It’s always tough trying to figure out if the things you buy online are real and authentic, especially if the prices seem too good to be true.
If you’ve been browsing on the internet long enough, you would have seen a lot of people wearing these Korean filter masks that are also known as KF masks. Some of you might have even wondered where you can get them.
A quick search on e-commerce websites will show you multiple options ranging from prices that are dirt cheap to masks that are very expensive.
Recently, the Korean Embassy in Malaysia issued a guide on how to determine the authenticity of KF masks as the embassy has been receiving reports of KF mask frauds.
In the post, they have said that there are a few types of KF masks and the numbers indicate the filtering efficiency.
- KF80
- KF94
- KF99
- KF-AD (anti-droplets)
It is said that masks can only have the KF label if they are approved by South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea. It is important to get authentic KF masks as there is a high possibility that counterfeit KF masks do not provide an adequate level of protection and they are likely to be poor quality products.
What are the possible indicators of counterfeit KF masks?
The embassy has also provided a helpful list of red flags to detect counterfeit KF masks and they are:
- Packaging is usually inferior with no MFDS, KF, Quasi-drug mark.
- They are often described as reusable, washable, Korea style or Korea FDA certified.
- They are often sold at dirt cheap prices, even cheaper than the Korean market price. (MFDS reports the average price of KF masks weekly).
How to know if the masks are genuine?
Here’s a step-by-step guide provided by the embassy on how to check the authenticity of the masks. It takes a little work but it is better than putting yourself at risk with counterfeit masks.
- Turn over the packaging and locate these characters “제품명”. When you find it, you can use Google Lens to copy the text into your phone.
- With the copied text, access this link to the South Korean Pharmaceutical Integrated Intelligence System (MFDS database).
- Translate the website and input the copied text into the “Item name” segment.
- If the particular mask has been approved, it will show up on the list.
It has almost been two years ever since the pandemic began and many of us are fully aware of how scary it is. Having adequate protection is definitely a must-have when going out, so we hope that this will help you when you are buying your KF masks!
Also read: KKM: Nano Mist Spray Should Be Used To Disinfect Surfaces Only, NOT Humans
