At some point, my daughter, a member of the MZ generation (millennials + Gen Z, born 1981–2010), began frequently gifting me a cosmetics brand. "Medicube." Come to think of it, it's the brand that fills her vanity. She hinted that it's the brand that beat Amorepacific and LG Household & Health Care. As a physiognomy researcher, I naturally became curious about Medicube and the Medicube chief executive officer (CEO).
APR, which created the Medicube brand, is a K-beauty tech company spanning beauty, fashion, and entertainment. Launched in Oct. 2014 with paid-in capital of 50 million won, it listed on the KOSPI in 2024 and grew into a corporation with a market capitalization of 8.5 trillion won in 11 years.
Bloomberg reported in July last year that Kim Byung-hoon, the APR founder and CEO, had joined the ranks of billionaires. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the value of the company equity held by Kim, then 36, was about 1.8 trillion won. It also became a hot topic that Kim owned a penthouse with a nationwide record-high price of about 29 billion won per pyeong.
Kim jumped into entrepreneurship as an undergraduate at Yonsei University School of Business, but went through five failures. However, by making Medicube and the "Nerdy (now NDY)" brand a success, Kim became a unicorn (a private company valued at $1 billion or more), an icon of the young and rich who changed the landscape of Korea's beauty and fashion industries. Beyond a successful entrepreneur, Kim has become a role model for MZ generation founders, and Kim's face, unexpectedly, resembles actor Song Joong-ki.
MZ founder's success story resembling Song Joong-ki
In almost every photo taken of Kim, the hair covers the forehead. So the forehead is hard to read. Given the strong academic performance, the forehead is likely broad. Having achieved major success in the U.S. market and pushing into Europe after Japan and Hong Kong in Asia, the sides of the forehead associated with overseas fortune—the byeonji and yeokma areas (the lateral sides from the tail of the eyebrows to the hairline)—also appear developed.
The first feature that stands out on Kim's face is a sharp nose. When focused on a field of interest, Kim goes straight without detours and accelerates. The tip of the nose is split, and the center of the chin is also split. Kim works without gaps and has a relentless disposition to overcome the self. It is said Kim worked without a vacation for 10 years after founding the company. The core talent at APR likely shares a similar disposition. Otherwise, it would be hard to endure.
The eyebrows, slightly visible through the hair, lie flat. Interpersonal relationships are smooth. The eyebrows are thick, suggesting stepwise, bounding growth. In the 30s—the age of the eyebrows—Kim speeds along the road to success. With narrow eyes of appropriate horizontal length, the fortune in the 35–40 range is also favorable. The eye tail, where the eye begins, is sharp and keen. An innate market analysis ability shows in this eye tail. Looking at photos tracing the changes in Kim's face, the eye tail has grown sharper with age. Concentration has strengthened. The pupils are large and dark and sit centered without floating up or down. Kim has a firm center.
Dark pupils indicate an excellent sense of reality and an ability to read the flow of money well. The pupils of the late Samsung founder, Lee Byung-chul, were black like black pearls. Such people play with money like jacks and easily bring in money from afar. Large pupils confer artistry, and the soft eye shape pursues beauty. Business items in beauty and fashion suit Kim well. From the side, the eyes protrude slightly, so when there is something to push through, Kim does not hold back.
The ears are knife-like. With the middle cartilage protruding, Kim forges new paths where there are none. Execution is swift. The modifiers that follow Kim—"boldness" and "speed"—come from this ear disposition reinforced by the sharp nose. Also, the nasal root from the forehead to the nose bridge (the area between the eyes) connects smoothly without a dip. It is an advantageous physiognomy for accelerating and advancing unimpeded into the 40s.
Face management needed for the 50s
When expressionless, especially in profile, the cheekbones (zygomatic bones) look flat and plain. Kim spends much time alone. Rather than enjoying solitude, Kim likely spends time working and researching with intense focus, and in dialogue with the self. But when smiling, the contour lines of the cheekbones rise sharply and protrude forward. Kim may seem indifferent to the surroundings but is subtly conscious of them. Because the front and side impressions differ, Kim is the type to separate work from leisure. Preferring to do personal work alone without interference, Kim nevertheless shows a fairly diplomatic disposition in front of people.
A hairstyle that covers the forehead is body language that signals listening well to others rather than asserting "I am who I am." It reflects a CEO's stance of closely observing consumers directly and listening to their voices. However, the ears are attached slightly toward the back. In the end, Kim listens more to one's own voice than to others.
With a sturdy nasal bridge, Kim has a naturally healthy constitution, and with a high bridge, strong pride. A management philosophy that prioritizes quality is Kim's pride itself. The slightly downward nose tip has a knack for drawing people in, like an angler. There is also an artistic bent. In the age of the sharp nose tip (48), the fortune slightly plateaus. The philtrum area—governing the early 50s—seems to curl upward toward the upper lip, but the mustache looks fresh and green. Confident and vigorous, and healthy, Kim can take it a bit easier until the early 50s.
If, over life, the nasolabial lines (smile lines) form well, another phase of growth will come. For now, they are not distinct. The long nose suggests digging one well, but with faint lines, if Kim deems something a poor fit or another interesting venture arises, there may be a change of industry. That's because there is a boyish nature that needs work to be exhilarating and fun. There are dimples on the cheeks; if cheek flesh is well managed so the nasolabial lines widen to the dimple area, an unshakable, stable wealth will form. But if the cheeks slim, the dimples can deepen into wrinkles. In that case, in the dimple age of 56–57, difficulties may strike. However, when Kim smiles, the cheekbones roundly lift upward, the inner mouth flesh is thick, and the jaw is solid, suggesting the late-life crises will likely be overcome well.
The mouth is large, and in profile, the area around it is well-fleshed. Kim has robust stamina and is broad-minded. Two slightly protruding large front teeth catch the eye. The tongue pushes the front teeth forward, signaling highly expressive speech. Kim is assertive. Although the lips are not in the seagull shape associated with eloquence, Kim is a fine talker. In an interview last year, Kim said, "At 24, I first went out to the field and did nothing but work, and only now at 36 have I been able to enjoy something called a vacation for the first time. When it comes to work, pouring in passion to the point of grinding time itself was my weapon." True to a self-made workaholic who has clenched the teeth and worked, the side jaw is firm. With such a good jaw, there is strong responsibility and well-equipped supporting talent, making late-life fortune favorable.
Judging by the physiognomy, Kim's fortune appears likely to continue well into late life. As much as corporate management, Kim is urged to manage the face well so the cheeks do not slim and the nasolabial lines can take broad hold. True to appearance, without becoming conceited by wealth, Kim seems likely to continue living as a workaholic. The dream to become the "Apple" and "Tesla" of the beauty industry will come true.