"Amazing!". 'Just Makeup' proved the artistry of makeup 'artists'.
On the 24th, Coupang Play original variety show 'Just Makeup' episodes 7 and 8 featured the winner of the round 3 mission 'K-pop stage' and the loser revival match, and the round 4 'New Face' mission in sequence. As a result, the thrilling makeup survival drew admiration.
First, the winners and losers of the 'K-pop stage' were decided. The winners were the 'Paris Golden Hands' and 'First Man' teams. In particular, the 'First Man' team achieved a 5-0 sweep against the 'MacTist' team in a contest over makeup for girl group STAYC. Accordingly, the 'SonTail' team, defeated by 'Paris Golden Hands' on the TWS stage, and the 'MacTist' team faced off in the loser revival match. However, only two people could survive, and the artists who had collaborated as a team until shortly before raised the tension by competing in an individual contest.
The theme of the loser revival match was 'Last touch: my final emotion.' The models who appeared with the theme felt somewhat familiar. They were imitating the makeup artists' first appearances on 'Just Makeup' when they entered the loser revival. Moreover, being limited to only 'lipstick' and having to express their own emotions within a 60-minute time limit added to the intensity. As a result, 'SonTail' and 'MacTist' survived. Coincidentally, both had been leaders of the teams that had lost. Feeling sorry for their teammates, both 'SonTail' and 'MacTist' burst into tears, adding to the poignancy.
But the tears were a luxury. A tense round 4 followed, in which only three people would remain for the final round. Moreover, round 4 proceeded in three stages, with only the first-place finisher in each stage advancing to the final round. Of the 10 round 4 contestants, only three would advance to the final round, making for a neck-and-neck contest.
From the first 'high fashion' theme, the makeup artists fully displayed skills they had not yet shown. Makeup with different concepts tailored to designer Park Yoon-hee's 1970s-inspired runway unfolded in full color under the theme 'New Face.' Among them, 'Paris Golden Hands' secured the first spot to advance to the final by taking first place in 'high fashion' with an ingenious design using LED eyeliner.
In the second 'painting' theme, artists were to reinterpret artist Go Sang-woo's painting 'Kamadenu' in their own way. Captivated by the 'painting,' participants gave their all, producing a spectacle that resembled a gallery more than a survival or runway. Among them, 'SonTail,' which recreated the texture of the cow's fur from the original with makeup; 'First Man,' which presented an anthropomorphized version of 'Kamadenu' as if it were an animated protagonist; and 'Beauty Heiress,' which displayed the pinnacle of beautiful K-beauty reinterpretation, competed as top candidates for first place in the 'painting' theme.
'Just Makeup' delivered the suspense of keeping the first-place winner of the 'painting' theme hidden through the end of episode 8. However, greater than the tension of the survival or the show's characteristic suspense was the overwhelming presence that filled that day's 'Just Makeup.' It was because the missions released that day particularly showcased the artistic essence of the makeup artists.
In reality, makeup has often been regarded as a supporting element rather than the lead, on K-pop stars' stages, on fashion show runways, and in painting art. On stage, it has served as a device to enhance singers' visuals; on the runway, as an element to make designers' clothes shine; and even when using full color, it was often perceived as a momentary playfulness that would be removed with cleansing rather than a work of painting.
But it was different on 'Just Makeup.' Using living models as canvases, the participants artistically expressed their own individuality, reinterpretations and aesthetics. They clearly proved why they are called makeup 'artists.' It seemed no coincidence that viewership increased by 748%.
After the stage ended, the fleeting masterpieces that would be regrettable to disappear with a single cleansing remained as visual material through 'Just Makeup,' providing reassurance. At this point, one might question whether technical superiority really matters. Nonetheless, in a survival determined by rankings after competition rather than artistic taste, attention is focused on who will be chosen as the winner.
[Photo] Provided by Coupang Play.
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