Makeup artists who have been responsible for the makeup of countless individuals offstage will finally step onto the stage and receive the spotlight.
For the first-ever 'makeup survival' in Korea, 60 of the country's top makeup artists have participated, supported by four judges and MC Lee Hyori. However, those creating the show are so filled with 'secrets' that they cannot even mention the benefits of winning, and they simply state that there is no 'fairness' to leave to the judges.
From the start, 'Just Makeup' has raised numerous questions rather than expectations. Will it be able to capture people's attention and hearts with its glamorous visuals and the fun of survival, leaving all concerns behind?
On the afternoon of the 1st, a production presentation for Coupang Play's entertainment show 'Just Makeup' was held at the Pullman Ambassador Seoul Hotel in Gwangjin-gu. Present at the event were MC Lee Hyori, Jung Saem Mool, Seo Ok, Lee Sae-bae, Lee Jin-soo, and PDs Shim Woo-jin and Park Sung-hwan.
'Just Makeup' is a massive makeup survival competition where makeup artists representing K-beauty not only in Korea but globally fiercely compete with their unique styles. A total of 60 makeup artists, from first-generation makeup masters to beauty creators, will compete solely based on their skills for a single throne.
The show is hosted by Korea's beauty icon Lee Hyori. Taking on the challenge of hosting her first survival entertainment show through 'Just Makeup', Lee Hyori mentioned, "After doing unscripted entertainment for a long time, I am now in charge of an MC role that requires following the script exactly for the first time in a survival show. It was not as easy as I thought. I have the ability to be witty and grasp the flow, but pinpointing exact lines and points was not easy."
Despite the challenges, Lee Hyori accepted the MC position for 'Just Makeup' because she wanted to shine a spotlight on the artists doing makeup. She explained, "The field of makeup has been like a friend to me, so I was very interested. After living as a celebrity receiving makeup, seeing the competition among makeup artists made me feel emotional and realize feelings I didn't know I had. I thought I should be more grateful, and it was fun. I realized that makeup can be done in various ways, and it's not just about being pretty, which I found personally enjoyable."
When asked why Lee Hyori was chosen as the MC, PD Shim stated, "You can't talk about K-beauty without mentioning Lee Hyori. We thought of her from the beginning, and when we made the proposal, she readily agreed, which was a great help. She mentioned that she wasn't good at following a strict script, but she managed to digest the rigid script in her 'Hyori style', for which we are grateful. We were more than 100% satisfied."
The judging panel consists of four makeup experts leading K-beauty trends. From the founder of transparent makeup, Jung Saem Mool, to the master of K-POP makeup, Seo Ok, 'thousand-faced' beauty creator Lee Sae-bae, and the only brand makeup artist Lee Jin-soo, these top figures in their respective fields will evaluate the contestants' works and deeply showcase the evolution of K-beauty.
Regarding her feelings as a judge, Jung Saem Mool said, "I empathized a lot, so it felt like I was competing. The hardest part was when I had to eliminate someone. It was painful to let someone go, but I wanted to focus on the core of the survival. I tried to restrain my empathy, but I think I somewhat failed."
Lee Jin-soo, who became a judge after initially being a consultant, shared, "After becoming a judge, I felt a lot of pressure. I was worried about whether I could do well because the other judges are amazing people, so I worked hard." Seo Ok added, "There were so many talented individuals. Some were even my seniors, so I pondered how to evaluate the survival. I thought each would have their own know-how, so I focused on detail and balance as the most important criteria. I kept thinking, 'If I were there, could I do that?' I wanted to see the process through the broadcast, not just the results."
"I came with a mindset of learning rather than judging," said Lee Sae-bae. "I thought about how to judge well. Since I am someone who interacts with the public, I decided to view it from the audience's perspective. Everyone's technique is excellent, so I considered whether the makeup gave me a heart-pounding emotional impact." She emphasized, "Above all, the first round is incredible, and I hope everyone watches it."
The lineup of 60 participants challenging the largest makeup survival ever promises an unprecedented scale. From Korea's first celebrity-exclusive makeup artist '37-year veteran Genie', to the first male senior artist in Asia for a global brand 'Mac Artist', to the 'New York Master' of the world's four major fashion weeks, and the creator of the 2.3 million 'King of Short Form Puff', artists with diverse backgrounds and skills will gather for a massive makeup showdown.
