Dr.Jart+ names Katseye's Yoonchae Jeung first North America ambassador

Dr.Jart+ has signed 18-year-old Katseye member Yoonchae Jeung as its first-ever North America Brand Ambassador, a first for the Estée Lauder Companies-owned Korean skin care brand in that market. The announcement lands alongside the relaunch of the brand's Premium BB Cream, reformulated with 2% niacinamide and glycerin, delivering SPF 30 coverage in eight shades.

The pairing signals where the brand sees growth: hybrid skin care-make-up products marketed through K-pop channels to a North American audience. Jeung will front the Premium BB Cream campaign, described by the company as "the next chapter" for Dr.Jart+.

Who is the new face?

Yoonchae Jeung is a South Korean singer and member of girl group Katseye, formed in 2024. The group is best known for the hits 'Gabriela', 'Animal' and 'Gnarly'. Dr.Jart+ called her "a rising global talent" whose influence extends across music, fashion and beauty.

The company framed the choice as an effort to "bring together the brand's Korean skin care heritage and the rising star's fresh perspective on beauty, individuality and self-expression", according to a statement.

Why K-pop remains central to the brand

The Jeung deal continues what Dr.Jart+ calls its "legacy" of collaborating with Korea's "most exciting artists". The roster already includes boy band Enhypen. For a brand whose North American footprint depends on cultural visibility rather than legacy counter space, artist partnerships function as the primary distribution of brand awareness.

"Music, especially K-pop, has always been an important part of how Dr.Jart+ shows up in culture," said Ye Jin Kim, VP/Global Brand Lead, Dr.Jart+. "We love collaborating with Korean artists to share our Korean roots with fans around the world."

The takeaway for brand and marketing teams: Dr.Jart+ is doubling down on K-pop ambassadorships as its route into Western markets, and the first North America-specific appointment suggests sharper regional targeting ahead.

What is being promoted?

The campaign vehicle is Premium BB Cream, a skin care-make-up hybrid. The reformulation carries 2% niacinamide plus glycerin for moisturisation, all-day SPF 30 protection, and a natural "glass skin" finish. Eight shades are available.

That ingredient profile places the product squarely in the hybrid category that has driven recent BB and tone-up cream growth: an active pigment-brightener at a standard 2% use level, a humectant, and daily UV protection in one step.

For formulators and buyers, the specs are the story. A 2% niacinamide BB cream with SPF 30 across eight shades reflects demand for treatment-plus-coverage products that can be marketed on both skin care and make-up claims.

What the ambassador says

Jeung addressed the partnership directly: "I have always believed that taking care of my skin is a way of taking care of myself."

She added: "No matter how busy my schedule gets, I love having a simple routine that makes me feel confident and comfortable in my own skin. Dr.Jart+ has always felt fun and innovative to me."

The messaging leans on simplicity and self-care, language that maps neatly onto single-step hybrid products. Expect the campaign to run across the artist's and the brand's channels through the Premium BB Cream launch cycle.

What to watch next

The metric that matters now is execution: how the campaign converts Katseye's fanbase into Premium BB Cream sales in North America, and whether Dr.Jart+ extends the ambassador model with further regional appointments. The next data points to watch are campaign rollout dates and any shade-range expansion beyond the current eight.

By James Calloway