South Korean sheet masks trending in Pyongyang

Despite a heightened crackdown on goods associated with the now-shuttered Kaesong Industrial Complex, and by extension South Korean merchandise in general, the market for such products in North Korea continues to expand. In particular, women in Pyongyang have shown a
particular interest in serum-infused hydrating sheet masks produced in South
Korea.

Interest in skin care has surged among
women in Pyongyang, a source in North Pyongan Province reporting to Daily NK on
April 11, noting, “South Korean produced sheet masks have taken the number one
position in terms of popularity. Even just a few years ago, only the upper
crust composed of the cadres and the donju (nouveau riche) could afford to
purchase beauty products, but now, ordinary residents are also putting money
towards such things.”  

Sources in the capital corroborated this news.

She continued, “These days, females in
Pyongyang say things like, ‘Using a South Korean mask pack is a great way to
get rid of wrinkles, whiten your skin, and help your makeup glide on more
smoothly. ’” Specifically, the chemical free, aloe-based mask is attracting
positive reviews from all ages, ranging from middle school students to older
women, because it is said to have no harmful side effects.

Where comparative products produced in
China are available across North Korea’s growing number of general markets, the
South Korean variants are sold directly to homes. As South Korean products are
forbidden to be bought or sold in North Korea by law, there is not an overly
abundant supply of the masks. “But the demand for the sheet masks is so high
that there is no reason to sell them in the stalls. Vendors can do just as much
business selling directly to households,” the source explained.

“One South Korean facial mask goes for
about 20-50 yuan. While it is sometimes possible to haggle down when buying in
bulk, the aloe masks go for a premium so it’s much harder to negotiate the price when
purchasing that variety.”

As the demand has risen, Chinese products have also
entered the market to compete, but donju and consumers alike still consider
South Korean sheet masks to be the gold standard.
 

“They even say that after using the
products for a couple of years, you can look at a woman’s face and know if she
is using the South Korean facial masks [over an inferior alternative],” the source asserted.
 

Pyongyang’s female population first started
paying attention to skin care in the 1990s. Skin service and related products
went on sale in the early 2000s at places like Changkwangwon, a spa and
bathhouse in Pyongyang that also offers massage and beauty services among its
many amenities. When the products initially came on sale, the price was many
times the monthly wage of ordinary residents, but the industry began expanding
as demand blossomed.
 

Thanks to the fledgling market system and
their pivotal role therein, many women, particularly those in urban areas, have
more disposable income and choose to divert it to emulating the starlets they
see in South Korean television dramas. Because of this ballooning demand,
cadres and donju are facilitating expanded imports of the South Korean goods,
despite the sanctions and period of heightened crackdowns on merchandise from
below the border.
 

Because South Korean products cannot go through
customs and enter the country legally, all Korean characters on the products
are blacked out with permanent markers. “The customs officials know that the
products are coming from South Korea,” the source said, “but they close their eyes and let the
goods pass through nonetheless because they maintain good business relations with the importers [and receive considerable kickbacks for their
complicity].”