Each round consists of a continuous high-end performance where precise techniques and creative concepts clash. Participants will express their individuality and philosophy through the artistic language of makeup, showcasing results that transcend limits. Beyond a simple makeup skill competition, it aims to redefine the essence and possibilities of K-beauty and prove that with overwhelming visuals.
Lee Jin-soo commented on the missions, "It felt like we were presenting impossible missions. The set for the final mission was incredibly cool. It was so impressive. I think the participants were trying makeup they had never used before." In response, PD Park explained, "It cost a considerable amount of money. If there are participants, they need models, right? If there are 60 participants, there are also 60 models. That's a total of 120 people. To show the scale, the first round came out that way. To create a set that fits the mission well, the art director and stage director worked hard. As Judge Seo Ok mentioned, it was an opportunity for those who usually work behind the scenes to step into the spotlight, like singers going on stage, to showcase a wonderful show of makeup."
However, the issue lies in the fairness of the survival. Since it is a survival show, it is impossible to think of 'fairness' separately, yet PD Park gave an unbelievably light response to the question about it, saying, "There is no fairness," raising doubts about the essence of the program. Of course, he quickly added, "I left it entirely to the judges," but the fact that the PD himself stated "there is no fairness" raises serious questions about trust and authenticity, especially since they invited experts to judge the results.
Prior to 'Just Makeup', the Netflix show 'Black and White Chef: Culinary Class War' also faced criticism regarding 'fairness' due to issues like language, team selection, and judging order. Moreover, makeup is a field where subjective standards of beauty and viewer satisfaction apply. This means that if there are no proper criteria, the results of the judging can easily waver due to the diverse perspectives and views.
In response, PD Park stated, "We followed the judges' feelings and thoughts, and went along with their decisions. There could be unfairness in the order. While there are issues with makeup running down, we tried to ensure fairness in our own way so that we could judge in the order of how quickly it finishes." PD Shim added, "Since models are essential in makeup, we made sure that the makeup artists also paid attention to model selection, and we created rules to judge fairly within the 'rules' and 'art'. There are various criteria, but we devised rules to ensure that they could be divided as clearly as possible."
Although they claimed to have established 'rules that yield clear perspectives', everything remained a secret due to 'spoilers'. In response to the ongoing fairness allegations, Seo Ok stated, "I checked whether the eyelashes were well attached, whether the lines were symmetrical, just like during an exam. While the overall look was good and emotional, I meticulously checked the basics, so you don't have to worry. I had a question mark about whether a makeup survival was possible with a heavy heart, but by the end, I felt like we did well. I hope more people feel like they had fun."
Jung Saem Mool explained, "Regardless of whether I know the artist or not, I looked at how they performed their work as the standard. In fact, there was no one I wanted to eliminate. The standards of beauty are all different, and I think that's where fairness comes from. As we discussed and listened to other judges' opinions, I thought, 'This would be fair' and established my criteria."
Lee Sae-bae noted, "There were times when our standards differed and times when they aligned, and it was quite varied. When opinions were divided, Director Jung Saem Mool quietly led us. When she spoke, I thought, 'I should follow that,' and I was moved and grateful for her good coordination. Separately, the production team prepared thoroughly for each round, so while we had long meetings, the entire process was enjoyable."
MC Lee Hyori also addressed the fairness issue. She stated, "You can expect fairness." She observed, "There were times when discussions went on for an hour or two without a conclusion. I thought about when it would end while watching them deliberate. Since Jung Saem Mool is a senior to Seo Ok and Lee Sae-bae, I wondered if she would follow their lead, but she firmly said 'no' when it wasn't right. I felt I could trust them."
The winning benefits are also a secret. Although 'Just Makeup' is a survival show determining the final winner, when asked about the winning benefits, they only replied, "There are no hard feelings about the prize money, and there are special benefits for the winner in the final mission. As for what benefits there are and what the winner will take home, you'll understand once you watch the mission itself."
While the production team could not definitively answer questions about fairness or winning benefits, the participants expressed warm voices towards those competing in the survival. Lee Sae-bae expressed, "As a Korean makeup artist, I have a lot I want to show. I wanted to showcase the dramatic lives of my seniors and juniors and break the prejudice against makeup. I believe you will see makeup as an art and a different kind of joy, and I am excited that the public will recognize it." Lee Jin-soo added, "I am very excited to follow the 60 leading K-beauty artists through 'Just Makeup'. I felt an incredible tension, and I support all 60 artists."
Meanwhile, 'Just Makeup' will be released on October 3 at 8 PM.
[Geum Bit-na, MK Sports Reporter]
