Hear It Again: Author Elise Hu on her new book and K-Beauty critique, 'Flawless'
K-beauty is not a niche market. Built around dewy skin with no visible pores, big eyes, a thin body, it’s the “ideal” for pop stars, celebrities, and regular people across the world.
The industry, built on Korean skincare and makeup products, is the result of “hallyu” — exporting of South Korean pop culture that the government has helped sponsor since the 1990s.
In her new book, “Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital,” Elise Hu describes how digital filters and a booming beauty economy have transformed the industry, societal expectations, and what’s actually achievable when it comes to that “flawless” finish.
This interview originally aired on June 6th, 2023.
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Guest:
- Elise Hu: journalist, podcaster, and author of “Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital”
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Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside
Libby Denkmann joined KUOW in December 2021 as the host of the midday show Soundside. She’s a native Pacific Northwesterner who grew up in Redmond, graduated from the University of Washington, and covered local news as a producer and reporter with KIRO Radio.
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Sarah Leibovitz
Supervising Producer, Soundside
Sarah joined KUOW in 2019 as senior producer on The Record. She is now Supervising KUOW’s new noon time show, Soundside. Prior to working at KUOW, Sarah was lead producer at the Seattle podcast production company Larj Media, and a teaching artist with Path with Art.
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