Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard about Netflix’s animated KPop Demon Hunters. Whether it’s the film or its many chart-topping, hit songs, KPop Demon Hunters is everywhere — an absolute phenomenon that’s catapulting its voice actors to stardom.
Take Ji-young Yoo, who voices “Zoey.” Yoo hit recent press appearances with the swagger of a real life K-pop artist thanks to Thom Browne fits and hair by Rena Calhoun, whose other celeb clients include Mikey Madison, Laufey, Hunter Schafer and more. The Tease connected with Calhoun to get the lowdown on these looks and she generously shared inspo, insights and actual styling tips. Read on for more.
“This Thom Browne seersucker short suit is super classic, light and crisp for summer and totally preppy. But within the Thom Browne aesthetic there’s always a sense of quirkiness, so I wanted the hair to have that same playful feel,” says Calhoun.
She tells us, “We kept it super simple: a bouncy blowout, with a clean side part, smoothed just enough so it looks intentional, but still with a bit of movement. Too structured and it would’ve felt too disciplined and out of character.” She adds, “I pinned one side back with a couple of sleek metal pins. It gives that ‘perfect student’ energy, but the rest of the hair says she might totally skip class to go do something way more fun.”
Get the Look: Flicked AF
- “I started with clean, towel-dried hair and worked in a lightweight smoothing cream, just enough to keep frizz down without making it heavy. Right now I’m obsessed with RŌZ’s Milk Hair Serum!
- I blow-dried it with a round brush, leaving a slight bend at the ends so it didn’t feel too stiff or flat.
- Once dry, I made a deep side part with a comb and ran a tiny bit of Oribe Gold Lust through the ends to give it a healthy, polished look. On the heavier side of the part, I tucked the hair behind the ear and pinned.
- To finish, I took a 1-inch curling iron and just flicked the ends out a bit for a little exaggeration. Studious, clean, and a little playful, exactly what the summer suit called for!”
Scroll for the breakdown on look two!
“On day two of press, the navy skirt suit with the striped tie had that sharp, top of the class, straight A student vibe, so obviously the hair had to match. We felt the look called for something polished, clean, and intentional, but we still needed that playful twist,” Calhoun says. She adds, “Ji-young is currently promoting her movie KPop Demon Hunters, and she told me she wanted to give a nod to her own Korean heritage. Right away, she mentioned somehow being able working in a Daenggi, a traditional Korean ribbon accessory worn in the hair. A Daenggi, falls in straight, silken folds, its doubled length pressed smooth at the knot and cascades down in parallel ribbons.”
Calhoun tells us, “these are the moments I love, when a client shares something meaningful to them and we get to turn it into a story telling moment together.”
Get the Look: To Tie For
- “I started by smoothing her hair with a Mason Pearson and bit of RŌZ Milk. I blow-dried it straight and away from the face in sections so it was super shiny and sleek.
- Once it was prepped, I used a dollop of Bumble and bumble. Sumogel and pulled it into a ponytail making sure it was neat and balanced.
- Instead of a regular ribbon, we grabbed a Thom Browne tie and folded it over, logo out, so it mimicked the look of a Daenggi. The stripes gave just the right pop against her dark hair and jacket, and the whole thing felt editorial, tailored and so special with that detail of her heritage.”
If you recreate either hairstyle for your next client, or for yourself, we want to see it. Tag @readthetease on Instagram and TikTok.
