Videos of people discovering whether they are more "dark autumn" or "bright spring" have been all over my TikTok feed for over a year. And it's clear that I'm not the only one watching. In March, YouTuber Safiya Nygaard shared she was a "true winter" — the video received over 2.8 million views.
As I've always been immersed in Korean pop culture, I became aware of this beauty trend — personal color analysis — when it took off in South Korea.
Over the last couple of years, countless K-pop idols and celebrities have gone to find out their personal color. Even famous comedian Yoo Jae-suk did it last April on the TV program "Running Man" — though he seemed utterly disappointed when his consultant told him his favorite colors didn't suit him.
"Personal color became a trend, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic in Korea as people started to become more interested in themselves, particularly in what they like and what suits them well," Kim Min-kyoung, CEO of the KMK Color Research Institute, told Korea JoongAng Daily.
My own curiosity continued to grow and when planning my recent 18-day trip to South Korea, I decided to book a one-hour consultation with Cocory Personal Color for 100,000 Korean won, or $75 USD.