Tati Tarova (@taty.stifler) has worked in Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, Korea and the Philippines. Shot for Chanel, Fendi, LV, Hyundai, Samsung.
My acquaintance with South Korea happened a long time ago: I came here five times on a tourist visa for a vacation and this year I finally got a long-term work visa. I am attracted to the mentality of this country: unlike the whole of Asia, there is more so-called Americanization, which harmoniously gets along with local traditions and culture. This is evident even in the architecture of buildings: on one street you can see both modern skyscrapers and characteristic Korean houses.
In addition the food here is very tasty. And it’s not about the stereotypical Korean carrot, dog meat or kimchi. Korea has a real food cult! After all, instead of a welcome “How are you?” here they ask: “Have you eaten?» And if you are hungry, the Koreans will definitely figure out how to feed you all kinds of soups, rice, noodles and numerous snacks.
Since Korea became my favorite country I learned the language on my own. I also know English well. But Japanese and German are safely forgotten for lack of practice. Among the difficulties in Korea, I will name again the mentality: it is very difficult to get used to the hierarchy, because the interlocutor, who is only a year older than you, you are obliged not just to shake hands, but to bow.
Modeling in South Korea is a market with experience. There are two types of work visas: C4 for the standard 90 days, which cannot be extended, and long-term E6, which can be extended the required number of times. Models live in apartments, go on castings with a manager, who presents them to clients, although many clients speak English.
Work mainly on TVC (advertising on TV), catalogs, lookbooks. The largest Korean companies, such as Hyundai, Samsung, LG, Kia, constantly hold auditions to shoot ads for their products. And there is an unspoken rule: if you were shooting for competitors, you will not be taken to shoot. There’s also a lot of work for tennis brands, golf products and local designers.
You should take your appearance at the casting with all seriousness. South Korea is one of the capitals of plastic surgery and cosmetology, so the skin condition here is very sensitive. The skin should be in perfect condition, the makeup is not bright, but fresh (cilia, arrows, blush, lip gloss), the hair is beautifully styled. If a few years ago the photos from the shooting were retouched, now naturalness and naturalness prevail here.
Outfits should be on the figure, for example, a top and skirt or black jeans with a tight blouse. Open shoulders are not welcome. At the auditions, do not talk to each other, be nice, smiling and polite. A couple of phrases in Korean will endear you to customers: hi-oneoseo, thank you-kamsamnida, goodbye-onegasio. However, there is a slight confusion here: the phrases sound different depending on who leaves first — you or your companion.
My most memorable job in Seoul was for a major Hyundai brand. I was the only model and about 60 people of the film crew. For 16 hours, we shot complex scenes with ropes, slow-motion falling, different emotions and communications. In the end everyone was very tired, but the result was impressive. Advertising is very often played on TV, so they began to recognize me even on the street.
Text by K. Mironova
Photo provided by T. Tarova
