The first global beauty reality variety show on tvN, PerfecT Glow, ended on a high note. Adding emotion and healing to a beauty spectacle, it was praised for properly showcasing the flavor of K-golden hands on the global stage.
tvN 'PerfecT Glow' (directed by Kim Sang-ah, Kwak Ji-hye) is a K-beauty New York conquest story in which representative Ra Miran and Deputy Minister Park Minyoung lead South Korea's top hair and makeup experts to open a Korean-style beauty shop 'Director General (DANJANG)' in Manhattan, New York, and showcase the true face of K-beauty on site.
Born amid unprecedented global popularity of K-beauty, 'PerfecT Glow' featured a beauty Avengers lineup of Ra Miran, Park Minyoung, Joo Jong Hyuk, Cha Hong, Leo J, and Pony communicating with New York local customers and sincerely providing the best K-beauty services, earning favorable reviews. In particular, the cumulative video views exceeded 350 million views (combined across CJ ENM YouTube multi-channel, Instagram, TikTok, Naver, Facebook/as of Jan. 7), proving the high public interest.
'PerfecT Glow' uses the phenomenon of 'Korea glow up,' which is trending among global influencers (meaning people become more beautiful when living in or traveling to Korea, a challenge comparing before and after knowing K-beauty), as its theme. To prove this in New York, the show opened the Korean-style beauty shop 'Director General' and welcomed about 40 customers over nine days, finding each person's distinct beauty and properly demonstrating K-beauty's technical skills. But more shining than the technical skill was the K-beauty philosophy delivered by 'PerfecT Glow.' Treating every customer with love and care and delivering the message "you are beautiful as you are" to customers regardless of race, gender or age provided a touching emotional experience.
Meanwhile, the cast's hidden charms were also reexamined. Especially notable was the fresh spectacle of Ra Miran, Park Minyoung and Joo Jong Hyuk finding second careers alongside their main occupations. First, Ra Miran, who played the CEO of 'Director General,' greeted customers with a warm, motherly smile and conveyed Korean hospitality in New York. She also showed a 'kku kku kku' (dress up, dress up, dress up again) style completely different from her usual variety image, and the parade of work outfits that emphasized traditional Korean beauty was a highlight. Park Minyoung, the 'beauty counseling director,' was praised for her attentive listening that sincerely soothed customers' worries, for being the 'Doraemignon' who readily provides what team members need, and for her devoted attitude appearing wherever help was needed, from wig washing and cleaning to body makeup. Moreover, Joo Jong Hyuk, who struggled as a 'hair team assistant,' shed the title of 'schemer' and became a 'professional work doer.' From language to beauty tasks he had never done before, he professionally handled them and became the lubricant of 'Director General' itself as the 'best at work.'
Cha Hong, Leo J and Pony demonstrated the magic of trusted K-golden hands befitting the title 'tops of the Korean beauty industry.' Given New York's diverse population, skin types and hair textures vary widely, but the three experts repeatedly shouted "just trust us" and captivated locals with episode after episode of extraordinary makeovers, and customers' tearful reactions to dramatic after results reaffirmed the excellence of K-beauty leading global beauty trends. The various K-beauty tips presented in the process were also rewarding: methods to complement a curved bridge of the nose, styling bangs to cover a wide forehead, eyelash techniques to naturally correct asymmetrical eyes, and other rich information made for a 'beauty bible' perfect for domestic and international K-beauty fans seeking beauty.
Finally, 'PerfecT Glow' also became a vivid stage to feel the power of various K-cultures rooted in New York. The program naturally incorporated scenes of many locals sincerely enjoying and loving K-culture, from a customer who was a former K-pop idol trainee, a New York University student majoring in taekwondo, an avid fan of K-drama, a customer who became a personal color expert influenced by K-beauty, to crowds gathering to experience the K-beauty zone set up at 'Director General.' In this way, 'PerfecT Glow' served as a "mirror of culture" that naturally reflected the temperature of K-culture permeating overseas, offering a new kind of enjoyment to domestic viewers who usually find it hard to feel the Hallyu atmosphere and playing a full role as a showcase introducing various K-cultures to global viewers.
Confirming the power of K-golden hands, tvN 'PerfecT Glow' concluded with 10 episodes on the 8th (Thu).
[Photo] tvN 'PerfecT Glow'
[OSEN]