2009.4.14
by Park Min-young
Jeon Hye-seong, a 25-year-old college student, tries on different eye shadows at a cosmetic department in a local department store, enjoying the help of a male shop assistant.
"Smoky make-up does make your eyes look deeper, but the recent trend is semi-smoky. Try it with this pale pink shadow which matches great with your fair complexion. This is the kind of color men like on women," he advises with a wink.
Taking his advice, Jeon buys a pale pink shadow and even picks up a shiny pink lip gloss to go with it.
"Listening to a guy's opinion for a change was more persuading somehow. I ended up buying more than I had planned, but I'm satisfied because I am certain that I got the ones that make me look nicer," Jeon says with a contented smile.
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Even a few years ago, male shop assistants were only found in the shoe departments or men's clothing department. Women's clothing and especially cosmetic departments were considered as off-limits to men.
But things change. Male shop assistants are increasing in department stores to allure more customers.
The number of male clerks in cosmetic department shot up in the recent few years. Among the cosmetic salespersons in 11 Hyundai Department Stores, 36 are men. Compared to last year when there were only 22, the number has increased by 60 percent.
Cosmetic companies placed more male clerks at branches that are more frequently used by younger people.
Among Hyundai Department Stores, the COEX store has the most with 12, followed by the Sinchon store with 10, and the Apgujeong store with six.
The situation is similar in other department stores. Shinsegae Department Store, which used to have only one or two male shop assistants in each cosmetics section, increased the number by at least five and sometimes even 12 this year. In the Gangnam branch alone, 14 men are working in the cosmetics department.
Lotte Department Store has 35 male assistants in its 14 stores in the metropolitan area, and 18 of them work at the flagship store in Sogong-dong.
Male sales assistants tend to be more kind and passionate when explaining about the products or demonstrating how to use the products, according to the department store officials. They seem to consider themselves as pioneers taking the first steps to an area which used to be considered as "women only," the stores say.
"The best thing about male shop assistants is that they can advise the customer what looks good from a man's point of view," said Ji Joon-woo, cosmetics buyer at Hyundai Department Store.
"They also contribute in making a differentiated boutique view, and narrow the emotional gap between male customers and cosmetic boutiques," he added.
It is not only young women who are welcoming more male clerks. Shy men who feel uncomfortable in department stores sheepishly confess that they are more than glad about this change.
"I am not a department store person. Whenever I went there, I felt isolated and even used to get in a cold sweat when a bunch of saleswomen gathered around me to give me a hand. But since I live alone, I do have to go there myself from time to time to buy basic skin care products," said Lee Jong-min, a 26-year-old male.
"If there are at least one or two male assistants around, I feel more comfortable. Naturally, I find myself heading toward the stores with male assistants," he said.
For ladies in their 40s or 50s, the recent popularity of "Boys over Flowers" seems to have a great influence.
"The ambience is totally different at the stores where there are young male assistants rushing around showing off their clear complexion and cute smiles compared to the ones where it is only swarming with women," said Park Eun-mi, a 44-year-old woman.
More ladies actually ask for a male assistant to help them shop. Following the demands, stores are even going over new marketing strategies to maintain their customer bases with male sales assistants.
(claire@heraldm.com)
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