Special Review of Domestic Beauty Industry, Interview with Question & Answer of ‘Inner Beauty and Anti-Aging’

Bringing up of various related startups are in the midst in these days thanks to the continued development of the domestic beauty industry. Financial support policies are also followed for preparation of initial R&D costs and general business offerings in technology-based projects of cosmetics and beauty sectors with high potential and many companies are actively participating in it accordingly.Meanwhile, this development of domestic beauty industry has also led to trends of tourism, inner beauty and healthcare, etc.In particular, various seminars and meetings have been held many times on how to develop Jeju-style anti-aging industry under the themes of recuperation, health and recreation followed by drastic changes in tourism paradigm and growing demand for beauty and healthcare related industries.

Under these circumstances, we had a face time to meet President Cho Myung-Won, who has explored rare ingredients and engaged in R&D of various products related to beauty and healthcare since 2010 after launched a beauty and healthcare brand, ESTRELLA, and talked with him about future and potential of the beauty industry.

Reporter Jee. First of all, I like to talk about ‘International Anti-Aging Convergence Industry Development Forum’ which you participated in this summer.

President Cho. In many ways, it remained me as expectations as well as regrets. In Jeju Island, efforts are currently being made for convergence and integration of anti-aging industries based on high-tech technologies and R&D projects for antioxidation are particularly in the limelight there as the industry with very high potential to grow. However, while Jeju Island has the best condition to implement the anti-aging business, any specific convergence and progress in the related businesses have not yet carried out smoothly so far.Jeju Island is a valuable clean area in South Korea, where is rich in resources such as about 8,000 kinds of plants and about 700 kinds of sea plants, and I think it is the "best place" to study natural resources and pursue anti-aging projects.Since the Nagoya Protocol entered into the agreement in 2017, the prices of overseas resources have skyrocketed, and it would cause big losses in case of import & distribution of resources from abroad so that I believe in that active R&D of Jeju products making use of local resources, in particular, clean resources from Jeju Island would create a synergy effect along with Jeju-island tourism projects and also that it would be much more economical and developmental.I suppose that it would lead to the success if Jeju Island looking forward to the growth of regional development as well as tourism projects and those companies hoping to move into the island can harmonize and converge each other's needs to pursue the related projects.

Reporter Jee. You once said that future beauty industry would be inclined towards particularly focusing on anti-aging.

President Cho. That’s right. Ahead of the aging era coming so faster than expected, the focus is already on anti-aging study worldwide.At the last Forum in Jeju, the background and trend of growing worldwide anti-aging industry and directions of fostering anti-aging industry in line regional characteristics were actively presented by Dr. XuDimin at the Chinese Culture Promotion Society of the Ministry of Culture, China under the theme of "Anti-Aging and Green Economy", and by Nobuo Matsuura, the President of Bankyo Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Japan, under the theme of "The Present Situation and Future of Anti-Aging".

Scientifically, it would be difficult to expect the maximum effectiveness no matter how good a product is used if the body flow supposed to accept it is unbalanced and the skin environment is poor. It is unable to expect any good effectiveness when a product is simply applied and absorbed it or taken and digested only. I think that it would be a way to expect real effectiveness from a product when we understand and manage all related environment carefully, including how to use and when to use it, the type of skin, the usual dose and conditions, etc. For the same reason, the current beauty industry tends to focusing on R&D of "anti-aging" programs for preventing rapid aging while maintaining and managing skin slowly, beautifully and in good health, rather than R&D of products just for temporary beauty effects only. In anti-aging called well-aging, I think that the key answer is to have high-functional products focusing on excellent ingredients and manageable programs through the right prescription.

Reporter Jee. As you mentioned, the inner beauty, which builds up external beauty through internal balance of the health, is considered as an essential element in the market.

President Cho. In the era of homo-hundred, correct intake is also essential for anti-aging. As the growth of telomere was stopped in the human body after its 20s, the functions of cells continue to deteriorate and the rate of collagen production is decreased, by which aging is progressed. Anti-aging, which has emerged in the beauty industry so far, encompasses not only those activities simply applying and absorbing into the skin surface but also controlling beauty as well as long-term health through the management of the inner beauty. In that sense, research and utilization of the right ingredients is very important.

For example, 'Cloudberry' called Scandinavian gold is a plant growing under the sunlight pouring in the white night phenomenon during the summer after overcoming the harsh winter cold in the polar regions of northern Scandinavia and it is very rich in anthocyanin, ellagitannin, polyphenol, phytosterol, potassium, calcium, magnesium, omega, and vitamins, etc. that act as strong antioxidants. It plays an outstanding role in beauty and health as the world's unique berry that grows as a rich repository of nutrients while enduring the harsh natural environment. If those ingredients such as the ones in natural cloudberries are studied closely and used through product developments that are suitable for usage, then we would be able to achieve the excellent antioxidation.

Finally, the method of anti-aging through real inner beauty should be not simply to apply and intake only, but to keep the functions of human body in the fundamental healthy condition through proper management.

Reporter Jee. I heard of that you’ve been to the grand opening of VISI KOREA on Oct. 26th.

President Cho. I was able to meet many people at the convention center and share my expectations and pleasure with them. Furthermore, I was deeply interested in and became attached to the aforementioned ones, Cloudberry and Lingonberry, as those ingredients progressed for their development and production, after registered as raw materials and imported for the first time in Korea earlier in this year through direct searching for them. Coincidentally, VISI Korea is also deeply interested in those same raw materials. Cloudberry and Lingonberry are key ingredients of VISI, and they have developed various products with them for sales. At this present, based on common interest and research, we are making a special relationship with VISI Korea. So far, I have kept a positive eye for 'the vision of VISI that promises to realize a life to be healthier' along with their excellent products. At this present, data and products on VISI's Cloudberry and Lingonberry can be easily found through search windows on portal sites, and VISI Korea is attracting people's attention as a potential brand that can bring a new sensation in the network marketing in 2019.

If the global-recognized manufacturing environment of cosmetics and health functional foods in Korea can utilized, then it would be able to reduce the losses in the distribution processes imported from the U.S., and I expect that those products developed for Asian-customized would be much easier to export towards Asian countries. I believe that VISI, as a global company, would be necessary to open a new research center for development or renewal of products and also for continuous responsibilities and management of it in a long term view. I also hope to create some constructive businesses together with VISI.

Reporter Jee. Finally, please say something about the future direction of the beauty industry.

President Cho. In the future, I think the beauty industry would become more focusing on anti-aging through inner beauty. It is hard to expect some changes in skin just by applying cosmetics. The reason is for that the application of a product alone has limitations to have some effects even through on the inner skin. The effect appearing on the surface of the skin should be only temporary and the absorbing ability and application may vary depending on the environment and conditions. Thus, it is essential to be based on sufficient sleeping and proper eating habits in order to improve the skin, and in particular, when you pay attention to anti-aging through inner beauty and take care of it, then it will naturally have a higher effect than the application activities of product-itself.

In the future, I look forward to the appearance of customized products focused on studies for more advanced performances and ingredients rather than the ones causing fierce competitions immersed into just marketing and trends only.

It is said that 'doing with whom' is sometimes more important than 'doing what' in business. As such, I believe in that 'how to use and manage' is more important than 'what to use' in anti-aging as well. I think it should be the best to take good care of health towards the real anti-aging in these days when the environment is rapidly changing.