{"id":861116,"date":"2026-08-17T08:30:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T08:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/861116\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T08:30:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T08:30:15","slug":"how-k-pop-idols-use-weighted-highlight-lenses-to-create-the-perfect-gaze","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/861116\/","title":{"rendered":"How K-pop idols use weighted highlight lenses to create the perfect gaze"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the end of Babymonster\u2019s July 11 performance of \u201cI Like It\u201d on a weekly music show, the camera moved in for an unforgiving close-up of Asa for her \u201cending fairy\u201d moment.<\/p>\n

Wearing a purple-and-yellow dress with a matching hairpin, she looked directly into the lens as her shoulders rose and fell slightly, her warm hazel eyes polished to near-impossible perfection.<\/p>\n

And that too-good-to-be-true glow was not merely a trick of the lighting \u2014 it had been designed into her eyes themselves.<\/p>\n

Dayoon, a senior makeup artist at Oui Oui Atelier who currently works with K-pop acts such as BabyMonster, IVE, fromis_9 and more, is among the people behind the scenes who carefully constructed that exact moment.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n BabyMonster\u2019s Asa poses for the camera at the end of the girl group\u2019s performance of \u201cI Like It\u201d on the July 11 episode of MBC\u2019s weekly music program \u201cShow! Music Core\u201d (2005-).
\n SCREEN CAPTURE\n <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Makeup artist Dayoon’s Instagram post of her work with BabyMonster’s Asa
\n SCREEN CAPTURE\n <\/p>\n

\u201cColored contact lenses are crucial elements that bring out the makeup and styling,\u201d the veteran makeup artist told the Korea JoongAng Daily, explaining that she selects colored contact lenses by considering not only an idol\u2019s eye makeup but also the colors and overall concept of the outfits worn onstage.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially onstage, lenses can make the shape of the eyes appear more defined or add a focal point to the overall look through their glow,\u201d Dayoon said.<\/p>\n

And that glow is itself the product of careful design: an illusion intended to make light appear permanently reflected in the wearer\u2019s eyes \u2014 an optical innovation driven by the unforgiving digital mediascape and the increasingly elaborate aesthetic architecture of K-pop branding.<\/p>\n

Catchlight engineered to stay<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most noticeable trend among Idol lenses this year has 100 percent been weighted highlight lenses,\u201d a Korean lens enthusiast who wished to be identified by their social media account, Idol_eotd, told the Korea JoongAng Daily.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n A selfie of ILLIT’s Wonhee wearing blue weighted lenses
\n SCREEN CAPTURE\n <\/p>\n

The account identifies certain contact lenses used by K-pop idols based on photos and shares the information online, with a combined following of around 28,000 across X and Instagram.<\/p>\n

The \u201cweighted highlight lenses,\u201d also known as axis-stabilized highlight lenses, are designed to keep a printed highlight in a fixed position even as the wearer blinks or moves their eyes.<\/p>\n

Contact lenses have been part of Korean beauty culture since the early 2000s, but highlight lenses \u2014 featuring bright crescents or gradients that create a permanent-looking glow within the iris \u2014 began gaining popularity in the early 2020s.<\/p>\n

But these lenses could rotate on the eye, causing the printed highlight to shift into an unnatural position, which is where the weighted lens comes in.<\/p>\n

The stabilizing technology of weighted lenses was originally developed to correct astigmatism. Weighted cosmetic lenses, which have a thicker lower section that prevents the printed highlight from rotating on the eyes, began entering the market in late 2024 and have gained popularity among K-pop idols over the past year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n IVE\u2019s Wonyoung in a promotional photo for Hapa Kristin, wearing the lens brand’s weighted contact lenses
\n SCREEN CAPTURE\/HAPA KRISTIN\n <\/p>\n

Brands including Lens Me, Lenbling and Hapa Kristin have since launched products in an increasingly diverse range of styles and colors.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Hapa Kristin’s latest weighted lens, designed to keep a printed highlight fixed in place even as the wearer blinks and moves
\n SCREEN CAPTURE\/HAPA KRISTIN\n <\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially for a lot of the larger music shows and concept photo shoots, the color payoff of fixed [weighted] lenses under stage lighting gives off an extremely bright glow that looks almost AI-like, but also photographs really well,\u201d Idol_eotd said.<\/p>\n

Dayoon also noted that the use of weighted lenses has become increasingly common.<\/p>\n

\u201cArtists often have to wear contact lenses for extended periods for stage performances or concerts, and because it is difficult to check a mirror frequently during a performance, many prefer weighted lenses,\u201d she said. \u201cIn particular, I think they are increasingly being used as a styling element to match the concept of an outfit or song.\u201d<\/p>\n

Devils in the details<\/p>\n

If you are an idol, every mole on your face becomes part of your personal brand \u2014 and that level of scrutiny naturally encourages more elaborate styling.<\/p>\n

Such scrutiny has intensified with the rise of unforgiving close-ups across K-pop content. High-resolution \u201cface cams\u201d that follow individual idols, focusing solely on their faces, have become routine, driven by advances in camera technology and the digital content landscape.<\/p>\n

