Mina
I write SeoulDesk. I'm Korean-American, late twenties, raised between Los Angeles and Seoul — long enough on both sides to notice when the translation breaks down.
The American beauty conversation about Korean skincare has been loud for ten years. A lot of it is wrong, or right for the wrong reasons. The Western "10-step routine" was invented in Brooklyn, not Seoul. Snail mucin works, but not the way TikTok will tell you. The most-recommended toner in Korea is a brand most US shoppers haven't heard of.
This site is the reading desk I would have wanted when I started: an insider explaining Korean skincare in English, with quiet authority and no sponsored hype.
How I work
Every essay is researched, tested where reasonable, and edited carefully. Where I link to products through affiliate programs, it's disclosed at the top of the piece — and the link only exists because I would already have recommended it without the commission.
You can find SeoulDesk on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube.
Questions, corrections, pitches: hello@seouldesk.com.