KEMA Column
Korea Running, Hair Refining — The Running Boom and Hair Care for Sweat and Humidity
Korea is running today. Along the Han River at dusk, people who have finished their workday jog lightly, and in parks on weekends, "running crews" gather in matching gear. It’s not just for health. For the younger generation in Korea, running is becoming a lifestyle all its own—a way of refining oneself. And after the run, one question always remains: how to care for sweaty hair and scalp? In this column, we will explore the Korean running boom from various angles while considering hair care for those who run.
Korea is running
It is said that the running population in Korea has exceeded 10 million, and running is evolving beyond a temporary fad into a culture that symbolizes an era. In 2025, the number of searches related to "running" increased about threefold from the previous year, and the number of buyers of related products grew by over 150%. People in their 20s and 30s account for more than 70% of those buyers, with particularly notable growth among women. Running is no longer just for a select few enthusiasts.
At the center of this are "running crews." Groups of 5 to 20 people who met via social media run together, share their records on smartwatches, and take a group photo after finishing. Their posts with hashtags like "#HanRiverRunning" or "#RunningCrew" are, while exercise, also a way of connecting and self-expression. Running has become a "showcase" activity—a uniquely Korean aesthetic quietly breathes here.
Why do they run? — The background of the boom
There are multiple overlapping reasons for this surge. One is the rise in health consciousness following the pandemic. During periods when indoor gyms were difficult to access, running was re-evaluated as an exercise that could be started alone and completed outdoors. It requires no special equipment or membership fees—just a pair of shoes is enough to start today—and its low-cost, sustainable nature during uncertain economic times has been a tailwind.
Another factor is its compatibility with social media. The distance and pace of a run are recorded in apps and made "visible" as numbers. Sharing that sense of achievement in posts and receiving reactions from friends makes it engaging. Replacing the golf or tennis of the past, the social hub for the younger generation has shifted to running. When health, connection, and self-expression connect on a single line, running transcends a hobby to become culture.
The Korean aesthetic of "Self-Management"
In Korea, the term "Self-management" (자기관리/Jagi-gwalli) is rooted in daily life. Carefully refining oneself—including body type, skin, hair, and lifestyle habits—is respected not as vanity, but as an attitude of treating oneself with care. Running is a symbol of this self-management. The act of waking up early, sweating, and building up records is a process of simultaneously nurturing physical beauty and internal wellness.
The philosophy of order, balance, and harmony that KEMA has always valued resonates deeply with this sense. Refining is not about decorating with additions, but about quietly restoring a disturbed balance. Just as a runner listens to their body, hair is something to be "refined" through small, daily care.
What happens to hair and scalp after a run
After a satisfying run, your scalp is sweating as much as your skin. While sweat itself is colorless, if left alone, it mixes with sebum and creates an environment where bacteria thrive. This is the source of odor, stickiness, and scalp itchiness. Furthermore, in seasons with high humidity like the Korean summer, sweat doesn't dry easily, and moisture and heat tend to remain trapped at the roots of the hair.
What we want you to know here is the concept of "Moist Heat" that KEMA holds dear. The easiest way to visualize this is to think of a straightening iron. An iron uses "heat" to smooth hair, but if you apply high heat to completely dry, parched hair, you strip away even the small amount of remaining moisture, damaging the cuticle and making it frizzy. Conversely, if you apply the right amount of heat to hair that contains moderate moisture, the hair smooths out neatly, the surface aligns, and shine is created. In other words, what finishes hair beautifully is not "heat" itself, but the balance between moisture and heat—this is the idea of moist heat.
The same applies to hair after a run. If you try to finish hair that is damp with sweat using a high-temperature dryer or iron, the balance of moisture and heat collapses, triggering frizz, spreading, and dryness. If you use an iron, first dry your hair thoroughly, supplement moisture with a leave-in treatment, and then slide the iron through quickly at the necessary temperature. Making moisture and heat your allies rather than your enemies is the shortcut to hair that stays manageable even on sweaty days. This is why care on a day you've sweated doesn't end with just "washing."
