A 2-month lead forecast for marketers, MDs, and brand decision-makers.
Using last August's Naver search demand to predict this August's strong categories,
and showing what you must prep now (June) to win August via lead-time reversal.
Last year's (2025) August Naver search demand (actuals) → forecast for this August. "What to prep now (June)" is revealed after signup.[1]
| Strong August Category | Last Aug. Naver | August Signal | Prep Now (June) — Lead-Time Reversal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet Masks | 84.5 | Strongest in late summer | ??? |
| Cleansing Oil | 47.2 | Summer pore & sebum care | ??? |
| Moisture Cream | 41.4 | Year-round base demand (peaks in winter) | ??? |
| Toner | 28.6 ★ | August peak (rising) | ??? |
| Serum | 18.0 ★ | August peak (rising) | ??? |
| Pores | 10.1 ★ | August peak (rising) | ??? |
| Sunscreen | 67.9 ↓ | July peak → August decline | ??? |
Last year's (2025) August Naver DataLab search demand index (relative to sunscreen July = 100). ★ = August is the peak vs. July & September. August = masks, cleansing, moisture, toner, serum, pores (late-summer soothing, hydration, and pore care).
August Korea K-Beauty = soothing, hydration, pores, masks. Sunscreen is already too late.
Last August's Naver search demand: sheet masks 84.5 (strongest in late summer), cleansing oil 47.2 (strong); toner, serum, and pores all peak in August (rising). By contrast, sunscreen drops from 100 in July to 67.9 in August (July is its peak), and moisture cream isn't an August core since its search peak is winter.
→ What to do now (June): the August target isn't sunscreen but soothing, hydration, pores, and masks. Reviews take about 14 days to accumulate and influencer booking → publish takes 3–4 weeks, so you must start in June to win August.
Breaking down how top brands earned their spot → the action MDs and marketers should take now.[2][3]
Why 'reviews'? Celimax (Heartleaf peeling pad), a double crown winner for Best-Selling and Review-Best at the Coupang H1 2025 Awards, made its spot with ₩53.5B in Jan–May revenue (exceeding its ₩46.2B full-year 2024), ~49K reviews, and a 4.7 rating (per the brand's announcement). Korean consumers buy based on reviews and ratings — reviews make the ranking, and the ranking makes the revenue (Hwahae's review ranking works the same way).
So if you want August, here's what to do now (June):
① Select & stock products in strong August categories (masks, hydration, pores, soothing).
② Start 100 buyer reviews in June — it takes ~14 days, so your rating/review assets are complete before August exposure.
③ Book influencers/content in June — booking → publish takes 3–4 weeks.
④ Pivot content from sunscreen to a soothing, hydration, and pore hook.
What the data shows
Last August's data says it — August is about soothing, hydration, pores, and masks. Reviews take 14 days; influencer booking takes 3–4 weeks. 08-ee delivers the 100 buyer reviews to start now plus a tailored quote in 30 seconds.
Start a free consultation →First 100 reviews free — just enter your product link and the AI analyzes it instantly
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