Top South Korean stylists give New Yorkers K-beauty makeovers in reality show Perfect Glow

SEOUL – Nearly every facet of Korean culture seems to have gone global, from K-pop to K-drama to K-food. Now, K-beauty is taking its turn in the spotlight.

Perfect Glow takes it to the streets of Manhattan, where some of South Korea’s most popular make-up artists showcase their craft to an international clientele.

Premiering on Prime Video on Nov 22, the show follows their journey as they open a pop-up beauty salon in New York City, offering makeovers to locals eager to experience K-beauty first-hand.

The elite line-up includes make-up artist and YouTuber Park Hye-min, who, better known by her global moniker Pony, operates a YouTube channel that currently has more than 5.8 million subscribers.

Joining her is fellow beauty creator LeoJ (Jeong Sang-gyu), whose YouTube beauty channel has a following of 1.4 million. Rounding out the group is celebrity hair designer Kim Hyo-sook, better known as Cha Hong, founder of Chahong Ardor, one of South Korea’s most popular hair salon chains.

Ra Mi-ran (Reply 1988, 2015; Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born, 2024) and Park Min-young (Marry My Husband, 2024; Confidence Queen, 2025) appear as the shop’s chief executive and beauty consultant respectively, while actor Joo Jong-hyuk (Unmasked, 2025) serves as assistant manager of the shop, which is called Danjang (Korean for “beautify”).

Speaking at an online press conference, producer Kim Sang-ah explained the inspiration behind creating Perfect Glow.

“I heard that K-beauty is gaining popularity in the US, and since K-content is already receiving global attention, I became curious whether that enthusiasm could extend to beauty as well,” she said. “The project began with the idea of letting people experience what real K-beauty is like. We chose New York because it’s a hub of trends and culture where diverse beauty styles converge.”

The show does not just spotlight techniques and contouring – it tells human stories too. “In the end, it’s all about meeting people,” Kim added. “Since make-up and hair take a long time to do, we were able to capture a lot of the guests’ stories.”

Behind the scenes, however, the artists said they felt the weight of expectation. LeoJ admitted to initial doubts about adapting his creator persona to a real-world salon environment.

“As a content creator, I wasn’t sure if I’d do well spending time with clients in a salon-style setting, doing their make-up. Still, I was excited just to go and do make-up there. It was my first time working as part of a team like this, and I was so happy.”

Pony echoed that sentiment, revealing that taking her artistry abroad came with its own pressure. “In Korea, I was able to perform well because I could explain the products and talk through the process while doing make-up. But not being able to do that made me think a lot about how to adapt.”

Working in the heart of Manhattan, the artists said they found themselves reflecting on cultural nuances in beauty. Pony noted: “People would say things like, ‘You look so young’ or ‘Your skin is amazing’, rather than asking, ‘What product are you using?’ That made me realise how much attention they pay to skin.”

She added: “If American beauty tends to focus on glamour, I felt that Korean beauty emphasises skin expression. So, when I did make-up, I shared mainly skincare and related tips.”

Cha Hong added that no two transformations were alike. “If you watch the show, you’ll notice there isn’t a single make-up or hairstyle that’s the same. Each look was customised to the individual. You won’t see any overlap,” she said.

“Our clients came from all walks of life – different genders, ages and backgrounds – so be sure to watch how each of them transforms.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK