Heren / Ms. Beauty, Director Lucia Cho of Bicena

Publication : Heren

Date : December 2013

Title : Ms. Beauty, Director Lucia Cho of Bicena

At <Korean Cuisine Battle>, a TV program which looks for hidden masters of Korean cuisine all over the nation, we happened to discover a beauty master. She is Lucia Cho, the President of Bicena. The source of her lively beauty is positive mind and passion, rather than the beauty on the surface. We are here to deliver her comments on beauty.

It has only been a year since the grand opening of ‘Bicena’ but it became the restaurant that first comes across mind when wishing to introduce modern Korean cuisine to foreigners. President Lucia Cho is behind this success. “Maybe I was destined to work in the Korean cuisine industry because I grew up learning about the importance of pottery, crockery and globalization of Korean cuisine from my father (CEO Tae Kwon Cho of the KwangJuYo Group). She got her bachelor’s degree and took MBA courses in the U.S.. She continued her studies at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy founded by Slow Food International. She studied food sciences there and learned about the basics of tasting, food aesthetics, philosophy and geography. “After that, I spent a year at a restaurant in the U.S. and pondered upon what gourmet meal is and what kind of food should I focus on. Then Korean cuisine naturally came to my mind.” What she first thought about when she was appointed as the Creative Director of Bicena was ‘choices of space’. That is why each and every walls at Bicena is decorated differently. Collaborating with famous designers like Yeongbeom Ma and Yeonghui Seo, walls at Bicena is adorned with fabrics woven in Korean style. They are praised for their delicate designs with great details. Scattering natural light that penetrates through the checkered windows of VIP rooms is very beautiful too. “Seasonal delicacies are another distinguishing characteristics of Bicena.” Korea is a country with four distinct seasons and traditional holidays. We also have special menus for that specific time period. Thus, menus at Bicena are designed to reflect the flow of time and season with different seasonal delicacies. She also gives full support to chefs who are willing to take up new challenges regardless of the result. She believes that those experiences provide opportunities to reflect upon Korean cuisine whether they turn out to be successful or no. Dishes served at Bicena is full of life as if they are alive. Maybe it is because they are filled with Lucia Cho’s curiosity and passion to let more people know about delicious Korean cuisine with story and philosophy.

7:00 am – A Thorough Cleansing and Facial Mask

Every morning, I spend 5 minutes to massage my face with icy water after taking a shower. It is good for tightening pores and removing puffiness from my face. I brew green tea and use that water when my skin looks dull. Beauty care routine that I learned from my mother is also one of the important care routine during daytime. If I have enough time, I start my cleansing routine after applying wash-off type facial mask. This instantly brightens and softens my skin, and helps my makeup to blend well. I prefer facial soaps that effectively washes off dirt to foaming cleansers. I usually reach my hands to Lush’s Coal Face, a chemical-free facial soap.

7:30 am – A Cup of Detox Juice to Wake My Body Up

I extract juice from vegetables and fruits like kale, celery and apple and drink it every morning. I have been drinking this for a year and it helped me a lot with my digestive system. I feel much fresher after drinking this detox juice. I also have warm soft tofu for protein intake. Sometimes I have the tofu by itself and sometimes I make a clear soup with it. It is perfect for breakfast because it is light yet filling and satisfying.

3:00 pm – Oriental Medical Clinic for Inner Beauty

I don’t have a typically dry skin type. At the change of seasons, however, I like to use the Moisture Bound Skin Energy Mist from Amore Pacific and homemade tea tree mist. Add a little bit of lemon juice, three drops of tea tree oil in 50ml of mineral water. It is helpful when my skin breaks out. I like to visit Dr. Son’s Oriental Clinic (02-540-8575) when I’m not busy in the afternoon. The doctor takes my pulse, checks my condition and treats me with acupuncture. I feel much better after this. I make sure to spare my time to visit Nail Salon BUB (02-543-0510) located at Apgujeong once a month and get my nails done. It is a shop specialized in gel nail services so they are equipped with a whole variety of design patterns. When I get my nails done there, it is very long lasting too.

HER PICKS

Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy – The product I use when I need a mood lift is definitely the red lipstick from Giorgio Armani. It is highly pigmented and also very moisturizing.

Jo Malone London Earl Grey and Cucumber – I love the scents from Jo Malone and Diptyque. I’ve been using Earl Grey and Cucumber from Jo Malone recently. I always carry a 30ml bottle of this scent in my bag. I find it appealing because it is very unique.

Natura Bisse Ice Lift – I always get this item and the peel gel from Natura Bisse at the duty free shop. Use the peel gel and apply sufficient amount of Ice Lift before going to bed. Then I feel my skin much more elastic the next morning.

BCL AHA Aesthetic Soap – This is a facial soap, but I like to use it as a body cleanser in the shower. It mildly dissolves dead skin cells, making my skin much fresher and softer. Sometimes I visit the drug store only to get this product.

Lush Rose Argan Body Conditioner – This is my favorite body cream. I massage my body with the cream and wash them off. Then the extra oil layer protects and moisturizes my skin.

Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish – I use this product when I want deep cleansing. My skin becomes much softer when massage my body with this product after a hot bath.