We turned our models into your favourite K-pop idols

With year-end parties, festive dinners and camera-ready celebrations on the horizon, there’s no better time to elevate your beauty game. Enter K-pop boy bands—masters of transformation whose glass-like complexions, intricate eye makeup and ever-changing hair colours have inspired fans around the world.

With every comeback, these idols push the boundaries of makeup and hair while staying impeccably polished.

Whether you’re a BTS fan, a Stray Kids stan, or just love bold, trend-setting beauty, we’ve distilled their most iconic looks—and show you how to translate them into wearable, everyday glam that shines during the holidays and beyond.

BTS

The seven-member group—RM, V, Jin, Jungkook, J-Hope, Jimin and Suga—has been setting the tone for K-beauty since stepping into the spotlight in 2013. While they’ve experimented with every hair colour and makeup aesthetic imaginable, one look they consistently return to is the cool, sepia-hued soft smoky eye. The members have been wearing variations of it since their Idol era: softly diffused lids, tightlined eyes and a finish of thick, high-shine my-lips-but-better (MLBB) gloss.

Saja Boys

Take cues from the Saja Boys’ spellbinding demon transformation. In the film, their all-black attire is punctuated by bursts of vibrant magenta and purple flames—visual cues that reveal their otherworldly, soul-stealing selves. For a wearable take, let your eyes do the haunting: a winged liner accented with deep purple echoes the demon flames, flicking out into a dramatic wing. For that Golden touch, complement your peepers with a glossy, highlighted complexion.

Stray Kids

Hot on the heels of their dominATE World Tour earlier this year, Stray Kids debuted their fourth full-length album, KARMA, unveiling fresh new looks to match. Both on and off stage, lead rapper Felix popularised a unique way of applying blush: he wears it higher on the face, dusting pigment in an inverted V that spans the apples of his cheeks as well as the bridge and tip of his nose, creating a sun-drenched effect that highlights his signature freckles. The warm, peachy tones perfectly complement his peroxide-blonde strands. To finish, top off your faux freckles with a slightly overlined lip—but trace your pout with a lip brush and matte lipstick rather than a liner for a naturally plump look.

Big Bang 

The pioneers of K-pop, Big Bang, heralded a new era of South Korean boy bands with their statement-making fashion and bold makeup. Leader G-Dragon has become a shapeshifter and style chameleon, experimenting with looks ranging from punk-rock edge to androgynous flair. On the beauty front, his signature style is just as daring: smokey, artfully distressed eyes, blanked-out brows, and manicures that look effortlessly messy yet aesthetically perfect.

Credits:

Photography Athirah Annissa

Art Direction Adeline Eng

Makeup Lasalle Lee

Hair Sophia Soh/The Suburbs Studio, using Goldwell