CHARISMA OVER CRITIQUE: ZEROBASEONE’S RICKY AND WEARING MAKEUP AS A MALE IDOL
BY SARAH CAMPBELL PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
“Young and rich, tall and handsome” — the phrase Ricky of Zerobaseone used to introduce himself on the idol audition show “Boys Planet” quickly caught on, becoming the persona he embodied and the luxurious aura he aimed to exude. Ricky garnered attention for his artistic performances, wealthy upbringing, taste in fashion, and his dramatic makeup looks.
Male K-Pop artists are no strangers to donning lip gloss, glittery eyeshadow, blush, and mascara. This often subtle makeup typically aims to soften their features and give them a boyish appeal, a part of the stage outfits that enhance their performances. Male idols are met with both praise and criticism for wearing makeup and often are mocked for appearing too feminine, regardless of whether the makeup was a personal choice or not. The visual element of K-Pop is a critical aspect of the industry, and it’s reinforced by contemporary South Korean male beauty standards. Some idols feel pressured by this, and others liberated.
Zerobaseone’s Ricky is one idol in particular who went viral for his distinct appearance and recognizable makeup. For Ricky, makeup is not only reserved for the stage — he incorporates makeup into his everyday looks from airport arrivals to hotel nights in. His love for makeup also impacts his professional life, recently earning him an ambassadorship for Urban Decay and a collaboration with celebrity makeup artist Risabae. All idols wear makeup, but Ricky takes it a step further and makes it a part of his personal expression.
But what is so unique about Ricky’s makeup in particular? He blends Chinese makeup trends, such as Douyin, with K-Pop beauty looks to embody cross-cultural beauty influences while bringing his own aesthetic voice and character into an industry that oftentimes favors Korean idols over idols of other nationalities.
Like many male idols who find themselves drawn toward more standard and gender-defying makeup or fashion, Ricky is no stranger to criticism. Comments online claim his looks have changed drastically since appearing on “Boys Planet,” and that he looks “scary” and “vampiric” due to the aesthetic Ricky chose to embody as a now-debuted idol. “He thinks this is so sexy and appealing … you just look hideous and scary,” one social media user wrote. “He lost the plot completely,” claimed another. However, despite some comments that tend to disregard the stylistic choices of Chinese makeup and idol personas, most fans celebrate and even defend Ricky’s visuals. Fans write, “He’s a Chinese man wearing Chinese makeup trends … relax,” and another writes, “You don’t understand the point of [Ricky’s aesthetic] concept.” Fans reference early generations of K-Pop, which also featured heavy eyeliner and elaborate costumes.
Ricky himself addressed the mixed reactions to his style evolution. In an article aptly titled, “Zerobaseone’s Ricky Doesn’t Care if You Don’t Like His Makeup,” Ricky offered his view on the prominence of makeup in the K-Pop industry, saying, “I think doing makeup and hair and setting yourself perfect is part of my job because there's always going to be fans waiting to see the best side of me,” Ricky said. “And there's always going to be different fans that expect the same me every day. So I mean, if there are people waiting, then I don't want to disappoint them.”
He also discusses his personal connection to makeup as a form of art and personal expression. “I want to have an image that [I'm] not afraid of trying and expressing myself. I want to do what I like and what I respect, and get respect from that,” Ricky said. “There's only going to be more people loving you than hating you. So, for me, I don't even care about the bad comments. I look at it as a joke.”
This piece highlights Ricky’s style specifically since it has been one of the most recognizable and individualized styles a contemporary male idol has embodied, but Ricky isn’t the only one making waves with his striking aesthetic sense. Idols such as Seonghwa (ATEEZ), Wumuti (XLOV), Junhan (Xdinary Heroes), Felix (Stray Kids), and more are using K-Pop as a platform to inspire themselves and others, and if anything, the backlash to these bold looks are a sign they’re doing something right.
