A 38-year-old mom named Mary Kate walks into a Korean beauty shop called Danjang in Manhattan, New York. She’s tired, hasn’t done proper makeup in years, and tells consultant Park Min-young: “Your skin is incredible. I want to look like you.” This isn’t a commercial. It’s a cultural exchange happening in real-time on tvN’s new reality show, “Perfect Glow.”
Korean Top Stars “Perfect Glow” Opens K-Beauty Salon in New York
Following the K-beauty show “Just Make Up” on Coupang Play, which attracted many Korean beauty lovers, tvN presents a captivating K-beauty reality show. After introducing many delicious Korean treats in K-food shows and stunning places in K-travel shows, this time, tvN introduces Korean beauty with a Korean-style beauty shop in New York, combining a travel show with another exciting reality show that will keep you glued to the screen.
The “Beauty Avengers”
Six Korean professionals took on this cross-cultural challenge in the K-beauty show “Perfect Glow.” The production team calls them the “Beauty Avengers.”
Actress Ra Mi-ran became the shop’s CEO. She initially asked, “Why me? Won’t I be a burden?” It took her three hours to accept the role.
Park Min-young took on the role of beauty consultant for her first-ever reality show. Her nervousness caused skin breakouts, so she brought bags packed with every medicine imaginable. The team nicknamed her “Doraemon-young.” Additionally, there was actor Joo Jong-hyuk as the assistant manager.
The show also brings three of Korea’s top beauty professionals alongside the actors. Makeup artist Park Hye-min, also known as Pony, owns a YouTube channel with 5.8 million subscribers. Jeong Sang-gyu, also known as LeoJ, is a beauty creator with 1.4 million subscribers. And, celebrity hair designer Kim Hyo-sook, known as Cha Hong, completed the team.
Together, they opened a K-beauty pop-up salon called “Danjang” (단장), which means “beautify” in Korean. Located in Manhattan’s beauty district—often described as “Manhattan’s Cheongdam-dong”—the salon becomes the stage for something unique: genuine cultural exchange through beauty, one person at a time.
When Korean Beauty Meets New York Diversity
Producer Kim Sang-ah chose New York deliberately, she explained,
“We chose New York because it’s a hub of trends and culture where diverse beauty styles converge.”
PD Kim Sang-ah.
The city gave them access to clients from diverse backgrounds—different genders, ages, and ethnicities. They created a safe space where people felt comfortable opening up. Each client brought their own story, their own insecurities, their own hopes.
Cha Hong explained what makes the show special,
“If you watch the show, you’ll notice there isn’t a single makeup or hairstyle that’s the same. Each look was customized to the individual.”
Cha Hong
This isn’t about forcing Korean beauty standards on New Yorkers. It’s about human connection—listening, understanding, and helping each person discover their own unique beauty. That’s the secret.
The Philosophy Behind K-Beauty’s Transformation
“You Are More Beautiful Than You Think”
PD Kim Sang-ah
PD Kim wanted one phrase to be the foundation of the Korean show Perfect Glow: “You are more beautiful than you think.”
Not “we’ll make you beautiful.” Not “Korean beauty is better.”
The message centers on helping people discover their own natural beauty rather than imposing a specific look.
While doing makeup, Pony noticed something interesting about American beauty culture. Clients often complimented her skin with phrases like “You look so young” or “Your skin is amazing.” But they rarely asked about the products she used.
This surprised her. She realized Americans care more about how skin looks than what goes on it. So she changed her approach. Instead of just applying makeup, Pony started sharing skincare tips and daily routines for healthy skin.
When Language Barriers Meet Human Connection
Behind the scenes on the Korean reality show “Perfect Glow,” pressure was immense.
Cha Hong revealed, “It was a high-pressure set where language didn’t work.” Ra Mi-ran’s leadership became essential. She added, “She really took care of everyone. Without Ra Mi-ran, we might have come back halfway through.”
Park Min-young admits she ‘experienced confusion’ after jumping in fearlessly. “If you watch, you’ll see all of our growth journeys from the first day to the last.”
One particularly touching moment comes when Mary Kate, a 38-year-old mother of two who gave birth just four months ago, describes herself as a “tired mom” who has “barely worn proper makeup.”
Realizing she and Park Min-young are the same age, Mary Kate expresses admiration, saying, “Your skin is incredible.” She tells Park Min-young she wants to “transform into a Korean actress style.”
Park becomes her beauty role model through presence, not tutorials.
The transformation became mutual. New Yorkers find Korean skincare philosophy. Korean experts learn how beauty means different things across cultures.
Why This Cultural Exchange Matters Now
PD Kim Sang-ah explains her vision: “I heard K-beauty was gaining popularity in the US. I was curious if the current K-pop, K-food, and K-content attention could extend to K-beauty.”
Her solution? “Let people experience real K-beauty directly.”
Behind the Glamour: Preparation and Pressure
This isn’t a beauty show pretending to be reality TV. You’re watching professionals struggle, adapt, and learn in real time. Joo Jong-hyuk thought he’d “just go work hard and come back.” Instead, he became what Cha Hong calls “altruistic and devoted.”
Ra Mi-ran hesitated before joining because she worried about being a burden on a K-beauty project. But her presence as CEO creates accessibility that bridges the gap between celebrity and everyday person.
Park Min-young researched obsessively, learning the basics of equipment and preparing consultation knowledge. She even brought a traditional Korean hand fan “to leave a memorable impression.” These touches matter because they show cultural sharing, not cultural selling.
The show captures both the technical aspects of Korean beauty services and the genuine human connections that form during these interactions.
When Beauty Becomes a Universal Language
The “Beauty Avengers” aren’t in New York to prove Korean beauty is superior. They’re there to share what they know, learn from their clients, and create moments where people look in the mirror and think, “Yes, I am beautiful.”
When LeoJ does someone’s makeup, when Cha Hong styles their hair, when Park Min-young consults with them—language barriers fade. Skin becomes a universal language. Confidence becomes the shared goal.
Each client’s transformation tells New Yorkers (and viewers everywhere) that Korean beauty professionals see them, value them, and want to help them shine.
Beauty As a Bridge, Not Barrier
tvN’s “Perfect Glow” (퍼펙트 글로우) premieres November 8, 2024, at 10:50 p.m. KST in Korea. The show will be available on Amazon Prime Video globally starting November 23, with three episodes, followed by weekly releases.
This show asks a bigger question than “Do you want to try K-beauty?” It asks what happens when we help each other see our own beauty.
PD Kim Sang-ah wants viewers to feel the joy that the ‘Beauty Avengers’ bring to New Yorkers. That joy is real. You’re watching it happen in real time.
Hallyu is changing. It’s moving from entertainment export to genuine cultural exchange. Each makeover tells a personal story. Each client walks away feeling valued and seen.
This is beauty without borders. This is confidence without limits.
Are you ready to watch this beauty transformation? Let us know in the comments.
Join us on Kpoppost’s Instagram, Threads, Facebook, X, Telegram channel, WhatsApp Channel and Discord server for discussions. And follow Kpoppost’s Google News for more Korean entertainment news and updates.
