From free makeover to Hallyu HMUAs, here’s my K-Beauty Hangout experience.
By Ginyn Noble-Cadavillo
If there’s anything that has taken the Philippines by storm other than K-dramas and K-pop, it’s K-beauty. Filipinos have started embracing Korean skincare and treatments as staples in getting dolled up every day. This genuine hype is one of the reasons why the Korean Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Korea Tourism Organization held the K-Beauty Hangout. The event was held in SM Aura last April 12, 2024–it was totally free for attendees like all KCC events. Of course, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity, especially when I learned about the line-up.
A Refreshing Welcome
The activities prepared excited me, but during D-Day, all my expectations were exceeded. First, we were welcomed with a refreshing cinnamon punch prepared by KCC’s resident hansik (Korean cuisine) teacher, Chef Lily Min. It’s the perfect way to kick off the event and serve as a teaser for the upcoming 2024 Korea Beauty Festival by the same organization in Seoul on June.
Games and Guests Galore
Then, we joined a fun mini lottery game for some K-beauty freebies. All we had to do was share a post as our entry to join. I got a pink ball and won a Green Tea Trio travel kit from Innisfree! Later on, I won the same item in the survey event, so good thing I attended with my chingu and we traded so that we both had a variety of souvenirs.
We also visited the booths of the K-beauty brands that helped make the event possible, such as Innisfree, Laneige, and Mise-en-scène. In their booths and during their segments the program, the brand reps did product demos to share the wonders of K-beauty products. There were also quiz games like the one led by the host Stephie Ongkiko, were exciting prizes from KCC and the brand partners were up for grabs. I won a couple of travel packing bags.
Dreams Turned into Reality
One of the talks I really enjoyed, too, was the interview with Filipina make-up artist Chuchie Ledesma. She shared how the stars really seemed to have aligned when she received the Jung Saem Mool scholarship, which has opened doors for her here and in Korea. Her candid stories inspired me and everyone else hearing her lecture. It was like another testament to how when you seek your dreams and sincerely work hard for it, the universe will conspire to manifest it into reality.
A Beloved Custom
There was also a nail dyeing station inspired by the traditional Korean custom called bongseonhwa (봉선화). A garden balsam plant is crushed and used to stain nails a pretty reddish color. According to Korean superstition, if the hue lasts until the first snow, you will find your first love.
Free Personal Color Analysis by a Pro
We also signed up for a personal color analysis from Ingrid Nieto-Pagulayan, a certified image and color consultant. However, it was such an in-demand activity that slots quickly ran out. The lucky ones who got a slot were able to determine the best hues that complemented their skin tone and receive other tips to boost their style. Her professional color analysis sessions are worth P10,000 each, so it was such an extraordinary experience to get it for free at the K-Beauty Hangout!
Glammed Up Like K-Stars
Fortunately, we were able to book the free make-up session from Jenny House. It was a rare chance to get from celebrity hair and make-up artists from the renowned brand. A beautiful doll-like artist named Jinjoo did our make-up. She has worked with celebs like Park Shin Hye, Jung So Min, Go Ara, Shin Ye Eun, Han Ji Min, and more. You can just imagine how thrilled we were! She even did trademark K-beauty techniques like using a wooden match for lash longevity and aegyosal (lower waterline highlights). Plus, she used a fixing spray that K-pop idols use to make sure the make-up stays on all day. And, it actually worked! I looked so pretty until night time and the make-up survived the Manila heat.
A Celebration of Korean Beauty
The highlight of the event was definitely when celebrity hairstylist Jihoon and make-up artist Hwaju did a demo on stage and shared more about Korean beauty techniques. The lectures were very engaging, and the audience was able to ask about things they were curious about. It made me appreciate K-beauty more. I also looked forward to the chance to experience a similar learning and immersive opportunity again soon.
The K-Beauty Hangout is just one of the many exciting events brought to the public by the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines. As the year marks the 75 years of Phil-Kor friendship, expect that the bar will just be set even higher. Tune into KCC’s social media channels to find out more about the ongoing and upcoming happenings. This year, why not immerse yourself in everything Korean culture, too?
THE KREW | MNL 