#K-Beauty

[books]

Writer Spotlight: Elise Hu

We recently met with Elise Hu (@elisegoeseast) to discuss her illuminating title, Flawless—Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. Elise is a journalist, podcaster, and media start-up founder. She’s the host of TED Talks Daily and host-at-large at NPR, where she spent nearly a decade as a reporter. As an international correspondent, she has reported stories from more than a dozen countries and opened NPR’s first-ever Seoul bureau in 2015. Previously, Elise helped found The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit digital start-up, after stops at many stations as a television news reporter. Her journalism work has won the national Edward R. Murrow and duPont Columbia awards, among others. An honors graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, she lives in Los Angeles.

Can you begin by telling us a little bit about how Flawless came to be and what made you want to write about K-beauty?

It’s my unfinished business from my time in Seoul. Especially in the last year I spent living in Korea, I was constantly chasing the latest geopolitical headlines (namely, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s big moves that year). It meant I didn’t get to delve into my nagging frustrations of feeling second-class as an Asian woman in Korea and the under-reported experiences of South Korean women at the time. They were staging record-setting women’s rights rallies during my time abroad in response to a stark gender divide in Korea. It is one of the world’s most influential countries (and the 10th largest economy) and ranks shockingly low on gender equality metrics. That imbalance really shows up in what’s expected of how women should look and behave. Flawless explores the intersection of gender politics and beauty standards.

Flawless punctuates reportage with life writing, anchoring the research within your subjective context as someone who lived in the middle of it but also had an outside eye on it. Was this a conscious decision before you began writing? 

I planned to have fewer of my personal stories in the book, actually. Originally, I wanted to be embedded with South Korean women and girls who would illustrate the social issues I was investigating, but I wound up being the narrative thread because of the pandemic. The lockdowns and two years of long, mandatory quarantines in South Korea meant that traveling there and staying for a while to report and build on-the-ground relationships was nearly impossible. I also have three small children in LA, so the embedding plan was scuttled real fast.

One of the central questions the book asks of globalized society at large, corporations, and various communities is, “What is beauty for?” How has your response to this question changed while producing Flawless? 

I think I’ve gotten simultaneously more optimistic and cynical about it. More cynical in that the more I researched beauty, the more I understood physical beauty as a class performance—humans have long used it to get into rooms—more power in relationships, social communities, economically, or all of the above at once. And, as a class performance, those with the most resources usually have the most access to doing the work it takes (spending the money) to look the part, which is marginalizing for everyone else and keeps lower classes in a cycle of wanting and reaching. On the flip side, I’m more optimistic about what beauty is for, in that I have learned to separate beauty from appearance: I think of beauty in the way I think about love or truth, these universal—and largely spiritual—ideas that we all seek, that feed our souls. And that’s a way to frame beauty that isn’t tied in with overt consumerism or having to modify ourselves at all. 

This is your first book—has anything surprised you in the publishing or publicity process for Flawless?

I was most surprised by how much I enjoyed recording my own audiobook! I felt most in flow and joyful doing that more than anything else. Each sentence I read aloud was exactly the way I heard it in my head when I wrote it, which is such a privilege to have been able to do as an author.

Do you have a favorite reaction from a reader? 

I don’t know if it’s the favorite, but recency bias is a factor—I just got a DM this week from a woman writing about how the book helped put into words so much of what she felt and experienced, despite the fact she is not ethnically Korean, or in Korea, which is the setting of most of the book. It means a lot to me that reporting or art can connect us and illuminate shared experiences…in this case, learning to be more embodied and okay with however we look. 

As a writer, journalist, and mother—how did you practice self-care when juggling work commitments, social life, and the creative processes of writing and editing?

I juggled by relying on my loved ones. I don’t think self-care can exist without caring for one another, and that means asking people in our circles for help. A lot of boba dates, long walks, laughter-filled phone calls, and random weekend trips really got me through the arduous project of book writing (more painful than childbirth, emotionally speaking). 

