For nail art, in US there is only nail, no art

By Grace Lee

Nail art in Korea is incomparable with that in the United States.

Many are disappointed when they go to the U.S. to find that the country does not offer nail art services like those in Korea.

When “Korean nail art” is searched on Google, there are various designs available to choose from. But for “American nail art,” one mainly finds pictures of nails with the American flag.

Korea's nail industry is run by nail associations, whereas people usually own their own salons in the U.S.

“Korean nail schools are serious business in the nail industry,” nail artist and educator Catherine Wong said. “They have many branches in major parts of the country … and they have a curriculum like a typical school would.”

Koreans can find inspiration for their nail art designs on many platforms, such as Naver, the online portal in Korea, and Instagram. They have various styles, colors, designs and textures to choose from.

Some futuristic designs can be said to be influenced by savvy technology, as well as through the infusion of concepts adapted from common elements.

The diamond technique, which is a show of class given the value of diamonds in society, is popular as it resembles real diamonds.

For those who do not have much free time, nail stickers provide an opportunity to have pretty nails. It is as simple as putting on and removing tape.

Dashing Diva is one of the more popular sites, with AOA's Seolhyun the company's main face.

Nail stickers are also available on major home shopping sites such as Coupang and G-Market.

With all these creative nail art ideas by Koreans, it is hard for the U.S. to catch up. Manicuring is still relevant in the U.S. cosmetic industry, and it helps women carve out their unique identities in this beauty aspect.

But for Koreans, thriving nail art makes them unique in the world and it sells the Korean culture.

Grace Lee is an intern.