Dasol Kim

This book project examines the link between US imperialism and South Korean beauty culture. Despite its portrayal as ancient beauty discourse, K-beauty's relatively recent formation was significantly influenced by the US military presence during the Korean War in the 1950s. By leaving out the US role in K-beauty's history, it becomes more attractive to American audiences, strengthening the narrative of a new and exotic K-beauty trend—a narrative inherently tied to the alienation of Asian and Asian American identity. Through in-depth interviews, archival research, and oral history, this project reveals the enduring colonial legacy in Korea manifested in beauty discourse, and how US consumerism both racializes and commodifies this legacy, ultimately reinforcing global power dynamics.