Hemeko's global app largely carried over the structure of its Korean counterpart, a wrong approach.
Resulting in a translated experience, not an adapted one. This created an opportunity to rethink how information, navigation and visual communication could work for a new audience.
How can Hemeko maintain its Korean identity while offering a cleared and more intuitive experience for western users?
The initial research revealed a significant difference betweenn the expectations of the Korean and Western app ecosystems.
In contrast to Korean app design, the Western audience pointed towards a preference for:
Clearer information hierarchy
Progressive navigation
More whitespace
Controlled use of colour
Fewer competing elements
Less visual movement
Faster access to relevant information
User research (surveys, interviews and card sorting) reinforced these findings.
But they still valued korean visual identity.
The challenge therefore wasn't simply making a westernised, minimal version. It was to determine what should change and how, and what should remain.
The redesign needed to reduce cognitive friction without erasing the korean identity of Hemeko.
How can Hemeko maintain its Korean identity while offering a cleared and more intuitive experience for western users?
The initial research revealed a significant difference betweenn the expectations of the Korean and Western app ecosystems.
In contrast to Korean app design, the Western audience pointed towards a preference for:
Clearer information hierarchy
Progressive navigation
More whitespace
Controlled use of colour
Fewer competing elements
Less visual movement
Faster access to relevant information
User research (surveys, interviews and card sorting) reinforced these findings.
But they still valued korean visual identity.
The challenge therefore wasn't simply making a westernised, minimal version. It was to determine what should change and how, and what should remain.
The redesign needed to reduce cognitive friction without erasing the korean identity of Hemeko.
From research to interface
From research to interface
With the use of UX techniques, every design decision born during research was translated directly to a interface solution.
I redesigned the experience around three principles:
SIMPLIFY
Clearer architecture, reduced information density and fewer dynamic elements. With a new navigation and product discovery experience.
PERSONALISE
A new functionality: The hub, focused on education and individual K-beauty needs based on a questionnaire and further personalisation.
STAY RECOGNISABLE
A more coherent UI, typography, colour system and communication style.
Cultural adaptation is a UX problem.
By working hand to hand with western and korean users, I understood that cultural adaptation happens at multiple levels.
Navigation, information hierarchy, visual language and interaction patterns all influence how users understand and trust a product.
The k-beauty industry, up close.
Working and researching inside the k-beauty industry taught me to look beyond trends and aesthetics, and understand the cultural context behind the products, brands and experiences.
What I would do differently today
What I would do differently today
I'd go deeper.
I would expand the usability testing and refine the product, brand detail and personalisation experiences, identified as areas for further development in the validation phase. Encompassing this, I would also focus on the in-person connection between the brand's physical efforts and the digital product, key in the K-beauty market.
I'd go deeper.
I would expand the usability testing and refine the product, brand detail and personalisation experiences, identified as areas for further development in the validation phase. Encompassing this, I would also focus on the in-person connection between the brand's physical efforts and the digital product, key in the K-beauty market.
