By Honorary Reporter Mishelle Anthony from India
Photos = Jessica Joo

Jessica Joo Jimin, better known as social media influencer Jooshicha, seeks to reshape the Korean beauty sector.

Starting out as an optometrist, she was born in Korea but raised in Canada. She is now a content creator with over two million Instagram followers.

The following are excerpts from an email interview with her conducted from May 29 to June 11 on her creative process and role in the industry.

Jessica Joo says makeup is a tool for expression, confidence and transformation.

How do you balance educational and entertaining content in your tutorials?

Being an optometrist taught me to pay attention to details and always consider reasons behind things. I naturally think about ingredients and skin health when I talk about skincare or makeup. 

How has your medical background influenced your approach to beauty?

Although my platform is to teach makeup skills to my followers, I try to keep it casual as if I'm FaceTiming friends. I want to share useful information but never want to feel preachy or overly produced. If something makes me laugh while filming or reminds me of a funny moment, I leave it in. It makes the learning part more human and relatable.

What's the most unexpected lesson makeup has taught you?

Makeup turned into a significant way for me to reconnect with my Korean Canadian identity. Feeling caught between two cultures while growing up, I discovered makeup as a personal way to explore both sides. I'd watch Korean beauty tutorials of skincare routines and attempt bolder Western-style looks at the same time. I realized that I didn't have to choose one side but could blend them both to create something unique.

Joo (left) glows in soft pink hues at a Lancome event and showcases her personal style in the April 2025 issue of the U.S. magazine Modeliste.

How has your personal style evolved since you started your career?

I used to gravitate toward ABG (Asian baby girl) makeup, characterized by heavy lashes, matte overline lips and Anastasia Beverley Hills brows until I later realized it didn't suit my facial features. Exploring K-pop idol and Douyin (a Chinese style) makeup made me learn to identify and apply techniques that suits me best.

How will you use your platform to stimulate positive change in beauty standards?

I plan to keep it real by providing honest and transparent content, while educating people about the origin of beauty standards, which are often unrealistic and exclusionary. I aim to help people see that there is no "right" way to be beautiful. Ultimately, I want to break down the history and reasons behind beauty trends so my audiences can make informed choices.

Jessica Joo was born in Korea but raised in Canada.

Any final words to Korea.net readers?

Don't wait to be "ready." Just start. Your voice and story are the ones that matter. And be kind to yourself. Growth takes time, and comparison is the quickest way to lose joy.

msjeon22@korea.kr