Korean personal color
- Temperature (warm/cool tone) is the headline result.
- Results are often discussed in terms of makeup — lip and blush shades.
- Studio sessions use many small color cards and bright, even lighting.
Korean color analysis · 퍼스널 컬러
Korean Personal Color Analysis
Korean color analysis — personal color, or 퍼스널 컬러 — became popular through Seoul studios that test clients with dozens of colored fabric cards and a strong focus on makeup.
It uses the same four seasons as Western analysis but organizes them differently: warm or cool first, then a season, then a "light", "bright", "mute" or "deep" variant. Here is how the Korean system works and how it lines up with 12-season analysis.
- Warm / cool first
- 4 seasons × subtypes
- Makeup-focused
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Method
How a Korean personal color test works
Bare face, bright light
Makeup off, hair covered with a white cap, sitting under daylight lamps or a white ring light.
Warm vs cool (웜톤 vs 쿨톤)
Gold and silver cards or drapes decide the first split: warm tone or cool tone.
Season
Warm tones are tested between spring and autumn; cool tones between summer and winter.
Subtype
A final round of light, bright, mute and deep cards picks the variant, e.g. "spring light" or "winter deep".
Makeup matching
Many studios finish with lipstick and blush swatches in the client’s best tones — the most distinctive part of Korean analysis.
Mapping
Korean personal color types and their 12-season equivalents
Names vary by studio; this is the most common structure.
| Korean type | Tone | Closest 12-season type | Palette |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring light (봄 라이트) | Warm | Light Spring |
|
| Spring bright (봄 브라이트) | Warm | Bright Spring / True Spring |
|
| Summer light (여름 라이트) | Cool | Light Summer |
|
| Summer bright (여름 브라이트) | Cool | True Summer |
|
| Summer mute (여름 뮤트) | Cool | Soft Summer |
|
| Autumn mute (가을 뮤트) | Warm | Soft Autumn |
|
| Autumn strong / deep (가을 딥) | Warm | True Autumn / Deep Autumn |
|
| Winter bright (겨울 브라이트) | Cool | Bright Winter |
|
| Winter deep (겨울 딥) | Cool | Deep Winter / True Winter |
|
Differences
Korean vs Western color analysis
Western seasonal analysis
- The season name and its dominant trait are the headline.
- Results focus on wardrobe palettes and neutrals.
- Draping uses larger fabrics and natural daylight where possible.
Online
Can you take a Korean personal color test online?
An online test cannot recreate studio lighting or fabric cards, but it can still give you a direction. Online Korean personal color tests usually ask about veins, jewelry and how makeup looks; photo-based tools read your coloring from a selfie.
Our free analysis uses a selfie to estimate your Western main season. Combined with the undertone test, it tells you your warm/cool tone and season — the first two layers of the Korean system.
We are not a Korean studio and do not offer certified Korean personal color consultations; this page explains the system so you can use it with any result.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions people ask most about this topic.
What is Korean personal color analysis?
A Korean approach to seasonal color analysis that identifies warm or cool tone first, then a season and a light, bright, mute or deep subtype, often with makeup recommendations.
Is Korean color analysis different from Western?
The seasons are the same, but Korean analysis emphasizes warm/cool tone and makeup, and uses its own subtype names.
What is "summer mute" in Western terms?
It is closest to Soft Summer.
Can I take a Korean personal color test online?
You can take online quizzes or photo-based analyses for a direction, though they cannot replicate a studio’s lighting and fabric cards.
See which season your photo points to
Upload a clear, front-facing selfie in daylight. The free analysis estimates one of the four main seasons and shows four colors to start with.
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