The 21st century has become a powerhouse of trend cycles and fleeting fascinations that often disappear as quickly as they surface. Yet some manage to endure. K-Beauty, South Korea’s holistic approach to skincare and aesthetics, has captivated a global generation and established itself as a lasting cultural force.
Beyond trending cosmetics, K-Beauty represents a broader philosophy that defines new standards of care and visual identity, reshaping global perceptions of beauty. Holding such influence, the Musée Guimet’s new exhibition K-Beauty: Korean Beauty, Story of a Phenomenon unpacks the rich history behind Korea’s cultural pursuit of beauty and its centuries-old origins.
Tracing the evolution of Korean beauty, the exhibition brings together paintings, photographs, advertisements, dresses, and accessories from the 18th century to the present day. Each work challenges the idea that K-Beauty is a purely contemporary creation, showing instead how it draws from a long-standing tradition centred on discipline and virtue.
The exhibition opens in the late Joseon period, the last and longest-lived imperial dynasty of Korea, when women of the upper class lived largely out of sight. The show examines how this limited visibility gave way to an 18th-century artistic shift, as women began to feature more prominently in literature and painting. These works established a distinctly Korean ideal of beauty that continues to shape how femininity is portrayed in Korean popular culture today.
From there, the exhibition moves through the 19th and 20th centuries, tracing how industrialisation, modernisation, and Western influence redefined aesthetic codes. The arrival of photography, cinema, and advertising turned beauty into a language of aspiration and identity, bridging private rituals with a rapidly modernising public world.
Today, that evolution continues through skincare rituals, digital culture, and the global rise of K-pop and Korean media. In this final section, K-Beauty: Korean Beauty, Story of a Phenomenon connects centuries of practice, from the grace of Joseon portraiture to the precision of modern skincare, showing how the concept of beauty in Korea remains rooted in both heritage and innovation.
Instead of treating K-Beauty as a passing trend, the exhibition presents a complete visual and material journey. Visitors encounter a wide range of objects, from a Korean-inspired Chanel gown to creations by fashion designer Lee Young-Hee. The evolution of pocket mirrors, porcelain powder boxes, and other delicate beauty tools is traced across centuries of craftsmanship. Also on display are the toiletry items excavated from the tomb of Princess Hwahyeop (1733–1752), offering precious insight into historical beauty rituals. Together, these works show how Korea’s ideals of self-expression and care continue to shape global understandings of beauty today while keeping the depth of its origins firmly in view.
K-Beauty: Korean Beauty, Story of a Phenomenon
Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet, Paris
18 March – 6 July 2026
