Beauty of Joseon Red Bean PDRN Serum Review: The Pore Specialist
Every other serum in this roundup chases plump and glow. Beauty of Joseon went the other way. Its Pore Firming Serum uses a red bean-derived PDRN with peptides to target pore appearance and a firmer, less shiny finish. If your complaint is pores and oil rather than fine lines, this is the odd one out worth trying.
Price: Check current price (typically fair for the brand)
PDRN source: Red bean-derived
Key actives: Red bean PDRN, peptides
Size: 30ml
Focus: Pore appearance, firming, lighter finish
The Good
It targets a different problem. Pore-focused rather than plump-focused, which makes it the right pick for combination-to-oily skin that finds richer plumping serums too much.
Lighter finish. Sits better on oily skin and under makeup without the tacky, dewy feel some plumping serums leave.
Beauty of Joseon's reputation. The brand consistently prices fairly and formulates cleanly, which is why it keeps landing on best-of lists across price tiers.
The Not-So-Good
Red bean PDRN is the least-studied source here. Salmon PDRN carries the bulk of the research. Red bean-derived PDRN is newer and thinner on evidence, so treat the pore-firming claim as promising rather than proven.
Wrong tool for dryness or deep lines. If your skin is dry or your priority is wrinkles, the plumping and hydration picks fit better.
Who Should Buy It
- Combination-to-oily skin focused on pore appearance
- Anyone who dislikes heavy, dewy serum finishes
- Fans of clean, fair-priced formulas
Who Should Buy Something Else
Verdict: Beauty of Joseon is the pore-and-oil specialist in a category obsessed with plump. It fills a real gap for oily skin, and the brand's track record earns some trust. Just know the red bean PDRN source is the least-proven of the bunch, so buy it for the lightweight pore-focused formula, not for the ingredient's research pedigree.