Korean actresses reveal hair loss struggles
From left, Park Han-byul, Lee Joo-yeon and Park Kyung-hye / Xportsnews
Hair loss is becoming an unexpectedly candid topic among Korean actresses, with Park Han-byul, Lee Joo-yeon and Park Kyung-hye sharing their struggles with thinning hair, graying roots and scalp concerns. One actress even admitted to using hair-concealing powder to cover thinning areas.
Park Han-byul recently opened up about her hair concerns in a video posted on her YouTube channel, where she shared updates on her life on Jeju Island.
"I used to have really thick hair, but as I've gotten older, I feel like I've been losing a lot of it," she said.
Park said she had tried eating black beans, widely believed in Korea to help with hair health, and using hair masks, but neither seemed to make a difference.
"I'm worried that I might actually develop hair loss at this rate," she said.
Park Han-byul / Captured from Park's YouTube channel
The actress also shared her frustration over gray hairs becoming increasingly noticeable along her part.
"I get really stressed because gray hairs show up right where I part my hair, more than anywhere else," she said.
Lee Joo-yeon, a former member of girl group After School, also spoke candidly about her hair concerns in a video uploaded to her YouTube channel in September.
While visiting a clinic for scalp care, she admitted that she had been experiencing excessive hair shedding and an itchy scalp.
"I'm losing so much hair. My scalp is really itchy, too," she said.
During a scalp examination, Lee was asked whether she had used hair-concealing powder, a cosmetic product designed to make thinning areas appear fuller.
"I applied a lot of the powder yesterday," she said.
Lee Joo-yeon / Captured from Lee's YouTube channel
The examination found that her scalp was slightly red, apparently due to fatigue, but was otherwise clean and healthy.
Lee, 39, also expressed frustration over the physical changes she has experienced with age.
Actress Park Kyung-hye has likewise spoken openly about undergoing treatment for hair loss and continuing to manage the condition with specialized hair care products.
In an April video on her YouTube channel, Park said she had received hair loss treatment for about a year.
"I underwent hair loss treatment for about a year. These days, I'm managing it by using shampoo designed to prevent hair loss," she said.
Park Kyung-hye / Captured from Park's YouTube channel
Park also shared how a comment from her younger sibling made her more conscious of her thinning hair.
"My younger sibling told me that the top of my head looked a little bare," she said.
She explained that her relatively short stature made the issue particularly stressful.
"What makes hair loss even more stressful is that I'm on the shorter side, so most people look down at me from above. I'm self-conscious about how visible my scalp is at the crown of my head," she said.
The actresses' willingness to discuss a sensitive issue that many people find difficult to talk about publicly has drawn sympathy and messages of support, with their candid accounts resonating with those facing similar concerns.
This article from Xportsnews was adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.