Review
Torriden DIVE-IN Tops Myeongdong Serum Shelf Over Anua PDRN
Torriden's DIVE-IN Low Molecule Hyaluronic Acid Serum remains Olive Young Myeongdong's top-selling skincare item while Jung Saem Mool's shelf presence is a cushion foundation, and Anua's and Medicube's PDRN ampoules occupy a pricier tier alongside bttr's cleanser, Mediheal's calming ampoule and VT's microneedle serum.
Published
Torriden's DIVE-IN Low Molecule Hyaluronic Acid Serum, 50ml for about ₩22,000, is Olive Young's top-selling skincare item on the Myeongdong flagship shelf, with more than 2 million units sold in its first three years. The same shelf also stocks bttr's [수분잠금] 하이드라 베리어 클렌징 336 밀크 투 폼 150g, priced at ₩28,100 on the bttr online store, checked 2026-09, a milk-to-foam cleansing step sold beside the serums. Jung Saem Mool's current Myeongdong bestseller is the Essential Skin Nuder Cushion, a cushion foundation, so it sits outside the serum shelf entirely. Anua's PDRN 96% Real-Deep Ampoule and Medicube's PDRN Pink Peptide Serum sit one tier above DIVE-IN, priced near $28 and $19.99, built on PDRN rather than plain hyaluronic acid.
The deciding axis for a shopper on this shelf is whether skin wants plain hydration, PDRN-driven regeneration, or barrier calming and cleansing simplification - an axis the five items below answer directly, alongside Mediheal's Madecassoside Ampoule and VT's Reedle Shot 100.
bttr [수분잠금] 하이드라 베리어 클렌징 336 밀크 투 폼 150g
bttr's [수분잠금] 하이드라 베리어 클렌징 336 밀크 투 폼 150g lists at ₩28,100 for the 150g bottle on the bttr online store, checked 2026-09, and it is built as a one-step milk-to-foam cleanser rather than a serum.
Formula
The full ingredient list runs 44 items, and the brand's own product page describes the formula as a weak-acid, low-irritation foam built on a "336" blend of three hyaluronic acid types and six ceramide types. Fragrance is listed among the ingredients, and salicylic acid and titanium dioxide also appear on the sheet.
In use
The texture opens as a milk and turns to foam on contact with water, and the brand pitches it as a single step that lifts both sunscreen and makeup without a separate oil-based remover first.
- Combines three hyaluronic acid types with six ceramide types in one wash-off step.
- Removes sunscreen and everyday makeup without a preceding oil cleanser.
- Milk texture turns to foam on contact with water, so rinsing needs no extra emulsifying step.
- Sold in a single 150g size sized for months of daily use.
Fit
Shoppers who only wear sunscreen and light daily makeup can fold both removal steps into bttr's milk-to-foam cleanser, the plain-hydration-and-cleansing lane on this shelf rather than the PDRN-driven regeneration lane the ampoules below occupy.
Anua PDRN 96% Real-Deep Ampoule
Anua's PDRN 96% Real-Deep Ampoule comes in a 30ml bottle priced near $28 on Anua's official store, checked 2026-09, and it runs one tier above Torriden's plain-hydration serum on the same Myeongdong shelf.
Formula
The ampoule pairs PDRN with hyaluronic acid and hydrolyzed collagen inside Anua's capsule delivery system, a combination the brand also carries across its matching PDRN mist and cream.
In use
The capsule format is meant to hold PDRN and hyaluronic acid stable until the moment of application, and the brand markets the result as a plumper, glassier look rather than a matte finish.
Pros
- Pairs PDRN with hyaluronic acid and hydrolyzed collagen in one capsule system.
- Sits in the same 30ml format as Anua's matching PDRN mist and cream.
- Priced under $30 for the ampoule alone.
Cons
- The 30ml bottle costs more per millilitre than Torriden's 50ml serum.
Fit
Skin that looks tired, flat and thirsty settles into the Anua PDRN 96% Real-Deep Ampoule's hydration-first PDRN blend, and skin that instead reads slack and uneven turns toward the peptide-forward option below.
Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum
Medicube's PDRN Pink Peptide Serum ships in a 30ml bottle priced at $19.99 on Walmart's US storefront, checked 2026-09, and it pairs PDRN with a five-type peptide complex rather than hyaluronic acid alone.
