Hello, I’m Taeyun Park, a makeup artist. I appeared on Just Makeup as ‘Firstman,’ and I currently run a YouTube channel Salon de Taeyun (@salondety), where I share beauty tips from my work as a makeup artist, along with recipes from my fusion dining venture, Seoulian, as owner-chef.

Not at all. Why would you think I’d be worried? (laughs) Honestly, I was confident I’d place near the top, and I joined with the mindset of just having fun with the competition itself. I went in without any pressure, but once things got started, I did get a bit nervous thinking, “Wait, I could actually get eliminated.” Still, I had a great time.

It depends on the situation—I don’t always do that. For that mission, my model had just turned twenty. I’d chosen ‘90s makeup as my theme, but here I was working with someone who wasn’t even born in the ‘90s. Every era has its own fashion and makeup sensibility, and the model needs to understand that vibe for it to come through in her expression. The ‘90s were dramatic and sultry—very different from today. To help her absorb that quickly, I showed her images of ‘90s models. It didn’t make it to broadcast, but her eyes actually resembled those of Shalom Harlow, the iconic supermodel of that era. So I started calling her “Shalom”—it was like casting a spell on both of us.

My teammates were so talented that I feel almost embarrassed to take credit for leadership. I try to avoid situations where emotions get in the way of productivity. I focus on creating a comfortable, easy atmosphere first, so people don’t waste energy on unnecessary stress. That’s when everyone’s individuality and talents really shine. Having worked as a freelancer for so long and collaborated with people from all kinds of fields, this has become an essential skill.

Actually, the “Kamadhenu” blue cow makeup for artist Sangwoo Koh’s work in the second semifinal mission wasn’t originally meant to be mottled. But on the day of, the gradient wasn’t blending smoothly. So I thought, “Fine, let’s make it deliberately messy instead,” and changed the entire concept on the spot. That’s what makes competition exciting. With Just Makeup, the joy wasn’t about being cutthroat—it was about the pleasure of expressing something new.

I was so frustrated. (laughs) It was a mission to create a mermaid look based on author Inpyo Cha’s novel, and in my eyes, my model was the most beautiful. You know those moments when you know something with absolute certainty? I was convinced mine was the best, so not getting the result I wanted was disappointing.

No. I figured they wouldn’t give it to me. If I won, there’d be no drama, right? It would be too predictable. Plus, there was prize money involved, and I felt like, “It would be a bit much for someone who’s already done everything to come in and take that.” From the start, my goal wasn’t ranking—it was about connecting with younger artists and showing them what I’ve got.

It would have depended on the final mission. Since the challenges were more about showing fresh interpretive skills than traditional makeup technique, I think it would have slightly favored Paris Golden Hands. But if it had been actress makeup—the essence of K-Beauty—I think Son Tail (Joohee Son) would have had the advantage.

Since all the missions went well, ironically, it’s the one that didn’t go my way that sticks with me. In the semifinal mission reinterpreting designer Yunhee Park’s ‘70s mood, I made and applied false lashes, but they didn’t turn out smooth. Most contestants practice looks that match the mission theme beforehand, but I didn’t. That’s just not how I work. Think about it—you don’t practice before showing up to an ad shoot, right? You need to feel that fresh excitement on set. Mechanically repeating something you’ve rehearsed takes all the fun out of it. So the night before each mission, I’d get a good night’s sleep and put myself in a state where inspiration could flow, then just let my instincts guide me on the day. But that particular mission required making the lashes ahead of time and some practice, and I’d been abroad until the day before. It felt like wearing clothes that didn’t quite fit—that’s why it stays with me.

I emphasized having ‘a discerning eye.’ Develop your eye for beauty. You have to know what’s beautiful before you can create beauty. The beauty department curriculum didn’t include drawing, but I had my students do sketching exercises in my classes. In fine arts, sketching is foundational—it’s the process of training yourself to truly see. Just because our eyes are open doesn’t mean we’re actually seeing. You can’t express beauty if you only see things vaguely; you need to see with precision. Technique improves with practice, but when something doesn’t look beautiful, it’s because that discerning eye isn’t there. Before technique, develop the eye that recognizes beauty.

