Abstract
South Korea is increasingly gaining international recognition and attention through the Hallyu Wave. The rapid international growth of entertainment, skincare products, and South Korean culture and cuisine increased the interest in this country. As a result, more studies are being carried out regarding the Asian Tiger, in general, and in particular, on its international influence, notions of beauty, culture, and influential cosmetics market. As beauty overcomes an essential concept in modern South Korean society, this dissertation seeks to understand how the communication and the relationship between a South Korean cosmetics brand and its young target audience are, based on the beautystandards of the society. This research develops a mixed methodology through the analysis of a case study, in which twenty-one advertisements of the South Korean cosmetics brand Étude House were selected and explored.
From this investigation it was possible to perceive that the brand's television
advertisements focus on a beauty without imperfections, giving personal and social importance to the various notions of beauty over twenty-one years that were analyzed. It was also noticeable the brand position not only in the market, but also with its target audience. The advertising produced by the brand makes use of the concept “pink world of perfect princesses”, highlighting the unreal beauty standards, influential clothing and even the ideal lifestyle that is portrayed in the brand’s advertisements. Through ads’ messages, Étude House creates a personal connection with consumers, while using positive adjectives,
in order to enhance the beauty and strength of the products, and negative adjectives, creating a friendly connection with the target audience and alerting them to the importance of daily care. It was also concluded that the previous concept of submissive beauty associated with a very intense make-up, carried in the first advertisements of the South Korean brand, was replaced by “natural” beauty standards, with preference for light tones and high focus on skincare. In terms of face characteristics, there have also been changes, since today’s
society values a small noses, defined jawlines, large eyes with double eyelid, and slightly fleshy lips, nevertheless searching for the most natural look.
Date of Award | 11 Jan 2024 |
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Original language | Portuguese |
Awarding Institution |
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Supervisor | Beatriz Puertas Hernandez (Supervisor) & Tânia Ganito (Co-Supervisor) |
Keywords
- Beauty
- Body and face
- Young women
- Cosmetics
- South Korea
- Advertising beauty standards
- Étude House
- Hallyu Wave
Designation
- Mestrado em Estudos Asiáticos