Former IZ*ONE member Lee Chae-yeon candidly revealed she underwent a hair transplant, sharing the behind-the-scenes story of how past hair loss rumors started.
Appearing on SBS PowerFM 12si-en Joo Hyun-young on the 29th, Lee Chae-yeon recalled a mishap from her first-ever WATERBOMB stage. "Since it was my first time, I prepared everything I could. I especially used hair concealer powder meticulously to cover the sparse spots," she began.
But something unexpected happened. Because it’s a water-soaked performance, the powder washed off, and during the intense choreography her hairline showed—sparking hair loss rumors. Lee said, "When I did a wave and my hair flipped back, my forehead area looked completely empty," remembering the moment.
As the controversy spread suddenly, Lee made a quick decision. "I thought, 'This is bad—I have to keep doing WATERBOMB stages,'" she said. "I went straight to the hospital and got a hair transplant. It cost a lot." She added, "I had thousands of grafts implanted at once," drawing laughs with her blunt honesty.
Lee also admitted, "Because it was my first time on that kind of stage, there were many things I didn’t know. I should’ve tied my hair, but not doing so was my mistake." She added that she didn’t ask for advice because she tends to handle things on her own.
Host Joo Hyun-young empathized with her guest, saying, "It can be embarrassing when a hair issue pops up during a shoot," easing the mood.
Born in 2000, Lee Chae-yeon is 26 this year. After appearing on Mnet’s Produce 48 in 2018, she debuted as a member of IZ*ONE and later transitioned to a solo career after the group’s activities ended. On the 28th, she returned with her fourth mini-album, 'Till I Die'.