Daesaenyeo – It is an abbreviation of college freshmen even though it looks like typo error. It has a differentiation from other cartoons only with the fact that there are not many cartoons with the theme of make-up in domestic webtoon market. And it is very familiar since the contents are about something all women may experience or think at least once.  

 

Gyeonga, a main character who is a freshman, has a crush on her senior Lee Hyeon. The senior points out the make-up of main character when he talks about her, and Gyeonga accidently listens to their conversation. 

 

Wounded Gyeonga visits Haram, her childhood friend who is working at a cafe, and asks if her makeup is strange. Her friend answers "Yes (...)". Gyeonga leaves the cafe right away, looks blankly outside the cosmetics shop she happened to find and then kicks the signboard with anger. Then, a woman named "Kokona," who is believed to be the owner, asks if she has any worries. Gyeonga says that she puts on a signboard in anger because she couldn't put on makeup well. Kokona brings small doll from the shop and says to her 'Bring it. I'm sure it will help'. 

 

And Gyeonga learns how to makeup from the doll named 'Marina' she receives. Talking doll, anyone who is woman would like to have one. A doll which you can tell your secrets about your one-way love and which listens to your concern and finds a solution for it, it is just like fairy tale. It is quite interesting to see Gyeonga, who's makeup was like panda, is becoming more beautiful as she learns basic make-up - Mascara - eyelash curling. The background story deals with the group project, which is the most common issue for college students.

 

It somewhat feels like the story and the usage method of makeup tools are separated, but the changing appearance of the main character make readers cheer her as if parents are watching their children growing. 

 

Left - Face before she learns about make-up                             

Right - Face after learning basic base make-up 

 

The method to explain and organize makeup products is very meticulous than I thought. It doesn't feel like advertising a particular product in a partial way. This cartoon stresses that make-up "tools" is not important, but "skills" is important for those who start makeup for the first time. I like this part. It has improved understanding with illustrations in a relatively easy way for beginners. It also delivers unexpected information to people who think they are already good at makeup. There is also the delicacy of explaining separately for those with single eyelids and double eyelids.

 

 

Wanting to be pretty may be one of every woman's most basic desires. The first experience is quite scary. This is because it can affect a person's values or thoughts later on. Just like cartoons we saw when we were kids are always on one side of our hearts. But this cartoon in the past contains the fact that the 'men' are moving forward to their dream and hope and 'women' are meant to be obedient to reality, to compromise, to be beautiful for men. Personally, I believe the fact that women's human rights have been discussed and argued around the world for less than 100 years has also contributed. 

Regardless of Confucian ideas, it has not been long since the U.S. alone viewed women as the subject of a competent society. How about women seeing the stories from an early age waiting for Prince Charming?

Maybe they think they are independent women, but in fact, they are unconscious of the idea of marrying a good man or being pretty for someone they like. Then, there would be no doubt that values become the life for 'others', rather than the life for 'myself'.

 

It would be better if main character can be pretty with other reasons. Of course, this contents 'everyone has been through' are familiar and can increase intimacy with readers. But I hope that there would be female character who is go-ahead and doesn't live according to other's standard in domestic webtoon market.