 16,466 locations across Japan, has introduced a dedicated shelf for Hana by Hince alongside Korean skincare products.
Hana by Hince is an exclusive FamilyMart beauty brand launched the previous year by Hince, a cosmetics label under LG H&H subsidiary Viva Wave.
LG H&H described the product’s positioning in the Japanese market as follows.
“Maintains Hince’s signature sensibility and quality while offering mini sizes at accessible prices, earning strong popularity among local consumers in their teens and 20s,” LG H&H said.
Japanese consumers are also contributing to the expansion through their interest in Korean aesthetics and skincare routines. Yuni, a 20-year-old local consumer, described how her interest developed through personal product discoveries.
“I admire Korean aesthetics, so it started with curiosity about what Korean people actually use, and I just kept adding things one by one,” Yuni said.
She said she favors Hera products and uses an Es Nature face cream daily. She also recently purchased a product from Baiol BOH.
“I recently bought a Baiol BOH product and I’ve been really happy with it,” Yuni said.
The commercial expansion is reflected in South Korea’s export figures. According to the Korea Cosmetic Industry Institute, Korean cosmetics exports to Japan reached $991.22 million between January and September 2026. The figure puts annual exports on course to exceed the previous year’s $1.09 billion.
Japan is South Korea’s third-largest destination for cosmetics exports, behind the United States and China. Although Japan’s proportion of total Korean cosmetics exports has declined slightly, the actual volume shipped to the country continues to increase.
Goodai Global, the company behind Tirtir, Joseon Beauty and Skin1004, is also expanding its Japanese business. Its consolidated sales reached 1.47 trillion won ($1.11 billion) last year, including 170.8 billion won from Japan, representing a 175 percent increase from the previous year.
A Goodai Global representative highlighted the importance of consumer confidence in the market.
“Japanese consumers scrutinize product quality and texture carefully and place great weight on reviews and word of mouth when making purchases. Japan is an important market where we can build brand awareness and trust alongside sales growth,” the company representative said.
The Japanese market has traditionally presented challenges for Korean cosmetics companies because of established domestic and international competitors, including Shiseido. Local consumer preferences also required brands to establish credibility before achieving significant commercial growth.
An industry representative described how changing consumer interests have improved market conditions.
“Japan was a tough market for K-beauty to crack, given the dominance of global players like Shiseido and the distinct preferences of local consumers,” the industry representative said.
The representative also pointed to the growing influence of Korean entertainment among younger Japanese consumers and changes in retail demand.
“The atmosphere has shifted as younger consumers have grown more interested in Korean culture,” the representative said, adding that Japanese retailers are increasingly seeking Korean beauty brands and creating opportunities for independent companies.
