Risabae has found her time to shine

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Risabae has found her time to shine

테스트

Beauty vlogger Risabae believes that one’s facial expressions are more important than what cosmetics they use. [YOUTUBE]

Before appearing on an episode of the popular MBC variety show “Radio Star” earlier this month, beauty vlogger Risabae was already one of the biggest names in the world of makeup tutorial videos and style influencers. But after showing off her charm and talent on the weekly chat program alongside professional gamer Hong Jin-ho, professional bowler Shin Soo-ji and chef Lee Hye-jung, the beauty specialist has become a nationwide sensation.

Known for resembling singer Sunmi of the disbanded girl group Wonder Girls, Risabae first started her online beauty show in 2015 on the livestreaming platform Afreeca TV. Her show ran for two years before she transitioned to making makeup tutorial videos on Kakao TV and YouTube.

The power of Risabae’s influence in undeniable. She has over 1.5 million subscribers on her YouTube channel and over 680,000 followers on Instagram. Her YouTube videos have more than 1 million views and she was the top-searched term on the portal site Naver after she appeared on “Radio Star.”

Before getting involved in the beauty industry, Risabae had no contact with makeup until she turned 20. “I never put on makeup when I was in elementary, middle or high school,” said Risabae in an interview with the Korea Joongang Daily.

Becoming a social media beauty influencer was not on the stylish creator’s mind when she first became interested in makeup. Ten years ago, she started working as a freelancer, giving makeup tutorials at local academies and universities. She began to develop her career while working for television network MBC’s special makeup team in 2010, but quit her job after an accident. She later started working as a manager at a beauty shop in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul.

테스트

Risabae, right, imitates singer Sunmi’s, left, dance moves to her song “Gashina.” [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Risabae is passionate about “putting on makeup. Instead of only wearing one style of makeup, I enjoy putting on diverse, multiple styles.”

She also emphasized that “beauty cannot be measured by any standards. It’s not something that can be judged by others; what you think is beautiful should be considered beautiful. I like how I can [use makeup] to express myself as sexy, innocent and so on. According to those around me, I look the most like myself when I laugh.”

Although she always has a vibrant energy in her videos, the vlogger says that working in this industry is not as easy as it looks. She often has to put on makeup two to three times for each video that she makes, which has put a strain on her skin.

“I try not to put on makeup [to help my skin relax] when I don’t have work, but I almost don’t have any free days, so that’s not that common,” said Risabae.

Despite her busy schedule, Risabae found time to appear as a guest on “Radio Star” because she really enjoys variety shows. “In that episode, I heard that the other guests were from diverse fields. I thought this would be a good opportunity to promote what I do for a living.”

Even though it was her first time appearing in a variety show, Risabae stood out for showing off her many talents, such as singing trot singer Hong Jin-young’s “Love Battery” and dancing to Sunmi’s “Gashina.” She also showed off her ability to copy the facial expressions of singers such as IU, Sunmi, Kim Wan-sun, Suzy and Hwa Sa.

Her appearance wasn’t just about displaying her talents. She shared that she gave herself the name Risabae because she wanted to give herself a strong image. She also expressed her views on makeup. According to Risabae, facial expressions are essential tools for makeup.

Along with showing her playful side, Risabae also talked about her past as a makeup artist working for MBC for nearly eight years.

After the show aired, many people took to social media to praise the beauty vlogger. “Despite it being her first time on TV, she didn’t seem nervous at all,” said one viewer. Fans of Risabae were delighted to see their beloved beauty creator’s talent, and those who did not know her before were charmed by her lively personality.

“I still couldn’t believe that [I appeared as a guest], even after finishing the show,” said Risabae. “I felt like I was dreaming, but it turns out that wasn’t the case. I’m really flattered at all this attention; even comedian Park Na-rae congratulated me for my appearance. I feel very grateful [to ‘Radio Star’] for giving me the opportunity to appear as a guest.”

BY LEE JEONG-HYUN, HWANG SO-YOUNG [lee.jeonghyun@joongang.co.kr]


이사배 ”박나래도 축하 인사…'라스' 출연 아직도 얼떨떨”

이사배가 폭풍 입담과 끼로 안방극장을 사로잡았다. 토크쇼에 첫 출연해 신고식을 성공적으로 마쳤다. 방송 이후 포털사이트 실시간 검색어 1위에 랭크되며 열띤 관심의 중심에 섰다.

뷰티 크리에이터 이사배는 12일 일간스포츠에 MBC '라디오스타' 출연과 관련, "특별한 경험이었다. 방송분을 화면으로 보니까 새롭고 신기했다. 세트장에 앉아있고 노래를 했다는 게 정말 신기한 일인 것 같다. 너무 즐거웠다"고 운을 뗐다.

'라디오스타' 출연 후 실시간 검색어에 1위에 오른 상황. 이사배는 "방송 끝나고 너무 얼떨떨했다. 꿈인가 싶어서 자고 일어나면 다시 확인해야지 했는데 진짜더라.(웃음) 이런 반응이 놀랍다. 박나래 씨에게 축하 인사가 오기도 했다"고 말했다. 생애 첫 지상파 토크쇼 출연 자체가 감사하다고 했다.

이어 "직업에 대해 많이 생소하고 궁금해할 것 같아 직업에 관한 이야기들을 많이 했다. 그 부분에 대해 알려드릴 수 있는 자리가 있어 기뻤다"면서 앞으로도 이런 기회가 있다면 더 열심히 해보고 싶다고 의지를 다졌다. '갓사배'라는 수식어가 따르고 있다. 이사배는 "'천의 얼굴', '방송 천재' 이런 이야기가 가장 좋다"면서 "앞으로도 많은 사람들과의 공유를 오래오래 지속하고 싶다"는 바람을 드러냈다.

앞서 11일 방송된 '라디오스타'에는 브라운관에선 직업부터 이름까지 낯선 존재 이사배가 등장했다. 뷰티 정보나 메이크업 등 개인채널에 업로드를 해 다른 사람들과 공유하고 피드백을 실시간으로 받는 콘텐츠 업로더 뷰티 크리에이터에 대한 설명과 함께 끼를 자랑했다.

연예인 따라하기 메이크업부터 특수분장까지 지금까지 했던 각종 메이크업 사진들이 모습을 소개했다. 사전에 미리 연습을 하는 게 아니라 방송에 그냥 들어간다는 이사배는 프로였다. MBC 특수분장팀에서 일하던 직원이었지만, 산재 사고로 일을 그만 뒀고 이후 아버지께 물려받은 손재주를 활용, 지금의 위치에 올랐다. 유튜브 150만 구독자, 총 영상 조회 수 1억뷰를 자랑하는 인기 뷰티 크리에이터였다.

이외에도 순간순간 귀여운 애교와 싱크로율이 높은 표정 연기, 노래, 좌식 댄스, 크리스티나 성대모사까지 무엇 하나 빠짐이 없었다. 출중한 개인기까지 갖춘 '갓사배'였다.

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