사진 확대 ‘Perfect Glow’. Photo | tvN
The ‘K-beauty Dream Team’ of Perfect Glow—Ra Mi-ran, Park Min-young, Joo Jong-hyuk, Cha Hong, LeoJ, and Pony—made New Yorkers’ dreams come true with K-beauty, leading the first day of business at Danjang to a successful start.
tvN’s variety show Perfect Glow (directed by Kim Sang-ah and Kwak Ji-hye) follows CEO Ra Mi-ran and manager Park Min-young, along with Korea’s top hair and makeup experts, as they open a Korean-style beauty salon called Danjang in Manhattan, New York City (NYC), and showcase authentic K-beauty on-site. The first episode, which aired on Saturday the 8th, featured Ra Mi-ran, Park Min-young, Joo Jong-hyuk, Cha Hong, LeoJ, and Pony ambitiously launching NYC’s first K-glow shop, Danjang, and their first day of business.
On this day, Ra Mi-ran, Park Min-young, Joo Jong-hyuk, Cha Hong, LeoJ, and Pony opened Danjang with the goal of astonishing New Yorkers with distinctly Korean beauty. Despite being top beauty professionals in Korea, they couldn’t hide their nerves before opening. They worried whether K-beauty would appeal locally, if they could satisfy a diverse clientele, and whether the shop would run smoothly. However, under CEO Ra Mi-ran’s leadership, the Danjang team quickly adopted a professional mindset and kicked off their first day with energy.
There were three reservations for the day. The first guest, Nora, arrived at Danjang. The Danjang team greeted her with a traditional Korean welcome, saying, “Welcome to Danjang!” Nora responded with a shy smile, full of anticipation. Assigned to LeoJ, Nora said, “The strength of K-beauty is radiant skin,” and initially sought a natural K-glow look. Then, in a twist, she requested a glamorous vintage Hollywood style like Madonna.
Faced with the unexpected challenge of ‘recreating old Hollywood through K-beauty,’ LeoJ admitted to feeling completely blank and tense. However, Nora’s compliments soon put him at ease, and he impressed her with his signature ‘K-bulge curling iron’ eyelash technique. After a makeover by Cha Hong, Nora transformed into a classic yet trendy style, and her family was genuinely delighted by her new look.
The second guest, Courtney, wanted a glamorous look for a night out with friends in NYC. Her beauty concerns were a broad forehead and limp hair. Cha Hong suggested bangs, and although Courtney had never been happy with bangs before, Cha Hong created voluminous side bangs that suited her perfectly. After Pony completed her makeup, Courtney exclaimed, “I feel like a completely different person!”
The final guest was Mary Kate, a mother of two who had given birth to her second child four months earlier. Looking exhausted as she entered Danjang, she confided in manager Park Min-young, saying, “I’m a truly tired mom and have been going through a tough time.” Upon realizing she and Park Min-young were the same age, Mary Kate said, “Your skin is amazing. I wish I looked like you,” and asked to be transformed like a Korean actress.
Wanting to restore Mary Kate’s lost confidence and hidden beauty, the entire Danjang team poured their hearts into her makeover. In particular, LeoJ made a bold decision to switch from brown to rosy shadow mid-makeup to give her a more youthful, vibrant look. Cha Hong also provided hair extensions to compensate for hair loss after childbirth. The dramatic transformation was so striking that Mary Kate’s two-year-old daughter, waiting in the lounge, burst into tears, not recognizing her newly transformed mother.
Mary Kate shared her heartfelt thoughts, saying, “This experience will be a significant part of my life. After struggling postpartum, I feel I can now take better care of myself. It feels like I’ve found my old self again.” Her journey of regaining her inner sparkle through an external transformation was deeply moving and healing, offering a chance to reflect on the true essence of K-glow’s beauty.
Perfect Glow airs every Saturday at 10:50 p.m. Episodes 1–3 will be released worldwide on Amazon Prime Video on Sunday, November 23, with new episodes to be released every Sunday thereafter.
Kim So-yeon
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
