K-beauty brand Innisfree apologises after skincare ad sparks backlash

South Korean beauty brand Innisfree has issued an apology and pulled an advertisement in South Korea after it received backlash over its portrayal of a female model pouring a white essence over her face with her eyes closed.

The campaign promoting the brand’s new Green Tea Ceramide Milk essence sparked widespread criticism online in South Korea, with many social media users saying the imagery resembled sexual acts.

In an apology posted in Korean on social media platform X on Sept 23, Innisfree noted that it had received feedback from some customers “regarding the discomfort they experienced with a recent video featuring an influencer showcasing Innisfree’s milk essence formula”.

“The brand has listened closely and has deleted the scene in question... Going forward, Innisfree will be more meticulous in its entire process, from content planning to final review,” the statement said.

In one TikTok video, a female model is seen dunking her face into a bowl of the essence, then lifting her head as the product drips down her face.

The campaign featured several South Korean influencers demonstrating the product by pouring or applying the cream-like essence directly to their faces.

One influencer with more than 400,000 subscribers, known as Bbooo, was seen in a video pouring the cream over her lips and into her mouth while her eyes were closed.

The caption “milk that improves your skin?” was added to highlight the product’s moisturising benefits.

The campaign quickly drew criticism, particularly from female users, who accused the brand of being tone-deaf.

“It’s disgusting that a brand targeting mainly female customers would mock women,” said one X user.

Another X user wrote: “I’ve been using Innisfree skin lotion consistently since college, but this recent ad was seriously so disturbing that I want to switch to something else. What should I switch to?”

However, some netizens defended the brand.

One X user wrote: “Looking at the ad again, it doesn’t strike me as a big deal. Can people who raise objections over this kind of thing even function in daily life? It feels like their minds must be filled with impure thoughts.”