A 36-Year-Old Beauty Mogul Is South Korea's Newest Billionaire
TikTok buzz helped turn Korean beauty firm APR into a $4 billion skincare powerhouse. Shares have soared 200% this year.
Kim Byung Hoon.
Source: APR Corp.
In a 15-second TikTok clip that has racked up millions of views, Kylie Jenner glides a sleek silver device across her face, swearing by its ability to help skin absorb serums more effectively. Dubbed the Booster Pro, the gadget’s video has gone viral — and with it, the fortunes of its maker APR Corp., a once-obscure Seoul-based startup now at the center of the K-beauty boom.
Behind the firm is 36-year-old Kim Byung Hoon, a tech entrepreneur-turned-beauty mogul whose company has made him South Korea’s newest billionaire. His 31% stake in APR is now worth about $1.3 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, after the firm’s shares soared 200% this year.