South Korean Starlets All The Rage In China

When you live in America, and the topic of the Chinese consumer surfaces, you almost always have pundits who tackle the subject matter with aplomb. Yes, it makes sense to us the growing Chinese middle-class wants Nike shoes, Starbucks coffee, and Apple iPhones, but a key piece of the puzzle seems to get lost.

This news report from Korean source Herald Media cites a growing trend of engaged Chinese couples preparing for their weddings by venturing outside China for the unique opportunity to look their best, and be photographed by wedding professionals in the upscale district of Gangnam in Seoul, South Korea.

These Chinese couples, says the report, are drawn to the “Korean look” due to their exposure to Korean media influences, including the perennially popular soap operas starring the country’s biggest heartthrobs and starlets.

When these visitors approach the wedding studios, there has been a trend, says one wedding services company, for specific requests. Namely, the Chinese women want a dress like the one actress Ko So-young wore on her wedding day last year, when she was betrothed to longtime admirer and Korean wave star Jang Dong-gun. On the beauty front, requests for “Song Hye-kyo-style make-up” is not uncommon.

As the photos above can attest, Ko (above, left) and Song (right) are some of South Korea’s hottest stars, and they have undoubtedly shaped perceptions outside Korea as a glamorous destination where women are transformed into beautiful sirens and be movie stars themselves for a day. So yes, today’s young Chinese woman will buy American-style lattes, and tote a French purse, but when it comes to matters of beauty and style, she might just be buying into the South Korean, or the hanguo look, because it’s attainably inspiring, familiar and right next door.

And whether she wants her husband-to-be to look like Jang Dong-gun (above, far left) is anyone’s guess, but I’m willing to bet she certainly wouldn’t mind.