When Shen Quanrui, better known simply as “Ricky,” entered Boys Planet, his only intention was to win a spot in ZEROBASEONE, the new K-pop group. He didn’t plan on also becoming a sensation in the beauty industry, representing brands like Urban Decay, collaborating with renowned makeup artists like Risabae, and going viral for his style. But the words that charmed his fanbase, who diligently voted every day and landed the Shanghai-born idol a fourth-place ranking in the X Factor-esque Korean series, sealed his fate: “Young and rich, tall and handsome.”

“The actual story is we all had to think of something for the one-minute PR, so back then we were talking about what kind of concept we should do for ourselves,” Ricky tells Teen Vogue. Though he can’t remember who exactly said it at that moment, someone suggested using that particular phrase because the other contestants often jokingly called him that. Since it was catchy, he and the staff decided to go with it.

Two years later, as the 21-year-old singer arrives at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel for our photo shoot, he perfectly embodies those words, fitting right in with the hotel’s extravagant elegance. He steps out of the car and glides through the lobby in a monochrome look, a black satin top and slacks, with his silver Versace drop earrings.

The first thing Ricky does on set is take a moment to greet the staff, making sure to shake hands with everyone. As he goes through the racks with the styling team, he looks at each piece for a moment and thoughtfully shares his perspective. When trying on a Diesel denim top, he precisely measures how low he’d like to button it; he wants to show just a peek of his new chest tattoo. Upon hearing that these photos are set to be released in September, a sly grin spreads across his face as he realizes he can reveal the fresh ink.

Ricky has always been around makeup, and it was, in fact, his mother who first properly introduced him to the world of cosmetics. “My mom is pretty, and she knows all the makeup stuff,” he says. “I think she helped me clean my eyebrows,” he adds with a smile.

Makeup became an integral part of Ricky’s preparation for Boys Planet. The trainees attended classes in singing, dancing, and makeup. At the time, Ricky’s warm blond hair and smoky eyeliner helped him stand out among the other 97 contestants, who mostly rocked more minimalistic looks.