“Just Makeup” (Coupang Play, Prime Video)
Lee Heewon: As K-beauty continues to spread its influence across the globe, it now brings us the world’s first major makeup reality show. “Just Makeup” pits 60 makeup artists working not only in Korea but on the world stage against one another, from first-generation artist Jung Saemmool to K-pop makeup artist Seo Ok, 2.6-million-followers-strong beauty influencer Risabae, and Amorepacific makeup master Jinsu Lee. The way the judges clash over looks and their details, the products the artists use and the stories they tell inject the series with all the tension you could want from a reality show.

You get a sense of the massive scale of the show right from the first round when 60 identically dressed models appear along with 30 makeup stations set up for the artists. The competition kicks off with its first round relying solely on makeup skills with no attention paid to hair or fashion. The competitors put their own unique spin on every look, whether the makeup artist is already at the top of their game, new to the field, or coming in as a beauty influencer. The combination of seasoned expertise and fresh views only an up-and-comer has, along with the clash between professional techniques and amateur tips, adds fuel to the fire, and the show is designed in interesting ways to put them all on equal footing. For the second round, the judges consider 15 pairs of twin models with no hint to which artist has made up which twin, the focus being on how differently the same theme can be interpreted through identical faces. The following round is the K-pop Stage, with judge Risabae noting how “K-pop definitely goes hand-in-hand with the rise of K-beauty.” The competitors are tasked with designing looks for the boy group TWS and girl group STAYC, taking into account lighting, choreography, and even camerawork onstage, all of which serves to highlight the fascinating interplay between K-beauty and K-pop as they design makeup for the idols’ performances.

What makes “Just Makeup” so fascinating is how it takes the idea of makeup as simply a beauty technique and elevates it into an art form. In the semifinals, the showrunners give the artists bold themes to compete under, such as haute couture and sacred cow paintings, challenging them to really make their mark in the New Face round. Within these parameters, the artists explore their own approaches to color, texture, and expression in a unique reality format that offers them an opportunity to experiment. By taking a step back from their usual styles and venturing into new and unfamiliar makeup territory, they showcase their instincts and reveal their creative worlds openly with diverse interpretations of beauty. By migrating the art of makeup into a competitive format, “Just Makeup” is more than a simple contest—it’s a testament to the diversity and competitiveness of modern makeup. It’s a dramatic look at these artists as they spread their own influence across the world stage.

“The World of Love”
Bae Dongmi(CINE21 Reporter): High schooler Jooin (Seo Su-bin) is at her liveliest when she’s with her friends. She’s more adept with a ball in gym class than the boys, films hilarious short-form videos of her dancing her heart out, and gets everybody laughing at lunch when she complains about her heavy period. As long as she’s in a safe space with her friends, Jooin’s a happy, upbeat teen—but what about when she’s alone? Worries cloud her face when she goes out on weekends to practice Taekwondo on her own. But when she makes a late-night call to her dad after much hesitation, he doesn’t pick up. As the film progresses, the audience gradually sees more of the shadows casting themselves over the protagonist.

But then the shadows start to creep into her school life as well. When news spreads that a convicted child sex offender is moving into the neighborhood, Jooin’s classmate Suho (Kim Jeong-sik) starts a petition against it. Things heat up once Jooin refuses to sign. When Suho pressures her, saying, “So you don’t care if that bastard moves back here?” Jooin responds, “I understand the intention behind it, but some parts of it are wrong.” Specifically, she points out that describing victims as having “scars that can’t be erased as long as they live” is inaccurate and says she’ll sign if he revises that part. The way Jooin sees it, Suho hasn’t given much thought to the victims and instead made the petition in hopes it might look like good extracurricular activity on his school record, which in turn could be a major help in his university admissions. Suho, on the other hand, doesn’t take her thoughtful critique seriously and tends to see himself as more virtuous and aware than Jooin. As their argument escalates, Jooin yells out right in the middle of the classroom that she herself is a victim of sexual violence. The classroom briefly falls completely silent, and all eyes are on her. But then, returning to her trademark cheeriness, she quickly brushes it off as a lie. At that point, both her classmates and the audience in the theater begin to wonder whether Jooin truly is a victim or whether she’s rebelling against stereotypes surrounding survivors. After the incident, Jooin receives a note that reads, “How could you say something like that? Are you really that stupid? Or did you just do it for the attention?”

“The World of Love” is the latest film from director Yoon Ga-eun, known for telling stories about characters who aren’t quite adults yet and are often deemed immature by the world around them, as seen in her previous films like “The World of Us” and “The House of Us.” Yoon has consistently conveyed delicate portrayals of how being young doesn’t equate to shallow thoughts. This time around, she once again focuses on young characters while tackling complex themes like gender conflict and solidarity among survivors of sexual violence. The director shows how you aren’t magically able to solve all life’s problems as soon as you become an adult, and tenderly illustrates how even young people can be hurt, face personal dilemmas, and engage in deep, meaningful thought. Though the film deals with inner emotion, it doesn’t pretend to have all the answers about its characters, carefully economizing on the use of close-ups. Yoon has clearly put her intentions on full display with a look at her characters though wide, medium, and shots positioned behind them. By the time the film is over, you can’t help but wonder what Jooin has in store for her in the future—and the kind of stories Yoon will bring to the big screen next.

Rest in peace, neo soul pioneer D’Angelo
Kang Ilkwon (Music Critic): I remember back in 1995 when D’Angelo’s debut album, “Brown Sugar,” came out. What I heard coming from the radio was a kind of R&B I’d never heard anywhere else before. The whir of the vintage organ, the groove of the street, and the air of 1970s soul all blended together to stir something in the heart, with uninhibited vocals with just as much out-of-this-world soul and all the emotional depth of Marvin Gaye. It opened my eyes to just what’s possible in the world of R&B. Seeing him perform live for the first time was likewise unforgettable. With everything from his fashion choices to the looks on his face and even his stride, D’Angelo sang deeply soulful tracks with all the swagger of a gangster rapper. No matter how many times you’ve seen him, it always feels fresh and awe-inspiring.

The music D’Angelo gave to the world in the mid-1990s, when R&B was finding its way into mainstream pop, put the genre on a new path under the label “neo soul.” He took a deeply held respect for the music of the past he’d absorbed, including the soul of his father’s generation as well as the jazz and funk that came before it, and put a modern spin on the music before presenting it to listeners. Prominent contemporaries of the singer, like Erykah Badu, Maxwell, Jill Scott, and Lauryn Hill, joined this neoclassic soul movement next. Many other artists also began to explore neo soul in their own music as well. Though he released only three studio albums over his 30-year career—“Brown Sugar,” “Voodoo,” and “Black Messiah”—D’Angelo had an outsized influence that can’t be measured in numbers alone.

D’Angelo suddenly left us on October 14 at the age of 51. Battling pancreatic cancer, he had spent two weeks in hospice care and was hospitalized for several months, according to his family. His fans, who never gave up hope that there would be another album, were shocked by the news and overcome with deep sorrow. Even as I write this, I still struggle to accept his passing, and only now do I truly realize that D’Angelo wasn’t merely an important part of the culture, but culture itself—a pioneer and a voice that transcended generations. May he rest in peace.

Rest In Peace
D’Angelo (February 11, 1974 – October 14, 2025)