Korean beauty enthusiast becomes YouTube star: ARIRANG NEWS

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on 20 Jan 2017

컬쳐스팟; 한국의 뷰티 유튜버
The online video site YouTube, where ordinary people can upload their own self-made content, has allowed talented individuals the chance to reach audiences of a previously unthinkable size.
In our Culture Spot tonight, our Lee Unshin spoke with a popular Korean beauty vlogger who's turned her hobby into a paying job. 

At first glance, Kim Hye-won would appear to be an ordinary college student headed to class on a winter morning.

"I'm done with my assignments, but I have two tests coming up."

Like many students at her school, on top of juggling group assignments, essays and exams... Kim has a side job.

But hers is a little unusual -- she's a star on the Internet.

With more than 10-million views and nearly 200-thousand subscribers, she is a self-made YouTube sensation, known on the Web as "Eva."

"Hey guys, this is Eva."

In her video tutorials, she helps her legions of fans perfect their style -- demonstrating how to use makeup to recreate the doll-like face of a K-Pop star... or how to put together an outfit... like maybe a retro look from the 80s.

She often makes her videos in the comfort of her home, but sometimes she enlists the help of a humble local studio.

This is where the magic happens. As you can see it's not as spacious as might be expected, but with a camera and just the right lighting, the room's got everything a budding Youtube star needs.

Behind the scenes, Eva is director, producer, writer, video editor, lighting expert... and artist.

"When I'm showing the color of a makeup product and how it looks on the skin, the lighting has to be dimmed to 30 percent of the usual setting."

Though she had to put aside her interest in fashion and makeup and focus on school for a while,... she says she's been interested in producing her own content since she was in high school.
And now, among thousands of beauty gurus on YouTube, what makes Eva stand out, she says, is her desire to interact with as many people as possible.

"I once made a video about my experience of prepping for the college entrance exam at a private academy, and many viewers throught it was very informative. I want to share a lot of things with them, including personal stories."

Her knowledge and skills in cosmetology are held in high esteem.

"Green-tinted concealer helps offset redness, and lavender-tinted one helps brighten the face"

They landed her a deal with an agency, through which she gets to collaborate with a variety of local and global makeup brands.

In fact, these days YouTube stars cross borders, helping companies open new doors for marketing their products.

In line with that trend, this year Korean entertainment conglomerate CJ E&M has launched a channel called DIA TV... to shed light on young content creators and to support their one-person shows.

With opportunities and platforms expanding,... Eva's one-woman productions have already inspired hundreds of thousands of people... and could be headed for international fandom.

Lee Unshin Arirang News.