Whiter Skin for Sale: South Korea’s Glutathione Dilemma

As the multibillion-dollar K-pop and K-beauty industry continues to shape beauty ideals, glutathione has gained popularity on social media as a sought-after skin-whitening solution. Marketed as a shortcut to luminous skin, the antioxidant’s rise is entangled with dialogue surrounding Korea’s motivations for whitening skin.

In countries where higher doses are needed to achieve visible whitening effects, the drug’s unregulated use poses serious health risks, obscuring its original medical purpose as a liver-supporting antioxidant.

This reporting project raises questions about safety, identity, and the cost of beauty.