Beauty inspo from 2021’s K-drama leading ladies

Su Ryeon’s no-makeup makeup look with bright lip in The Penthouse: War In Life

Credit: Viu Indonesia

1/8

The Penthouse: War In Life tells the story of four elite families who live in the exclusive Hera Palace high-rise. The drama’s leading lady is Lee Ji Ah who plays Su Ryeon or “the queen” of the penthouse. Su Ryeon has quite a taste for the finer things in life and it definitely translates in the way she does her makeup. Her signature no-makeup bright lip look has a definite French-girl vibe to it. C'est chic.

Get her look: If you are sporting a bright bold lip with little or no eye makeup, make sure your application is precise and clean. Use a lip liner to create shape and definition. Keep your eyelids neutrals with a soft crease shade.

Do Ha-na’s curly hair with bangs in Uncanny Counter

Credit: The ClsQ

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Based on the webtoon Amazing Rumour, The Uncanny Counter is a K-drama about four demon-hunting noodle shop owners. One of the show’s main protagonists is Do Ha-na, played by Gugudan’s Kim Sejeong. In the series, Ha-na is almost always seen with bangs that have a slight wave to them. Her eyebrow-grazing fringe mirrors the loose curls cascading past her shoulders. 

Get her look: The key to preventing your curls from falling flat is to use a leave-in conditioner that fights frizz and humidity while adding moisture.

Kim So-yong’s mochi skin and matte lips look in Mr. Queen

Credit: Viu Singapore

3/8

Mr. Queen stars actress Shin Hye-Sun is a period drama set in the Joseon era that centres around a playboy who enters the body of Queen Cheorin. Dressed in a hanbok, Kim So-yong looks stunning in her sleek low bun, groomed-to-perfection brows and matte lip.

Get her look: To cop Kim So-yong’s matte lip look, start by exfoliating your pout. Since matte lipstick has a non-shiny flat finish, it can accentuate flakes if your lips are chapped. So, before you apply your lippy, gently massage a lip scrub to gently whisk dead skin cells. Complete your So-yong inspired look with a light layer of foundation.

Young shin’s curtain bangs in Be My Meal/A Good Supper

Credit: MBC

4/8

Based on the novel Fantastic Girl, this drama focuses on Young Shin, a woman in her 20s with a special gift for cooking traditional Korean royal cuisine. Playing Young Shin is Jung Woo-yeon, a former member of the K-pop girl group F-ve Dolls. 

Get her look: Known as curtain bangs, Young Shin wears her face-framing bangs with a slight part in the middle. The best way to maintain this hairstyle is to get regular trims. You can even trim your bangs yourself with a pair of sharp eyebrow scissors.

Hong Cha-young’s red lipstick look in Vincenzo

Credit: Netflix Asia

5/8

The highly anticipated Netflix production tells the story of Vincenzo Cassono (played by Song Joong Ki), a Korean lawyer adopted by an Italian mafia family who returns to Korea following the demise of his adoptive father. Starring alongside Song Joong Ki is the beautiful Jeon Yeo-Bin who plays Hong Cha-young, a lawyer who would stop at nothing to win a case. From her confidence and her sophisticated wardrobe, there’s so much to love. But there’s one thing that stands out beyond all the rest: her bold red lips.

Get her look: When you’re working with a bold hue like red, it requires more control when applying it. If you apply the lipstick, straight from the tube, you’ll get way too much product on. A lip brush makes it easy to get a neat thin layer that doesn’t smudge outside your lip line.

Lim Joo-Kyung’s aegyo-sal look in True Beauty

Credit: Kmoovy

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Moon Ga-young plays Joo-Kyung in the popular series True Beauty. The 24-year-old of German and South Korean descent portrays a ugly duckling who transforms into a beautiful “goddess” by harnessing the power of makeup.

Get her look: To recreate Joo-Kyung’s “aegyo sal” or the little pockets of fat that forms under your eyes when you smile, apply a bit of highlighter above a darker concealer or contouring powder on the under-eye area. This TikTok-approved hack helps to create a youthful, happy appearance.

Bu Hye Ryeong’s subtle smokey eye makeup in Marriage Lyrics and Divorce Music

Credit: Netflix Asia

7/8

Marriage Lyrics and Divorce Music follows the lives and loves of three married women in their 30s, 40s and 50s, who all work in radio. Lee Ga Ryung plays Bu Hye Ryeong, a radio jockey who is trying her best to pursue a healthy work-life balance for herself and her spouse Pan Shu Hyun (played by Sung Hoon).

Get her look: We can’t help but notice Bu Hye Ryeong’s diffused smokey grey eyeshadow. The key to nailing this look is to always concentrate the darkest point on the lash line. Also, you want to stick to no more than 3 shades of eyeshadows and a black gel liner to bring out your eyes. Finally, complete your look with a coat or two of mascara. Don’t forget your bottom lashes!

Oh Mi-Joo’s half top knot in Run On

Credit: Netflix

8/8

Run On tells the story of track and field star Ki Seon-gyeom (played by Yim Si-wan), film translator Oh Mi-joo (played by Shin Sae-Kyeong), sports agency president (played by Choi Soo-young) and student Lee Yeong-hwa (played by Kang Tae-oh)

Get her look: Soft loose waves complement Oh Mi-Joo’s laid-back half top knot look. This hairstyle is quite straightforward, but there’s a little bit of skill that goes into it. Before you twist your ponytail into a bun, you want to gently tug your ponytail to add height and volume. Finally, tease your ponytail with a fine-tooth comb and some hairspray so your bun looks extra full.