My mom went to Korea with her friends a while back, when she returned she went on and on about her experience taking Korean-style ID photos. Turns out, you can do some mild photoshopping to your ID pictures to make yourself look better. It's so popular now that you can take them in Taipei as well. So, I decided to go to qoopio to get a fresh set photos and break the traditional stereotype that ID photos are boring and hideous. I also took a set of body portraits, which is not just to have some Instagrammable photos but also a good way to document this stage of my life. I made an appointment for pretty late in evening and happened to meet the staff as they were finishing work, which gave me the opportunity to meet their pets and left happily with new doggie and kitty friends.
Korean ID Pictures—qoopio Photo Studio: Interior
qoopio has two locations in Taipei. I visited the Jingmei store located in Wenshan district. The store is conveniently located only a 1 to 2-minute walk away from the MRT station exit.
The storefront are floor-to-ceiling glass door and windows, with a few displayed photography works behind them. The glass window features a wall that blocks the view of the photo studio from the outside, so there's no need to feel self-conscious while your photos are being taken.
The interior is bright and clean, which is very relaxing. At the entrance, be sure to change into slippers to keep the set and backdrop pristine. There's an elevated dressing area accessible through the stairs next to the counter. qoopio also provides WiFi, so you can scroll on your phone as much as you like in hair and makeup.
Korean ID Pictures—qoopio Photo Studio: Hair & Makeup
There is a wide rectangular mirror in the makeup space, surrounded by various cosmetics. The colorful eyeshadow palettes alone were overwhelming and gave me the urge to immediately go online and buy them all. I opted for a package that included detailed makeup, which included not just basic foundation and lip color, but also eye makeup designs, contouring, and customized eyebrow shaping. This is perfect for someone like me who loves eye makeup and has light eyebrows. The makeup and hair artist, Becca, is a super hot short-haired girl. I felt like a weirdo because I couldn't stop staring at her, but her eyeliner was just so gorgeous! I felt very confident being left in her hands.
For the foundation, she didn't just choose an existing liquid foundation and apply a thick layer. Instead, she expertly mixed a few different shades to create the perfect color for my skin tone, also ensuring that there’s no discoloration between my face and neck. With her precise color mixture, and my stubborn dark circles disappear easily with just a thin layer brushed onto my face. The contouring was also done in just a few light strokes, which immediately made my features pop.
I usually prefer the Western makeup technique when doing my eyebrows. I would create a sharp angular shape following my natural eyebrows, then fill it in with eyebrow powder. It looks good but may appear to be quite heavy makeup. qoopio's eyebrow adjustment follows the Korean makeup technique. Becca used an eyebrow pencil to draw individual hairs, creating a more natural look. All of Becca's brush strokes are very light. It just felt like something gently brushing across my face, which feels very nice and is different from my past experiences of having someone else do my makeup.
My two favorite things that day were the eyelashes and hair. I usually have to spend a lot of time curling my eyelashes to make them look curled and lifted. Even then, my eyebrows are absent from photos when taken from afar. But the eyelashes that Becca did were not only sky high, they remained visible in the finished ID photos, where you can see super thick and long lashes that even went past my double eyelids. The hairstyle was a high ponytail that looked casual but was done with much attention to detail. After curling the ends of my hair, I'm not sure what magic she did next. But the high ponytail looked voluminous. As someone with extremely fine and soft hair, I never knew I could achieve this kind of look!
Korean ID Pictures—qoopio Photo Studio: Passport Photo
(photoshoot+detailed makeup NTD$1,299)
Last time I took a proper ID photo was in high school, I was even wearing my uniform since it was taken for college applications at school. Now, I have no decent ID photos that are presentable. So, I'm getting it updated, hoping that I will no longer be stopped by customs at the airport because I don't look like the ghost in my passport photo.
qoopio's Korean-style ID photo uses softer lighting compared to traditional ones. A reflector is placed under my chest and all the lights have diffusers, which minimizes harsh shadows and lines. The background is always white, so it's better not to wear light-colored clothing.
