In a video posted to social media on November 13, actor Lee Jung-jae revealed that he paused filming projects throughout 2026 because his skin condition deteriorated sharply.

According to the report by 재경일보 (JKN), the trouble began last autumn and became so severe that filming movies and dramas was no longer possible, turning what was meant to be a busy year into an unintended break.

He described the situation bluntly: 'The situation became so serious that I couldn't film at all, so I was forced to take a break this year.'

Rather than simply waiting out the problem, Lee Jung-jae turned the hiatus into the seed of a beauty company. Per 재경일보, he has developed skincare products made for people who share his skin concerns, and he plans to launch the brand this month — days away at the time of his video.

He said he feels nervous 'as if I were about to release a movie,' noting that meeting the public through a product rather than a role has given him a sense of anticipation he has not felt in a long time.

It is his first beauty venture in which he has directly participated in planning and development.

Celebrity beauty ventures usually trade on polish, not on a star admitting his skin failed him at the height of his global 'Squid Game' fame.

What makes this development the talk of the K-beauty world, as 재경일보's report frames it, is the origin story: the products exist because the founder personally could not work.

He is even debating whether to publish photos of his skin at its worst — his staff suggested it, but he confessed he feared 'everyone would leave' if they saw, saying he might release them only if it could give hope to others whose skin later improved.

The launch is not a one-off licensing deal. According to 재경일보, Artist Company — where Lee Jung-jae is the largest shareholder — is pursuing brand businesses built on actor-related content and intellectual property, and the skincare line is its first project.

The bet lands in a crowded celebrity-beauty field: Dojeon Media separately reports that BIGBANG's G-Dragon is expanding his PEACEMINUSONE label into K-beauty with Goodai Global, arriving in early 2027 with Korea first and US and Japan to follow.

Two of Korea's biggest entertainment figures entering beauty within months shows how central celebrity IP has become to the category.

Where and how the brand debuts may matter as much as who founded it.

The same news cycle shows retail platforms actively courting founder-led beauty stories: WWD reports that hairstylist Kristin Ess is returning to the category with Otherwise, a hair-fragrance line of 14 alcohol-free scents launching this weekend at all 611 Target Beauty Studio doors at $25 each.

As Modern Retail's Big Box Briefing describes, Target and Walmart are overhauling their beauty aisles to rival specialty stores, giving new brands a mass-scale stage — a backdrop that shapes how a first-time beauty founder like Lee Jung-jae might reach shoppers.

Fans hoping for specifics will have to wait. As of November 14, 재경일보 reports that the brand name, exact launch date, and product list have not been disclosed, and Lee Jung-jae did not reveal what products would come or in what form — only that the launch is 'this month.'

After the tvN drama 'Annoying Love' ended in 2025, he spent the break on skin recovery and this business rather than acting, so the brand's reception may shape whether he returns to film first or builds a second act as a beauty founder.

Either way, the reveal of the name itself will be the next news beat.