Brand Comparison
Addiction vs Beauty of Joseon
A head-to-head comparison of two popular K-beauty brands. Which one is right for your skin?
Our Pick
Beauty of Joseon
Higher editor rating (9 vs 8)
Rating8/109/10
Price RangePremium ($$$)Budget ($)
Founded20092014
OriginJapanSouth Korea
Products119
Best Fornormal, Combo, MatureCombo, Oily, Sensitive, Dry
PhilosophyKose-group artistic Japanese beauty — makeup-first but with skincare crossovers (primers, lip treatments, skin tints).Hanbang (traditional Korean herbal medicine) meets modern cosmetic science. Heritage ingredients like rice, ginseng, and propolis in contemporary formulations.
Addiction
Addiction is art-school Japanese beauty. Skincare isn't the main story, but their hybrid primer-moisturizers and lip treatments are underrated — Japanese cosmetic elegance without SK-II pricing.
Pros
- ✓ Cosmetic textures nobody else makes
- ✓ Kose-group R&D
- ✓ Cult lip-skincare
Cons
- ✗ Not a primary skincare brand
- ✗ Limited international retail
Beauty of Joseon
Beauty of Joseon has quietly become one of the most impressive value propositions in K-beauty. Their Relief Sun is arguably the best budget sunscreen globally, and the Glow Serum delivers genuine results at a price that undercuts competitors by half. The hanbang angle could be gimmicky, but they back it with solid formulation science.
Pros
- ✓ Exceptional price-to-performance ratio
- ✓ Relief Sun SPF 50+ is a standout product
- ✓ Hanbang ingredients backed by real formulation
- ✓ Elegant textures despite budget pricing
Cons
- ✗ Limited product range compared to larger brands
- ✗ Hanbang marketing can feel vague
- ✗ Some products sell out frequently
