Cha In-pyo Appears on 'Just Makeup' as a Judge for 'The Mermaid's Hunt' Themed Challenge

Actor and author Cha In-pyo made a surprise appearance as a judge on the 9th episode of the Coupang Play original entertainment show 'Just Makeup,' sparking considerable interest.

The final mission for the TOP3 contestants involved creating makeup looks based on the mermaid descriptions from Cha In-pyo's novel, 'The Mermaid's Hunt.' Lee Hyo-ri introduced Cha In-pyo, highlighting his novel's critical acclaim both in Korea and internationally.

Cha In-pyo revealed that his novel is currently being used as a textbook by Korean literature students at Istanbul University in Turkey and is also being translated into Chinese. Regarding the mermaid makeup challenge, he explained, "In my novel, mermaids live in the deep sea where there is no light, so I imagined them with the monochromatic tones of Eastern ink wash paintings or the transparency of jellyfish."

Upon seeing the contestants' interpretations of his literary creation, Cha In-pyo expressed his excitement, stating, "Seeing my written words brought to life visually through makeup makes my heart race. It feels like looking at mermaids from a fairy tale." Cha In-pyo published 'The Mermaid's Hunt' in 2022 and won the Hwang Sun-won Literary Award in August.

Netizens commented, "It's fascinating to see Cha In-pyo's novel get this kind of attention," "The concept of expressing mermaids through makeup is amazing," and "I want to read the novel and see the makeup looks too."