DPPR's "midface shrinking" skincare claims mocked as false advertising

DPPR (pronounced "dipper") launched its PDRNCUBE lineup in July 2025, anchored by the "PDRN Middle Shot 2000 Serum" and "PDRN Salmon Egg Cream." The brand's core promise was that the products would "shorten" a person's midface — the area from below the eyes to above the lips — following a viral new Korean beauty standard fixated on a smaller nose and philtrum.

The products attracted little attention at launch. That changed when a social media ad surfaced showing a long-faced dog plushie photoshopped to have a shorter midface, with the caption promising results "in just 4 weeks*" backed by a human clinical trial claimed to have measured midface lifting angle and length.

Korean beauty forums, led by theqoo, reacted with open ridicule. Commenters asked whether the serum would shrink their hands, reduce a double chin, or reshape bone structure that even medical professionals could not. The clinical trial's methods were questioned, and the brand was accused of preying on people insecure about their looks.

As of September 5, 2025, DPPR had not responded to the backlash. The controversy grew largely on word of mouth and forum threads rather than any formal regulatory action.