Asia Times: The Koreas


	June 22, 2002	atimes.com

The Koreas

Hero fuels cosmetics sales

SEOUL - With striker Ahn Jung-hwan's golden goal in extra time with Italy sending South Korea to the quarter-finals, Korean men are shopping for cosmetics to emulate kkotminam, the good looks of Ahn and other handsome star players.

The 2002 FIFA World Cup has shocked the world with strong powers such as France, Argentina, Portugal and Italy eliminated from the soccer finals in early stages. What's also become clear is that many players can easily hold their own in contests with actors or fashion models on looks as well as strength.

Among them, England's "Golden Boy" striker Michael Owen, Paraguay's star striker Roque Santa Cruz and Italy's Filippo "Super Pippo" Inzaghi receive as much acclaim for their sleek faces and masculine beauty as their soccer prowess.

A South Korean TV cosmetic commercial produced years ago featuring Ahn Jung-hwan is now being rerun, reflecting his popularity. Stimulated by ads encouraging men to care for their skin, more men are visiting online shopping malls to buy cosmetics for themselves, and not for their girlfriends or mothers.

The daily sales of Somang Cosmetics' basic cosmetics set jumped six times this month from a month earlier, according to Interpark, an online shopping mall.

Interpark's website informs visitors that "Ahn puts on cream to get rid of corneous tissue on his nose three times a week, washes his face not with soap but with scrub foam and uses skin and lotion after putting on eye cream around his eyes".

Such cosmetics brands as Fila, Marie Claire, Charmzone and Amore each saw South Korean sales rise 30 percent this month from the previous month.

"As the demand for male cosmetics is on the rise coupled with the World Cup boom, Interpark will increase its items from basic products to functional goods for cleansing, acne treatment and whitening," an official of Interpark said.

(Asia Pulse/Yonhap)