Beauty and the South Korean man

Seoul train stations, skincare brands cater to increasing number of men using make-up

South Korean Ham Jung-min, 22, with the contents of his make-up pouch. He finds that his face looks better with make-up. Samgakji subway station in central Seoul features two powder rooms - one for women and one for men. With more men using make-up,
Samgakji subway station in central Seoul features two powder rooms - one for women and one for men. With more men using make-up, Seoul Metro decided to add powder sections in male toilets when it started renovating toilets in 2018. ST PHOTOS: CHANG MAY CHOON
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

To put his best face forward, Mr Ham Jung-min cannot do without foundation, eyebrow pencil, contour powder and lip tint.

But trying to retouch his make-up in public toilets poses a major challenge.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on May 03, 2020, with the headline Beauty and the South Korean man. Subscribe