After taking the photos, the photographer helped me choose my favorite shots on the computer, and qoopio selected the best one out of them for final retouching. They provide physical copies of different sizes and will email the digital copies.
For the retouching, qoopio focuses on symmetry adjustment and fixing minor flaws such as fine lines, acne, and stray hair. Once I've selected the photos, the photographer asked if there was anything in particular that I'd like to fix. In my case, I had taken my Body Portrait before my ID photos and my makeup came off a bit from sweating and changing outfits, so I asked them to pay attention to my dark circles and under-eye wrinkles, which the photographer attentively wrote down.
Korean ID Pictures—qoopio Photo Studio: Body Portrait
(photoshoot+detailed makeup NTD$4,299)
Taking Body Portraits is not only to have more high-quality photos for social media but also to document the results of the hard work I put into my body. Before the shoot, the photographer assisted me in selecting an outfit from the items I brought. To have more options that complement the color of the solid backdrop chosen by the photographer, I recommend bringing clothes of different colors and shades, which will result in better photos. Since body portraits are intended to showcase your body and shape, bikinis, underwear, or sportswear are typically chosen. For my shoot, I opted for a bikini thong bottom paired with a sports bra.
I love how considerate qoopio is. They provide elastic bands or dumbbells as warm-up tools before the shoot. Anyone who works out knows that after a few reps can give you a pump, making your muscles more prominent and result in better photos. On the day of the shoot, I was 10 minutes late because I went to the wrong MRT station. I didn't want to waste any more time so I said that I could skip the warm-up. However, the photographer kindly reassured me that it was okay and to let her know when I was ready.
I'm actually really bad at posing for photos. I don't know where I should put my hands, it just feels awkward when I'm not doing anything with them! But the photographer is attentive and provides careful guidance. During the shoot, the photographer asked which body parts I wanted to highlight. I mainly wanted to show off my abs and glutes, so the photographer paid special attention and instructed me to adjust my poses accordingly. There were also various chairs and stools available as props for the shoot.
In addition to body portraits, qoopio also offers full-body and half-body shots. You can even bring your pets for an additional NTD$500! I can't wait to bring my doggie next time.
For the body portrait shoot, you can usually do two outfits, which takes around 40-50 minutes. After the shoot, the photographer helped me select the best photos on her computer. I told her that I have decision-making issues so she thoughtfully grouped photos with similar poses so that I could eliminate the ones I didn't like and screen the rest again to choose my 5-10 favorites. For each outfit, qoopio provides one retouched photo and one 4x6 printed copy, as well as digital files of 2 other original shots as a freebie. If you love the shots, which I'm sure you will, you can also purchase additional photos of the originals or retouched versions.
The photographer perfectly captured the looks that I wanted and I loved all 8 of the final photos that we selected. The photographer was really nice and allowed me to take photos of the screen on my phone. I was so thrilled with the photos that I spent hours recovering and sharpening them so that I can post them on Instagram.
Once the retouched photos were ready, qoopio sent me the files of both the passport photo and body portrait photos via their official LINE, so that I could review them and ask for any necessary modifications. For instance, I asked them to make some tiny modifications to the color tone based on my preference. They promptly made the changes and sent them back to me for final confirmation. I loved the results and appreciated the diverse shots that had a unique vibe compared to my usual photos. I even selected one as my cellphone wallpaper!
Passport Photos in Taipei—Korean ID Pictures: Store Info
Store name: qoopio
Official website: https://qoopio.com/
Zhong Shan Store— Phone: 0971-771-915 | Address: 2F, No. 7, Lane 140, Zhongshan North Road Section 1, Zhongshan District, Taipei City (2-minute walk from MRT Zhongshan station exit 2)
Jing Mei Store— Phone: 0971-759-715 | Address: No. 1-2, Jingmei Street, Wenshan District, Taipei City (2-minute walk from MRT Jingmei station exit 2）
--
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram–Cherie Aria🧜🏻♀️ 艾雪莉
Lifestyle, workout, doggies: https://www.instagram.com/cheriearia/