The GRAZIA Game Changers initiative honours visionaries who challenge the status quo across fashion, beauty, technology, the arts, and sports. Embodying the spirit of women uplifting women, last year’s trailblazers have personally selected this year’s honourees.
Next up, we have Jungmin Lee, who is the founder of Ksisters, the holistic retail and lifestyle sanctuary that fuses traditional Korean beauty and wellness with the power of community.
What inspired you to pursue this path in the beauty industry? Was there a defining moment that set you on this journey?
My journey into beauty started from personal necessity. When I moved to Singapore, I realised that the traditional 10-step Korean skincare routine wasn’t suited to the humid climate and fast-paced lifestyle here. That insight led me to simplify the routine into a four-step regimen—cleanse, preparation, treat, protect—which quickly resonated with the Ksisters community.
The defining moment was realising that K-beauty wasn’t just about skincare, but about education, personalisation, and self-care. This realisation fueled my desire to build a community-driven beauty platform, where customers don’t just buy products—they learn, experience, and find what truly works for them.
Your work has transformed how people in Singapore perceive and understand beauty, particularly K-Beauty. What motivated you to challenge the status quo?
I saw a gap between how K-beauty was traditionally marketed and what Singaporean consumers actually needed. Many people associated K-beauty with elaborate skincare routines, but I wanted to localise it for Southeast Asia—making it practical, effective, and backed by education.
Beyond skincare, I wanted Ksisters to be a bridge for Korean lifestyle and wellness. This led to the creation of our flagship store, which goes beyond beauty retail—it’s an immersive K-beauty experience, with personal colour analysis, guasha workshops, and inner beauty solutions that combine traditional Korean wellness practices with modern innovations.
Have you ever faced a moment of self-doubt? How did you push past it?
Absolutely. When I chose to keep Ksisters premium and community-driven, I often wondered if I was taking the harder route by not expanding through mass-market platforms. But I stayed true to my vision, focusing on curation and authenticity rather than chasing short-term sales.
Every time I saw our community growing organically—through word-of-mouth, customer loyalty, and deep engagement—I knew I was on the right path.
Have you ever been told “no” along the way? How did you turn that into fuel for success?
Yes, in the early days, some brands hesitated to work with Ksisters, as they were unsure if an independent beauty curator could compete with large retailers. But I used every rejection as a chance to refine my strategy—focusing on community-building, trust, and exclusive curation.
What does success mean to you, and has that definition evolved over time?
Success used to mean survival—ensuring Ksisters had a place in the market. Now, it means impact. It’s about how Ksisters has evolved from an e-commerce beauty platform into a cultural hub where beauty, wellness, and Korean traditions come together.
It’s about expanding thoughtfully, not just growing for the sake of growth. Whether it’s launching Jung Beauty’s skin-immunity boosting capsules or expanding Ksisters into Malaysia with partners, every step is about creating meaningful experiences for our community.
What’s a belief or idea you held at the start of your career that you’ve completely rethought?
I used to believe that expansion had to be fast to be successful. But now, I see that strategic, well-paced growth is more powerful.
Instead of chasing trends, I focus on deep engagement, strong brand curation, and introducing innovations that align with consumer needs. That’s why Ksisters thrives—not because we follow trends, but because we shape them.
What’s a failure that turned out to be a blessing in disguise?
Early on, I introduced too many brands too quickly, and not all of them resonated with our community. That experience taught me a valuable lesson: curation is key. Instead of bringing in brands for the sake of variety, I now focus on brands—such as Entropy and Jung Beauty—that align deeply with Ksisters’s vision and our customers’s needs.
This shift in curation—from trial and error to intentional, thoughtful selection—has made Ksisters a trusted name in K-beauty, ensuring that every brand we introduce adds real value to our customers’s beauty routines.
What’s one habit or ritual that keeps you grounded amid chaos?
Face yoga! I use face yoga as a way to pause, reconnect with myself, and relieve stress. It’s also a great reminder that beauty starts from within.
That’s why I became a certified Korean face yoga instructor—and it’s why we are launching face yoga classes in 2025. I want more people to experience its benefits, not just for beauty, but for self-care and holistic well-being.
What’s a system, standard, or stereotype you hope to completely rewrite?
I want to redefine beauty retail. Traditionally, it’s been transactional, where brands sell and consumers buy. But I believe beauty should be immersive, educational, and personal. At Ksisters, we’re changing this by offering personalised consultations, K-beauty workshops, and curated wellness solutions. Our flagship store isn’t just a retail space—it’s an experience.
What’s next for you? How do you plan to keep changing the game?
Ksisters is more than a beauty brand—it’s a movement that redefines beauty as a personal, empowering journey. For starters, we’re expanding Ksisters beyond Singapore and launching in Malaysia through partners.
I’m also evolving Jung Beauty, with a greater emphasis on wellness-focused skincare. Our upcoming products incorporate microbiome-boosting ingredients to fortify skin health, alongside eco-conscious packaging and a modern take on Hanbang (Korean traditional medicine) ingredients.
We’re also continuing to bridge K-beauty with holistic wellness. With face yoga and guasha classes, we’re making Korean wellness an integral part of beauty.
PHOTOGRAPHY DARREN GABRIEL LEOW
ART DIRECTION MARISA XIN
STYLING KELLY HSU
PRODUCED BY CHERYL LAI-LIM, DANISHA LIANG, AND PAMEYLA CAMBE
MAKEUP SVETA KLYN OF THE SUBURBS STUDIO, USING FENTY BEAUTY
HAIR AIYI ZHOU, USING KEUNE HAIR COSMETICS
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT MELVIN LEONG
FASHION ASSISTANT NUR ASWANI
This story first appeared in the March 2025 issue of GRAZIA Singapore.
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