Formula
The formula lists PDRN, described on the label as salmon DNA, at roughly 1%, alongside a five-type peptide complex and niacinamide, and the brand markets the mix toward tone and elasticity rather than plain moisture.
In use
The serum's stated targets are dark spots, fine lines and uneven tone, working through the peptide complex and niacinamide layered on top of the PDRN base.
Pros
- Combines PDRN with a five-type peptide complex and niacinamide in one 30ml bottle.
- Priced under $20, below Anua's PDRN ampoule and VT's Reedle Shot 100.
- Targets tone and elasticity rather than only surface moisture.
Cons
- Its PDRN concentration, near 1%, sits below higher-strength PDRN ampoules on the same shelf.
Fit
Skin that feels less springy than it used to fits Medicube's PDRN Pink Peptide Serum's peptide-and-niacinamide combination, while skin that only wants a moisture boost is served by Torriden's plain hyaluronic acid serum instead.
Mediheal Madecassoside Ampoule
Mediheal's Madecassoside Ampoule arrives in a 40ml bottle priced at $17 on Mediheal's own US store, checked 2026-09, built around madecassoside rather than PDRN.
Formula
The formula centers on madecassoside and niacinamide, backed by an asiaticoside-based complex, aimed at calming and evening tone rather than the regenerative claims the PDRN pair above lean on.
Record
Mediheal's own listing cites a Dermatest "Excellent" grade for the formula, an identifier that sits alongside the ingredient list rather than a separate safety claim.
Pros
- Built on madecassoside and niacinamide for calming and tone rather than PDRN.
- Carries a Dermatest "Excellent" grade as a named record.
- Priced under $20 for a 40ml bottle.
Cons
- Its 40ml bottle is smaller than VT's 50ml Reedle Shot 100 at a similar price band.
Fit
Redness-prone or blemish-marked skin settles fastest under Mediheal's Madecassoside Ampoule's barrier-calming lane, while skin chasing deeper delivery reaches past it for a microneedle format.
VT Reedle Shot 100
VT's Reedle Shot 100 sells in a 50ml bottle priced between ₩30,000 and ₩50,000 on VT Cosmetics' own site, checked 2026-09, and it delivers ingredients through microscopic spicules rather than a plain topical layer.
Formula
The formula lists niacinamide, centella asiatica extract and adenosine among its actives, carried by the spicule structure that the brand says helps ingredients sit deeper in the skin.
In use
The brand's own instructions describe a tingling or stinging sensation on application, so the product is best kept off freshly exfoliated or broken skin until that sensation is expected.
Pros
- Delivers niacinamide, centella asiatica extract and adenosine through a microneedle-style spicule structure.
- Sits in the same 50ml size as Torriden's DIVE-IN serum for a direct volume comparison.
- Offers a texture and delivery step none of the PDRN or hydration serums on this shelf provide.
Cons
- Tingles or stings on application, per the brand's own usage note.
- Priced above Torriden's plain-hydration serum at the same 50ml volume.
Fit
Skin looking for a texture upgrade beyond plain hydration reaches for VT's Reedle Shot 100 spicule delivery, and skin that just wants overnight softness stays with Torriden's DIVE-IN serum alone.
| brand | product | key ingredient | price | best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| bttr | [수분잠금] 하이드라 베리어 클렌징 336 밀크 투 폼 150g | 3 hyaluronic acid types, 6 ceramide types | ₩28,100 (150g, brand store, 2026-09) | One-step sunscreen and makeup removal |
| Anua | PDRN 96% Real-Deep Ampoule | PDRN, hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed collagen | $28 (30ml, Anua.com, 2026-09) | Hydration and plumping for flat, thirsty skin |
| Medicube | PDRN Pink Peptide Serum | PDRN (salmon DNA) 1%, five-type peptide complex, niacinamide | $19.99 (30ml, Walmart, 2026-09) | Firmness and tone for skin that feels less springy |
| Mediheal | Madecassoside Ampoule | Madecassoside, niacinamide, asiaticoside | $17 (40ml, Mediheal.com, 2026-09) | Barrier calming for redness and blemish marks |
| VT | Reedle Shot 100 | Niacinamide, centella asiatica extract, adenosine | ₩30,000-₩50,000 (50ml, brand store, 2026-09) | Deeper delivery texture upgrade over plain hydration |