Tied-up hair and UV rays—the overlooked burden
Many women run with their hair tied back tightly. However, continuously tying it in the same spot pulls on the hairline and part, creating stress. Hair is particularly delicate when wet with sweat. When running, it is important to give your hair a break by slightly shifting the position of the hair tie or tying it loosely.
Another thing often forgotten is UV rays. Even if you apply sunscreen to your face and arms, the crown of your head and your part remain unprotected. The longer you run outdoors, the more your scalp and hair are exposed to UV rays, causing dryness, frizz, and fading. Protecting it physically with a cap or applying a leave-in treatment before running to create a protective moisture barrier—such small efforts will change the condition of your hair in the future.
Leave-in care for the day you've sweated
Once you’ve washed your scalp carefully in the shower after your run, the real care begins there. First, gently press the moisture out with a towel—do not rub. Next, while the hair is still slightly damp, apply a leave-in treatment. Wet hair is easily susceptible to external stimuli, so use an oil or balm to create a protective film, allowing you to dry it while maintaining the balance of moisture and heat.
KEMA's advanced liposome technology is based on the idea of delivering repair ingredients to the deepest parts of the hair to refine it from within. Rather than just coating the surface, we aim to raise the overall condition of the hair itself through small, daily accumulations. Whether you ran or didn't run, applying oil to the ends in the quiet moments of the evening—that quiet habit nurtures a shine that won't succumb to sweat or humidity.
A little effort before you run
Care is not just for after you finish. A few minutes before you start running can greatly reduce the burden on your hair. Applying a light layer of leave-in treatment to the ends before you set off creates a film that protects hair from sweat, UV rays, and dry wind. When tying your hair, don't pull too hard, and make sure the same tension isn't constantly being applied to your cowlick or part. If you have long hair, tucking it under a cap mitigates both friction and sun exposure.
After running, the ideal is to wash away the sweat as soon as possible. If a shower isn't immediately possible, simply pressing your scalp with a clean towel and making sure your hair is completely dry before re-tying it will significantly suppress odor and stickiness. Small, consistent efforts make it possible to sustain both a running habit and beautiful hair.
Korean running culture, trending now
The culture surrounding "running" in Korea is surprisingly diverse. Here, we introduce movements that are spreading locally. The degree of popularity varies by time and region, so please use this as a clue to feel the atmosphere while traveling.
Running Crew러닝크루
A club culture of meeting through SNS to run together. It's standard to share results via recording apps and post group photos after the run. It is also gaining popularity as a place for meeting and connection.
Han River Running한강 러닝
A representative riverside course in Seoul. A mecca for Korean running culture where many runners gather from dusk to night. It has become a standard course that even travelers can easily run.
Fun Run펀런 / fun run
Participatory events focused on "running while having fun" rather than competing for time. With playful elements like costumes and set themes, this is a new trend attracting more beginners and women.
Running Core러닝코어
A fashion trend incorporating running gear into daily style. Items that combine functionality and design are also gaining support as street wear.
Smartwatch & Recording Apps러닝 앱
It has become standard to record pace, heart rate, and distance to visualize achievement. A culture of enjoying the running experience digitally—competing in rankings with friends or sharing routes—is well-established.
Morning Run미라클 모닝
A "Miracle Morning" style of starting the day with an early morning run. It is supported by the younger generation as a symbol of self-management, and pre-work runs are popular post themes on SNS.
The Korean aesthetic KEMA inherits
Running is a time to face and refine your own body. That attitude overlaps somewhere with the philosophy of order, balance, and harmony that KEMA has cherished. You sweat, you wash it away, and you refine yourself again. The more intensely you move, the more important it is to restore the balance of moisture and heat in your hair and scalp at the end. What the people of Korea who run show us is the fact that health and beauty are not separate, but grow together within a single habit. KEMA will quietly support that daily "refining" from the side of hair care.
For hair after a run, choose refining care.
Get a shine that won't lose to sweat or humidity with KEMA's leave-in care.
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