If not the health-boosting red ginseng products, visitors to Korea may find themselves in search of a well-known panacea and detoxifier, the antioxidant-rich red pine needle oil used for a variety of diseases, from fungal infections to regulating blood sugar levels.
Timetreasure by Sulwhasoo.
Likewise, beauty junkies can obtain ginseng and red pine skincare, with the latter helping to sustain an "evergreen'' complexion.
South Korea's cosmetic giant AmorePacific produces premium herbal skincare under the brand Sulwhasoo, whose beauty solutions are steeped in traditional Korean medicine. Besides pine needle oil, the tree bark and resin have also been used for medicinal purposes.
Jerdnapang Mathong.
As a wrinklebuster, Sulwhasoo red pine skincare debuted in 2006, followed by two reformulations with the 2015 Timetreasure Renovating EX collection being the upgrade in their products that promotes skin turnover and deep hydration.
The new formula contains extracts from sap as well as the root of the enigmatic red pine tree. Wild mushrooms are also grown at the foot of the tree and picked as another ingredient for the collection's age-defying cream.
"Remaining green throughout the millennia, the red pine is one of the most resilient pine species in Korea, thriving under harsh conditions to form lush forests; it has kept its green needles and reddish bark intact for thousands of years. It has long been a symbol of longevity and youth because of its dense and strong wood," said Jerdnapang Mathong, Sulwhasoo general manager. The resilient timber is used for building palaces to provide protection against rain and harsh weather conditions. Coffins for the royal family are also made using the red pine wood with the trees also being planted around royal tombs.
The utility of the tree is even extended to commoners and is deeply rooted in the country's culture, elaborated in the book Red Pine: Korean's Tree Of Life by Professor Chun Young-woo.
Timetreasure EX collection.
Grown on an unpolluted island, red pine trees provide Sulwhasoo with potent botanical ingredients to fight ageing skin. The brand's research into medicinal herbs identified the De-aging Active (DAA) as a potent compound that combats the catalysts of ageing skin and the build-up of a waste product, lipofuscin (a substance comparable to the annual ring of a tree), associated with the skin ageing process.
The research also looks into how to best extract the anti-ageing ingredient from the red pine.
"We looked at the classic literature in agricultural guidelines that outline the preparation methods for using red pine in medicine. Freshly-picked pine needles are grinded into a fine powder before being steamed and dried in the sunlight," said Jerdnapang.
"We adopted the steaming and drying process and developed it into the Poje Optimising Process so as to obtain a higher concentration of DAA for the Timetreasure Renovating formulas."
The traditional Poje Method refers to the various methods of processing that are used to obtain Korean medicinal herbs which are baked, steamed, fermented, or soaked in vinegar so as to detoxify, enrich or preserve them for a longer period of time.
The traditional methods have been combined with new technologies such as a patented capsule to deliver DAA deeper into the skin, in order to enhance the effectiveness of the entire collection, which includes hydrating water, emulsion, serum, cream and eye cream.
"The red pine tree has always been a part of the Korean way of life, even its scent, with the burning of pine needles used as incense or balls that are made with pine nuts and the sap of the tree being kept in closets," she said. "Likewise, the Timetreasure formulas exude the fresh and mind-soothing scent of pine to enhance enjoyable skincare application."
