Metro Best K-Drama Awards: Top Beauty Moments from K-Dramas of 2020
A look back at some of the most memorable beauty statements we've seen on the K-drama small screen this year
Not all K-Drama plot lines call for our much idolized Hallyu stars to go all-out in terms of style—but when they do, they’re catapulted to instant trendsetter status and we beauty junkies are diligently taking notes.
There is a certain power that beauty holds in K-Dramas; a new hairstyle, or a change in lip color can mark a strong introduction to the character or signify a turning point in how they feel, act, and evolve. And even when a particular beauty moment is not used as a power move, it’s an important aspect of the show that fans may remember for years to come simply because it stands out in some way—or has us booking a salon appointment or adding cosmetics to our online carts.
From longer dos to shorter cuts, from red lipsticks to new hair colors, scroll through the gallery below to see some of our favorite beauty moments from the K-Dramas that lit up the small screen this year:
Top Beauty Moments in K-Dramas 2020
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Yoon Se-ri in Crash Landing on You
(1/2) The almighty Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin)—she’s an independently wealthy businesswoman who runs her own company as well as the chaebol heiress to her father’s conglomerate—has a signature beauty look that reflects the sophisticated lifestyle she leads. But when she finds herself in North Korean territory due to a paragliding accident, she must look and dress the part to blend in.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Yoon Se-ri in Crash Landing on You
(2/2) To aid in her quest to return home, Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin) takes her to Pyongyang, for which she transforms once again for her own safety. Forced to choose from a selection of regulation approved hairstyles, she goes with the ‘Goodbye’ style, which she laments in typical Se-ri fashion because it causes her hair to lose its volume.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Seo Dan in Crash Landing on You
(1/2) She may be CLOY’s second leading lady, but she definitely isn’t playing second fiddle to anyone in the beauty department. An aspiring cellist and a North Korean department store heiress, the always stunning Seo Dan’s (Seo Ji-hye) emphasizes her pretty features by way of a subtle winged eyeliner and glossy pink lips.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Seo Dan in Crash Landing on You
(2/2) However, Dan is most well-known for her now iconic hairstyle: sleek and straight, parted to the side, and kept away from her face with a clip—a trend many of us hopped on immediately. We see her don this hairstyle for the first time when she gets ready to visit the fiance she hasn’t seen in years, accessorizing her look with bejeweled flower pins.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Jo Yi-Seo in Itaewon Class
(1/2) Bold, brash, and utterly unapologetic about her lack of empathy—in the beginning, at least—Jo Yi-seo (Kim Da-mi) is certainly a force to reckon with, character wise and style wise. She is the epitome of a South Korean social media celebrity, always dressed to impress in edgy ensembles complimented by her dip-dyed bob and brightly colored lip tint.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Jo Yi-Seo in Itaewon Class
(2/2) The timeskip sees the success of Itaewon Class as a full-fledged corporation and Da-mi as a sophisticated girl boss. While her street style is sorely missed, she’s still as spunky as ever, rocking wavy jet-black hair and her signature blunt bangs. This subdued look doesn’t take away anything from Da-mi; rather, it signifies her growth into a more mature character.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Oh Soo-Ah in Itaewon Class
(1/2) Determined to move forward in life by putting her own interests first, Oh Soo-ah (Kwon Nara) accepts a scholarship offer from Jangga Group, where she eventually becomes the head of strategic planning. As a young girl abandoned by her mother at an orphanage, she dresses more for utility than style, keeping her dyed brown hair short and tied back in a half-updo.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Oh Soo-Ah in Itaewon Class
(2/2) When she and childhood friend Park Saeroyi (Park Seo-joon) see each other again after his release from prison, she sports a more sophisticated hairstyle—a jet-black lob with bangs—clearly influenced by her new life and move to Itaewon. In keeping with the Halloween spirit, Soo-ah accessorizes with strips of metallic tinsel, making for a fun, festive look.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Woo Do-Hee in Dinner Mate
(1/2) In the first episode of this drama, Woo Do-hee (Seo Ji-hye) imagines herself as Holly Golightly, Audrey Hepburn’s character from the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. We see Do-hee alighting from a cab, dressed to the nines in a look inspired by the famous star. Dolled up to perfection with a cat eye and a pink lip, her hair is styled in an updo complete with a small tiara.
Photo Credit: MBC/VIU
Woo Do-Hee in Dinner Mate
(2/2) Do-hee, a producer-director by profession narrates, “I like this scene because she’s eating alone. As she marvels at the beautiful jewels, she’s enjoying her bread without anyone’s interruption.” She is then transported back to reality, which couldn’t be more different from the scenario that played out in her head.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Ji Sun-Woo in The World of the Married
(1/2) The long-suffering Ji Sun-woo (Kim Hee-ae) has always had us viewers in her corner; we spent all of 16 episodes cheering her on in her quest to one-up her philandering husband and his mistress. A family medicine doctor as well as the associate director of the hospital she holds clinic at, Sun-woo is professional, polished, and put together. Her make-up is perfectly understated, appropriate for work and her other daily dealings.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Ji Sun-Woo in The World of the Married
(2/2) Episode 4, appropriately titled Red Lipstick, sees her getting ready for her rendezvous with Son Je-hyuk (Kim Young-min). She dresses uncharacteristically sexy for the occasion, swiping on some red lipstick as a finishing touch—perhaps a jab at Yeo Da-kyung’s (Han So-hee) cherry chapstick.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Ko Mun-Yeong in It's Okay to Not Be Okay
(1/2) Hailed as one of the most stylish leading ladies in K-Drama land, children’s book author Ko Mun-yeong (Seo Ye-ji) drinks, curses, and dresses in excess, using her extravagant fashions as an armor to protect herself from prying eyes. In the early half of the show, she wears her hair long, signifying that she is haunted by the memory of her mother, who never allowed her to cut it short.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Ko Mun-Yeong in It's Okay to Not Be Okay
(2/2) Desperate to sever those ties, she finally gathers the courage to do it herself, proudly telling Moon Gang-tae (Kim Soo-hyun), “I cut off my leash.” What follows is one of the most tender scenes, with Gang-tae taking great care to even out the cut and trim it to perfection.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Nam Ji-Ah in Tale of the Nine Tailed
(1/2) Always ready to hit the ground running in case a potential story pops up, the feisty Nam Ji-ah (Jo Bo-ah) prefers to keep her look effortless and casual, with her hair up in a ponytail and berry tinted lips.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Nam Ji-Ah in Tale of the Nine Tailed
(2/2) While at a festival with Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook) in Episode 5, she comes across a hanbok rental shop and decides to dress up. She dons a braid tied with a bright pink scarf and a barrette, similar to what Ah Eum, Yeon’s deceased beloved, would wear and he is instantly captivated. It’s this very moment that leads him to confirm that Ji-ah is indeed the reincarnation of the woman he has spent all this time trying to find.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Cheon Seo-jin in The Penthouse
(1/2) At Hera Palace, every moment qualifies as a major beauty moment—these are some of the wealthiest characters to grace the small screen this year, and affluence knows no limits. Former top soprano turned vocal teacher Cheon Seo-jin (Kim So-yeon) stands out; she’s not above using her money, influence, and beauty to get what she wants, and this shows in her trademark look.
Photo Credit: VIU
Cheon Seo-Jin in The Penthouse
(2/2) Our first glimpse of her is through a Black Swan-esque photograph, but the camera pans away to land on Seo-jin herself. It only takes one glance at her smoky eye and bold red lip—not a common beauty look we see in K-Dramas—to know that she’s not the kind of woman you want to mess with.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Lead photos via Hancinema
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