Experience matters, but the quantity of experience isn’t what counts. I was in Gwangju, Jeolla Province, until high school. Back then, there wasn’t much to see there—no art museums, no performances. But every weekend, the music videos on MTV were precious to me. While watching Madonna and Queen videos, I took in not just the people but also every detail of the sets and props. When I came to Seoul, I’d buy Italian Vogue and study it closely. These days, there’s an overflow of things to see, but it all gets forgotten quickly. It’s not about the quantity of experiences—it’s about quality and intensity.

It’s also why clients love my work: no matter the theme, I ultimately pursue “making people look beautiful”—and I’m good at it. Even unconventional, avant-garde fashion has beauty within it. Editors emphasize individuality and difference, so they don’t always present high fashion as conventionally pretty. But ultimately, the audience is the general public, so the makeup needs to resonate with them. That’s not easy to pull off, but I think I do it pretty well. (laughs)

First, decide whether you’re doing it for yourself or to look good for others. If you want makeup that makes you look attractive by conventional standards, then yes, you’ll need to follow the beauty ideals society has set. But if makeup is about expressing yourself, just do what you find beautiful. If it’s for you, why obsess over finding your ‘cool tone’ or ‘warm tone’? I get asked constantly what lip colors would suit someone, and I don’t understand why people ask others that question. If it looks pretty to you, just wear it. So what if someone else says it doesn’t suit you? If you think it’s beautiful and you love it, that’s all that matters. Cool tone, warm tone, bright tone... I can’t even remember all the names, and I think it’s largely media influence. Don’t let that stuff control you—be unapologetic. When I see someone with unique makeup, I think they look amazing. You know those people who have their own signature look? Be yourself. Be bold. Create your own signature makeup.

Hmm, that’s tough to do in a single word. If I were to compare it to a brand, think of Chanel—classic yet chic. I guess what I pursue, whether in makeup or cooking, is adding an edge to a classic foundation.

Thank you. (laughs) It’s truly an honor. I’m happy to be recognized for pursuing beauty that’s uniquely my own. The word ‘icon’ also carries the meaning of being a source of inspiration. I believe I was chosen because I have something distinct to offer, and I hope I can help others discover what’s unique about themselves.

I believe that what you’re born with is your authenticity, and people who use that well to express beauty are the ones who remain timeless. Even Audrey Hepburn apparently worried about being too tall and having thin hands. If you look at her photo shoots and films, you’ll often see her styled in Givenchy with flat shoes and gloves. I think her unique beauty was forged in the process of working with her physical traits. If you believe that what you see as flaws can actually become the elements that define you and set you apart, and if you study yourself and keep evolving, you’ll possess a beauty that doesn’t fade with time.

Just as making a home beautiful requires attention to everything from the foundation to the exterior, interior, and finishing touches, beauty requires managing your entire life. I’ve become more mindful of this as an influencer and YouTuber. I don’t think doing nothing and then going to a dermatologist once counts as self-care. It takes a holistic approach—mindset, diet, sleep habits, exercise—everything working together to bear fruit. So I try to maintain good habits from the moment I wake up.

It’s less about self-care and more about the fact that I love eating and I love feeding people. After trying all sorts of approaches, I’ve found that dishes made with quality ingredients taste the best—better than anything with fancy techniques. Good meat, fresh fish, just clean salt, and an open flame—that’s the most delicious. Self-care is similar. A clean, bare face is the most beautiful, and for that, you need good skin, which requires inner beauty habits. You change your diet, you refine your lifestyle patterns. When everything works together, it creates a virtuous cycle.

I have so much respect for Amorepacific. First of all, there’s the heritage. Among K-Beauty brands, it’s rare to find one that’s truly about promoting beauty rather than just being a distribution business. Amorepacific has grown K-Beauty on a global scale and continues to maintain its influence, so I’m always cheering them on.

I want to explore the food space more deeply. Not in the sense of opening a restaurant as a business like before—I want to create food content. I want to research and showcase dishes that honor the essence of ingredients while being healthy to eat. I see the world as expanding outward from small units. The principles I’ve learned from doing makeup apply equally to food and even flower arranging. For example, in makeup, the model is like quality ingredients in food; basic seasonings like salt, olive oil, and pepper are like base products; dressing on top is like color cosmetics; and the arrangement of color, texture, and light is like plating. There are so many parallels. I hope you’ll look forward to what I do next.