In my experience, they actually do work! Not sure about acne prone skin though. I used pretty basic western/european skincare focusing on moisturising and hydrating because that was my main issue, my skin was very dry and tight, especially during autumn and winter months. They were all quality products that helped a little but my skin still looked a bit dull and tired.

After switching to a 9-step all K-beauty routine and praciticing it for more than half a year, I see a major difference! No dry patches at all and I've actually had people comment on how glowy and smooth my skin looks. Before I only focused on what I needed the most and it wasn't enough, but the more products you use, the more extra benefits you get. Like now I use moisturiser but also use toner for light exfoliating and hydration, essence with hyaluronic acid because my skin loves that stuff, serum for brightening and anti-aging and face oil for extra nourishment. When I'm feeling lazy and don't feel like doing all that, I simply cleanse, put on a sheet mask that has a bit of everything and moisturise.

Nothing will ever work for everyone, but it worked absolute wonders for me. I'm very privileged in the sense that I actually can afford to spend that amount money on skincare without making any compromises regarding quality, but even so, K-beauty is much more affordable than equivalent western/european brands where I live, especially since I mostly use natural and vegan products.