Body Profile Studios Are The Newest Korean Trend, Here’s How It Works + Where To Find One In Singapore

Lifestyle Photography Activities & Events

By Rachel Yohannan on 18 May 2022

Senior Digital Editor

Crazy cat lady who loves afternoon tea, kawaii Japanese fashion, and all things Sanrio.

The Koreans have been spearheading the biggest photography trends these days, from hanbok photo booths to self studios that use remote shutters and even glam passport photos. The latest one to hit our shores is body profile shoots, and you can get them done at the Korean-owned Body Profile Studio by Photopia, located at Somerset. Here’s our review!

Photo from Body Profile Studio

Typically, in Korea, body profile studios are popular among fitness enthusiasts and athletes, as these studios give them an avenue to capture their physiques in top form. In fact, some of them even book these body profile studios months in advance, using their impending shoots as an added form of motivation to get in their best shape by a certain period of time.

Photo from Body Profile Studio

Of course, Body Profile Studio in Singapore is open to anyone - whether you’re a hardcore bodybuilding dude, a casual yogi, or just someone who wants to celebrate your body. You don’t have to have washboard abs in order to have a fruitful session here, for the most important thing is to feel comfortable in your own skin and have fun.

Photo from Body Profile Studio

Prior to your shoot, you’ll be asked to fill in an online form so that the photographer will have a better understanding of your desired outcome. Pick from 5 coloured backdrops, go B&W, or even opt for a bed or sofa concept! You can even select your preferred level of Korean-style editing (low, medium, or high), and single out specific parts of your face or body that you’d like to have edited.

Photo from Rachel Yohannan

The studio is a private one, so no random strangers will be watching you flex your biceps or attempt to make your bum pop. It’s also really spacious, with its own vanity corner with hair styling tools, and a comfy changing room with an illuminated mirror.

There’s also a rack of outfits for your perusal at no extra charge. With this experience meant for patrons to show off their bodies, the clothes are admittedly pretty skimpy - think booty shorts that can barely be zipped up, super tiny cropped tops that leave little to the imagination, and low-cut leotards that show off your full butt cheeks.

Photo from Rachel Yohannan

There are activewear sets from Korean brand Mulawear, which are some of the more covered-up pieces, but sizes and colours are limited. If you’re not into showing too much of your skin or would simply feel more comfortable in your own existing togs, then we’d advise bringing 2-3 sets of clothing to use during your photoshoot. You can even come in a casual dress or your favourite brunch getup - it doesn’t necessarily have to be something revealing.

Photo from Body Profile Studio

Just a heads up: It appears that you’re expected to know what you want, so come prepared with a few poses up your sleeve. When I was there, the photographer was almost completely silent and did not offer posing suggestions or any form of direction, and proceeded to click away without saying “1, 2, 3”. Honestly, this had me feeling a tad lost and uncomfortable at first.

Thankfully, the female staff on site was super helpful, and she demonstrated some poses for me to copy even though her main job was just to facilitate.

It’s a bonus if you’re flexible because yoga poses look great in body profile shoots. Otherwise, you can also take inspiration from the sample shots pasted on the wall.

Photo from Rachel Yohannan

Simple props like stools, wooden crates, and a surfboard are available to add some variety to your photos, but feel free to bring your own along if you want. Looking at their previous shoots, I saw that someone posed with their electric guitar, while another person lounged about on the floor while surrounded by orange LV paper bags!

After the 20-minute shoot, you’ll get to pick your favourite photos to be sent to you as soft copies, and single out a few for full Korean-style editing. The number of soft copies and edited photos returned to you will depend on the package you’ve chosen, which we’ll detail later.

Photo from Body Profile Studio

I was pretty impressed by the RAW photos I scrolled through - the lighting and composition were already on point even before any editing, and that can be owed to their premium Korean equipment. Because we managed to snap quite a handful of photos, I had plenty of options to choose from, and did not have to force myself to pick anything that I didn’t quite fancy just to make up my numbers.

Usually, it takes 3 to 4 days for the edited photos and soft copies to be sent over to clients, but mine were given to me the next day, so that was a plus as well.

Photo from Body Profile Studio

One thing to note: If you don’t normally edit your photos to a significant degree, the Korean-style editing - done by a professional Korean photo editor - might come as a bit of a shock to you. I selected “medium” for my edit level, but found my facial features and figure so heavily altered that they no longer resembled the real me. As such, I’d recommend selecting “low” instead to bring out your best in a natural-looking manner. After all, if you’re here to celebrate your reaching your fitness goals, it would make most sense to capture your progress in an authentic way rather than to have your physique embellished like cray. Of course, each to their own, so if you’d like to opt for heavier edits, go forth and let your inner oppa or unni shine with the help of Body Profile Studio’s expertise.

Thankfully, Body Profile Studio allows their clients to vet the edits, so I was able to request for a re-edit and was much more satisfied with the results thereafter. I’m typically someone who just shows up at the gym in FBT shorts and one of my old baggy school tees, so seeing myself looking fly in activewear was a refreshing and confidence-boosting change.

Photo from Body Profile Studio

A Basic package at Body Profile Studio costs $320 and includes:

2 Korean-style fully edited photos
6 soft copies, including edited photos
1 A4 poster (of edited photo)
5 4R photo prints (raw photos)

Go for the higher-tier packages for more edited photos and soft copies, or make it a couple/BFF activity by selecting a couple shoot. Check out Body Profile Studio’s full list of rates here.

Note: Photos of author (in pink sports bra and black leggings) are not to be reproduced on any other publications, websites, and social media accounts.

Body Profile Studio by Photopia
Address: 181 Orchard Road, #04-09 Orchard Central, Singapore 238896
Opening hours: 11am - 8pm daily
Telephone: 9786 6189
Website