What is your writing routine like, and how did the process differ from your other reporting work? Did you pick up any habits that you’ve held on to? 

My book writing routine was very meandering, whereas my broadcast reporting and writing are quite linear. I have tight deadlines for news, so it’s wham, bam, and the piece is out. With the book, I had two years to turn in a manuscript. I spent the year of lockdowns in “incubation mode,” where I consumed a lot of books, white papers, articles, and some films and podcasts, just taking in a lot of ideas to see where they might collide with each other and raise questions worth reporting on, letting them swim around in the swamp of my brain. When I was ready to write, I had a freelance editor, the indefatigable Carrie Frye, break my book outline into chunks so I could focus on smaller objectives and specific deadlines. Chunking the book so it didn’t seem like such a massive undertaking helped a lot. As for the writing, I never got to do a writer’s retreat or some idyllic cabin getaway to write. I wrote in the in-between moments—a one or two hour window when I had a break from the TED conference (which I attend every year as a TED host) or in those moments after the kids’ bedtime and before my own. One good habit I got into was getting away from my computer at midday. I’m really good about making lunch dates or going for a run to break up the monotony of staring at my screen all day long.

What’s good advice you’ve received about journalism that you would pass on to anyone just starting out?

All good reporting comes from great questions. Start with a clear question you seek to answer in your story, project, or book, and stay true to it and your quest to answer it. Once you are clear on what the thing is about, you won’t risk wandering too far from your focal point.

Thanks to Elise for answering our questions! You can follow her over at @elisegoeseast and check out her book Flawless here!

[magicalshopping]

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[crybabyzine-subtext]

Excerpt from Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital by Elise Hu (2023)

The K-beauty industry enjoys outsize influence and intensity. But it operates on the same ideas as the beauty industry writ large:

That your appearance is not good enough, and you should fix it.

That you can empower yourself if you spend energy and money to compete.

Korean women who partake of beauty culture are doing what it takes within a constant push-pull between the traditional values of filial piety and South Korea's hyper-modern neoliberal pull of individualism--trying to "win" a game of self-determination and growth. After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, South Korea's unemployment climbed to as high as 20 percent, and the government decreased spending in social services at the same time, leaving many Koreans to fend for themselves, piecing together part-time work, relying on family members, or just barely scraping by. Observers believe the precariousness of that time fostered neoliberal mandates to increase your own "human capital" in an endless competition for work and material success. As feminist scholar Cho Joo-hyun writes, "the most successful self-entrepreneurs will be those who faithfully internalize the neoliberal logic [of] subjugating themselves." This describes a kind of social Darwinism incited by market competition. "The idea of competition becomes the new norm of life in postwar capitalism," turning South Korea into a "neoliberal machine," according to Alex Taek-Gwang Lee, a cultural studies professor at Kung Hee University.

"In traditional society, a woman's body was completely controlled by male-centered society, especially because of the ideology of staying a virgin, which was a strict controlling tool of women's bodies. But now, lookism has replaced that ideology," wrote Kim Sang-hui, then the executive director of the country's largest feminist group, Womenlink, in a 2003 op-ed. She argued that appearance pressures exert a form of control over our bodies, but within a consumerist, can-do twist. "In a lookist society, it is not just about self-maintenance, it's that unbeautiful women are seen as lazy and incapable."

Koreans have a term for their work requirement: kkumim nodong, or "display labor"--their outsides must be embellished for display, and work must be undertaken to make women displayable. "It's the perfect sort of manifestation of neoliberalism," says Jenny Wang Medina. "You are laboring with your body and also consuming at the same time."

