Actress Song Ji-hyo has finally opened up about the backstory behind the once-viral "short cut" incident.
On July 2, Song Ji-hyo uploaded a video to her YouTube channel where she treated her longtime hair, makeup, and styling team to a meal and reminisced about past episodes.
The most attention-grabbing moment was the full story behind the 2021 short cut controversy. Addressing the staff member who handled her hair at the time, Song said, "I should be the one to apologize. I'm the one who cut my hair."
The hair staff vividly recalled the chaotic night. "I got a text at dawn saying she'd cut her hair, and at first I thought it was a joke," they said. "When I got home later, her hair was already a complete mess. It was beyond fixing on the spot."
In the end, the staff had to redo Song Ji-hyo's hair in their own bathroom at home. They added, "I was so shocked I even smacked her on the back," drawing laughs.
Song Ji-hyo also mentioned the fallout. "I chopped it and posted a photo, and I got hit with massive attacks," she said. "I heard people even called the salon to complain, asking, 'Why on earth did you cut her hair like that?'"
The hair staff remembered just how brutal the backlash was. "If someone had a weak mentality, it would have been really hard to endure," they said. "People even told me to pay back my salary. It feels like a small happening now, but back then it was intense."
When it was revealed in 2021, Song Ji-hyo's short cut drew attention for its bold image change, but polarized reactions to the styling quickly sparked controversy. Some fans protested to the hair and styling team, but with this new video, interest has surged again as Song clarified she cut it herself.
Meanwhile, beyond her TV career, Song Ji-hyo is also continuing new challenges as an entrepreneur.