And such routines contributed to accelerating the adoption of intricate lens designs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest characteristic of K-pop makeup is that it must be visible when viewed from afar while also looking beautiful from extremely close up,\u201d said Prof. Han Ji-soo, head of the Department of Beauty Industry at Sungshin Women\u2019s University, noting that this tendency was driven by digitalization and a social media culture where fans capture every moment from performance videos and actively share them online.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can see the texture of the skin, each individual eyelash and even the glitter or the patterns on contact lenses in detail on such face cams,\u201d she said<\/p>\n

And many idols\u2019 dewy glints within the iris cannot be created solely by natural lighting or the size of the eyes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n aespa\u2019s Karina in a promotional photo for \u201cSwitchblade\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere the iris is bright or dark, and how light appears within it, matter far more than one might think,\u201d Han said. \u201cThat is why lenses designed to make it look as though real light is reflected in the eye seem to get more popular these days than those that merely change the color of the entire iris.\u201d<\/p>\n

A representative of Hapa Kristin, a lens brand whose products are widely worn by K-pop artists, said the company actively communicates with K-pop agencies, makeup artists and also idols themselves for design feedback, often prioritizing \u201cnew styles with vivid colors that can express a concept,\u201d when it comes to lenses designed for stage use.<\/p>\n

\u201cComfort is also a key criterion,\u201d the representative added. \u201cBecause long photo shoots under lighting create an environment in which the eyes can easily become dry, we consider testing in this area especially important, which, I believe, leads to many idols wearing our products.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gaze creates persona<\/p>\n

In K-pop, eyes often help define an artist\u2019s character within certain concepts and complete the visual narrative built around an album.<\/p>\n

\u201cI view colored contact lenses in K-pop not simply as products that change eye color, but as a makeup element used to create a character suited to a concept,\u201d Prof. Han said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n aespa’s Winter in a promotional photo for “Switchblade”
\n SM ENTERTAINMENT\n <\/p>\n

\u201cIf I were to describe the recent evolution of colored contacts in one phrase, I would say they are shifting from a way to change eye color into a way to create a gaze.\u201d<\/p>\n

Idol_eotd also noted that the choice of lenses can significantly alter an idol\u2019s overall visual presentation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you consider how important visual storytelling is in K-pop \u2014 not just the music itself \u2014 you realize how much thought and detail go into something as small as the style of lenses an idol wears,\u201d they said, citing the recent example of the girl group Hearts2Hearts.<\/p>\n

The group released the upbeat summer song \u201cLemon Tang\u201d last month, with teaser images featuring \u201cbig doe-eyed\u201d warm-tone lenses and sun-kissed makeup that complemented a refreshing summer style, they noted.<\/p>\n

Another prominent example is girl group aespa, whose futuristic aesthetic often incorporates vivid, unconventional contact lenses. In teaser images for \u201cArmageddon\u201d (2024), the members wore lenses that made their pupils appear heart- or butterfly-shaped, while also giving each eye a different color, creating an almost mythical image.<\/p>\n

From idol gaze to global product<\/p>\n

Riding on the global popularity of K-pop, lens brands are increasingly partnering with K-pop acts to accelerate overseas expansion.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Stray Kids’ Felix in a promotional photo for “This & That”
\n JYP ENTERTAINMENT\n <\/p>\n

The members of Blackpink served as models for Olens from 2018 through 2022, while MEOVV was named the brand\u2019s new model in February this year. IVE\u2019s Wonyoung has served as Hapa Kristin\u2019s global ambassador since July 2022.<\/p>\n

According to Korea Customs Service data, Korea\u2019s contact lens exports reached $217.6 million last year, up about 43 percent from 2016.<\/p>\n

The Hapa Kristin representative said K-pop\u2019s popularity has a significant effect on the brand\u2019s international sales.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen an idol becomes the persona of a brand and promotes its products, it produces the most effective promotional impact,\u201d the representative said. \u201cIt is effective domestically as well, but its influence is even more pronounced overseas. The response is particularly strong in Japan and Southeast Asian markets, while Thailand and China have also shown meaningful responses recently.\u201d<\/p>\n

K-pop idols increasingly serve as style lookbooks for consumers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese days, when consumers see an idol, they immediately search what lenses, lip products or hair color they are wearing,\u201d Prof. Han said. \u201cThe styling effect of contact lenses, in particular, can be seen relatively quickly when recreating idol makeup.\u201d<\/p>\n

The professor pointed out that consumers these days first describe the aesthetics they want as \u201cI want my eyes to look dewy,\u201d \u201cI want visible catchlights\u201d or \u201cI want a cool, mysterious gaze.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat shows how an idol\u2019s gaze itself has become a style reference,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"At the end of Babymonster\u2019s July 11 performance of \u201cI Like It\u201d on a weekly music show, the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":861117,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[49,48,75,341],"class_list":["post-861116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-entertainment","tag-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/861116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=861116"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/861116\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/861117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=861116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=861116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=861116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}