[peachandpinwheel]

hello peeps with sensory issues living in sunny countries, especially Australia and Aotearoa NZ.

do you avoid using sunscreen because it sets off your sensory sensitivities? me too!

just wanted to PSA as we head into summer that many Korean beauty brands have sunscreen that you can't feel, barely smell, and that is SPF 50. I use Etude House Sunprise on my face and it has changed my life. my wife favours the Beauty of Joseon Matte Sun Stick, which is similarly unnoticeable. you can get them (in Australia at least) at k-beauty stores in person or online.

dermatologists do not rate moisturisers with SPF - you need a proper barrier. the ozone layer has been bad lately, and we are heading for a hot ass summer, so please be safe.

[bsr-korea]

#calming #soothing SELENUS Artemisia Calming US

These dry days recently, Would you replenish your skin moisture with intense hydration? SELENUS suggest the Genuine Skin care Solution ARTEMISIA Calming Us Care Solution SELENUS’s Choice, Ganghwa Artemisia Why has SELENUS chosen Ganghwa Artemisia? Ganghwa Artemisia is the main ingredient grown up in Ganghwado Island and only collected in May and June. It is known for a traditional medical…

[twincitiesgeek]

Sweet Escape Is Maplewood Mall’s One-Stop Shop for All Things K-Pop

If you're looking for K-pop or K-beauty in the Twin Cities, Sweet Escape should be on your radar.

As someone who frequently jumps between new hobbies and interests, I often find myself adrift in the sea of confusion, and nowhere has this been more evident than in my recent dive into the world of K-pop, courtesy of the group Stray Kids. As a newbie, the whole world of K-pop feels like a linguistic labyrinth filled with jargon and context that can be intimidating to navigate. I’m stumbling…

[ableco]

Last but not least! 🖐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Germany, known for its strict safety testing, has awarded the Dermatest Excellent grade, five shining stars! ✨ As this skincare line is actress Park Jin-hee's personal recommendation, trust it to build a strong skin barrier and take on the challenge! ❗️

Now, here's a friendly warning: Don't fall for suspiciously cheap deals from sketchy sites with unclear origins. Stick to authentic products and shop safely on reputable platforms! Go ahead, make your skin's dreams come true with this Dermatest Excellence-approved beauty regimen! 💫

Click the link below to unlock all the secrets and embark on a safe and stylish shopping spree! Let's get ready to rock that authentic beauty! 💃💄 💄[must read]How to Join as a Beauty Planner - Step by Step Guide(Click)💄

[valenschirico]

I'M FROM Beet Energy Ampoule – review and before & after

Energy for your yellowish, dull #skin? Here you go: I'M FROM Beet Energy Ampoule. #Kreanskincare in #review

[k-skinboostrr]

#뷰티아 #beautya #skinbooster #filler #botox #skincare #wholesale #kbeauty #sale #스킨부스터 #보톡스 #직구 #쥬베룩 #리쥬란 #미용제품 #피부미용 #전문가용 #미국 #미용장비 #미용기기 #홈케어 #물광

[caroljue]

Die ultimative koreanische Hautpflegeroutine

Strahlende Haut in 10 Schritten! Hey Beauty-Queens und -Kings! Hast du dich jemals gefragt, warum koreanische Haut immer so makellos aussieht? Geheimnis gelüftet: Es ist ihre geniale 10-Schritte-Routine! Mach dich bereit, deine Hautpflegeroutine auf ein neues Level zu bringen und deine Haut zum Strahlen zu bringen – Korean-Style! Schritt 1: Double Cleansing – Doppelt hält besser! Das Double…

[magicalshopping]

♡ I Dew Care Happy Paws Blemish Patch ♡

[rayliur]

Beyond the Hype: Is Mixsoon's Bean Essence Really Worth It?

Is Mixsoon's Bean Essence Worth the Hype?

It’s been two years since I first discovered Mixsoon and its bean essence. And while I posted an in-depth review a year ago, there was little to truly know about Mixsoon’s bean essence. Two years after its debut on the global skincare stage, and a wave of “going viral” on TikTok, Mixsoon’s bean essence is finally simmering down in hype. And I’d like to take this opportunity to sit down with this…

[irenablogsworld]

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[anniebatra]