“K-beauty has become a new gateway for people in Japan to experience Korean culture.” Missha Japan CEO Kang In-gyu, who has been in the cosmetics business in Japan for more than 20 years, made the remark at the Global K Zone event held Monday at the Korean Cultural Center in Shinjuku, Tokyo. “The status of Korean cosmetics in Japan has changed tremendously over the past 20 years,” Kang said. When the company entered the Japanese market in 2006, Korean cosmetics were largely viewed as affordable alternatives to Japanese products. Today, however, they have established themselves as a symbol of Korean culture. In the past, Japanese consumers often encountered K-beauty while traveling to Korea. As opportunities to consume Korean films and television dramas increased, they began to take notice of the beauty products featured on screen. Word of mouth about products with high-quality ingredients further boosted their popularity, helping K-beauty become a mainstream force in Japan’s cosmetics market. As perceptions of K-beauty have changed, cosmetics are emerging as a new channel throu