YouTube creator Alan Chikin Chow, who has over 100 million subscribers across social media, is partnering with a major brand for his latest series, TheWrap has exclusively learned. “Beauty and the Beat” is a short-form digital series that comes from Chow and Laneige, the Korean skincare brand known for its viral lip products. The partnership marks a major milestone for scripted creators interested in brand partnerships.
Produced by SuperOrdinary Studios, the creator-led entertainment division of global brand accelerator SuperOrdinary, “Beauty and the Beat” is being described as a digital series that is the first of its kind in the United States. The short-form series isn’t just being sponsored by Laneige; the company’s products will actively drive the story in each episode. SuperOrdinary Studios also manages Laneige’s storefronts on both YouTube and the TikTok Shop, creating a seamless funnel between Chow’s fans watching new episodes and those who want to purchase products. The show will also leverage SuperOrdinary’s network of over 1.2 million global affiliates.
Buzzy brands partnering with creators is nothing new. In 2024, brand-sponsored content accounted for more than $8.14 billion in revenue earned by U.S. creators, according to eMarketer. But more often than not, those sponsorships are limited to creators who specialize in unscripted content, largely because it’s easier to plug a product in those feeds. Chow’s new partnership is part of a growing shift in the industry. As YouTube reigns as the most-watched television platform according to Nielsen, one of the next frontiers in the creator landscape is figuring out how to better monetize scripted content. Branded series like this one may be the key to figuring out how to capitalize on the reach of scripted creators while giving these artists more financial freedom to make the series they want to make.
Plus, Chow is a great partner for this particular experiment. Known for his K-drama-inspired shorts, the creator has over 50 billion views across platforms. “Beauty and the Beat” will also feature Chow’s “Alan’s Universe” co-star Chelsea Sik, who has over 1.2 million subscribers on YouTube.
“This collaboration redefines how online audiences are introduced to and fall in love with brands,” Chow said in a Thursday statement.
“Partnering with a creator like Alan Chikin Chow allows us to meet our customers where they are — seamlessly integrating product discovery through the creators and content they love,” said Julien Bouzitat, general manager of Laneige in the U.S. “‘Beauty and the Beat’ is a natural extension of how Gen Z experiences beauty, where discovery, education and shopping happen within the same moment.”
“‘Beauty and the Beat’ represents the evolution of brand storytelling — where entertainment value and commercial impact aren’t competing forces, but complementary ones,” added Harry Golden, chief strategy officer at SuperOrdinary Studios. “By putting creators at the center and building commerce into the DNA of the content, we’re creating a new category of entertainment that actually drives business results while delivering the authentic, engaging stories audiences crave.”
