That Eye Makeup and Those Poses You Keep Seeing in K-pop — Is It Gyaru?

Scroll through K-pop clips or Korean short-form videos for a while, and you may start noticing the same kind of look.

Bolder eye makeup than usual.

Oversized lashes.

Sparkly accessories.

Exaggerated poses for the camera.

You may even notice that unusual flipped V-sign.

At first, it can look like just another idol concept.

But when the same makeup and poses start showing up in other videos, you may wonder:

"Wait — is that Japanese gyaru?"

Partly, yes.

But the looks appearing in K-pop today are not the same thing as gyaru culture as a whole.

Usually, you're seeing just a few instantly recognizable elements of gyaru in K-pop and short-form content.

And one idol made that especially easy to see: Minami of RESCENE.

At First, It Looked Like Just One Idol's Character — Then People Started Recognizing the Look

Minami, the Japanese member of the girl group RESCENE, showed up in a video looking completely different from her usual self.

Her eye makeup was much bolder.

Her lashes were bigger.

Her expressions and gestures were more exaggerated.

Even her tone and energy felt different.

Then one short line she said in character took off:

"Geoje, yaho~!"

"Yaho" is a casual greeting in Japanese. Pairing it unexpectedly with "Geoje," the name of a Korean city, made the phrase especially memorable.

Even if you knew nothing about gyaru, the change was easy to spot.

There was the Minami people were used to seeing.

Then there was Minami with different makeup, expressions, and gestures.

"Oh — she just switched into a different mode."

That alone was enough to make the contrast clear.

One overseas fan even went looking for fan-made translations, wanting to watch more of Minami's gyaru series but unable to find English subtitles. Even if they couldn't catch every word, the character itself was enough to keep them curious.

But gyaru imagery in K-pop did not start with Minami.

Even before this, a pose known as the "gyaru peace" sign had already shown up in photos of several K-pop idols. If you have followed K-pop for a while, the pose itself may already look familiar.

What made Minami's character different was that it did not stop at one pose.

Bold eye makeup.

Big lashes.

Exaggerated expressions and gestures.

A playful way of talking.

And even parapara dancing.

Several recognizable gyaru elements came together in one distinct character.

But that does not mean this is all there is to gyaru.

Even Just the Eye Makeup or Pose Can Change the Whole Look

Gyaru is not the name of one specific eyeliner style or pose.

It is a Japanese subculture that developed through fashion, makeup, magazines, street culture, and a wide range of styles.

Parapara did not originate with gyaru, either. It became popular through Eurobeat and club culture at the time and became closely associated with gyaru imagery.

So wearing heavier eye makeup or doing a gyaru peace sign does not automatically make someone gyaru.

In fact, some overseas gyaru communities have questioned whether styles labeled "gyaru" in K-pop sometimes simplify the culture too much.

Their point is that adding heavier eye makeup and a few recognizable details to a K-pop look does not necessarily make it gyaru.

That is why some people prefer to describe these looks as gyaru-inspired instead.

But it is easy to see why these looks stand out on screen.

Change the look of the eyes and lashes, add some glitter and a different pose, and the whole mood shifts.

And that can make you think:

"I could try that too."

And some people in Korea did.

People Didn't Just Watch — They Started Trying the Look, Searching for It, and Taking Photos

At one hair salon in Hongdae, more customers were bringing in photos of Minami and asking for similar gyaru styling, according to a local report.

The stylist said they were doing gyaru makeup about every other day.

The customers wanted to try the look for themselves after seeing it online.

Online searches for "gyaru" also rose at the time.

The same report showed visitors taking photos at a "gyaru cafe" in Seongsu.

The look people had seen on screen was now making its way into real life.

So it is hard to see this as nothing more than a funny K-pop meme that took off.

It was showing up in makeup looks and in the photos people were taking.

If You Like the Gyaru Look, You Can Try It During Your Korea Trip

Someone in an overseas gyaru community wondered whether they could wear gyaru makeup without calling themselves gyaru.

If you see this style during your trip to Korea and like it, you may have a similar thought.

You do not need to call yourself gyaru.

If you want to try the makeup or poses, you can start small.

The easiest place to start is with the way you pose for a photo.

Instead of your usual V-sign, you could try a gyaru peace sign, or strike a slightly more exaggerated pose with a friend.

If you want to try the makeup too, use a gyaru look you like as a reference and try different eye makeup or lashes.

If you want the look done professionally, show them a photo of the style you want and ask whether they can do something similar.

Some customers in Hongdae did exactly that, bringing in photos of Minami and asking for similar styling.

But not every hair salon or makeup shop offers gyaru styling.

You do not need to copy everything you see in Korean content.

During your trip, you can simply enjoy the parts of the look that you like.

If you want another hands-on K-pop experience in Seoul, you can also check out HiKR Ground.

The next time you see a style like this, you may not just scroll past it.

"Wait — is that gyaru?"

Now you will have a better idea of where that look comes from.

And if there is a part of it you like, you can try it for yourself while you are in Korea.