The astonishing world of the K-Pop industry has many words to describe it. Beautiful, colorful and as some may say even magical. Though as a coin has two sides and a ying never goes without it’s yang, this industry can often be brutal as the price for the beauty represented on the big screens is everything but small. No one knows more about the battles behind the beauty than the persons who create it, the stylists themselves. Even though they are often in the shadows, concealed from the public eye, their work on our favorite idols speak louder than any words. We are all familiar with the value a beauty has in Korea and Asian countries in general. Elegance, grace and a well perfected look is expected to be seen on a daily basis not just from the talented actors and singers, but from every person you see walking by. If we talk about Korea specifically, it can easily be said that they’re a new leading force in the industry of entertainment and the industry of fashion.
As such, a difficult task is set being set on idols. They must not only be the best at what they do, but also look remarkably well too. Many people are employed to just that, maintain the idol’s nearly perfect image that is constantly being represented in the media. One of those people is Park Nae-joo.
He is a stylist that was responsible for some of the most iconic hairstyles the K-pop industry has ever seen. Unlike the western culture, eastern culture puts a lot of value into hair styling. It is constantly being re-invented, so to say. With every comeback comes a new concept. And that concept is being brought to life by the amazing outfits and hairstyles. Everything must fit perfectly together as in the end, that exact synergy is what makes the audience lose their breath after watching a new music video for example or a new episode of their favorite tv show. Park Nae-joo has worked with some of the biggest names in today’s age such as BTS, EXO, Monsta X, NCT, Got7 and many more with EXO being his ever first K-pop band. He has been working with the members ever since they were trainees. Since then they all have achieved so much together and individually. From magazines, albums, advertisements and music videos to red carpets and more, Park Nae-joo worked with the stars closely and tries his best to fulfill their wishes.
While some idols have exact wants and styles in mind, some go with the flow and decide spontaneously. Park Nae-joo said that he always gives his best to support idol’s wishes and in addition to that help them make a best suitable choice for their hair.
We are all familiar with how fast the hair color is being changed in Korea, practically every two or three months you will see your favorite idol rocking a brand-new hairstyle. The public has always had concerns as changing hair color this fast can be really damaging and extremely unhealthy. Park Nae-joo, being the professional hairstylist, had answers to those concerns by explaining his process behind it all.
He stated that his team provides a step-by-step repair service after coloring and that even before dyeing they prepare a long-term plan on the color pick that would less affect the singer’s hair. That way, everyone is happy and healthy, which is what’s most important.
Park Nae-Joo’s great success is worth all the praise it gets, as his styles are always finding its spotlight among the media and fans all around the globe. The secret behind it all is years and years of hard work for magazines, from which he had gained much treasured experience. He even added, that much inspiration comes from those work days and that the main source is every day ordinary life. He observes and implements that observation into his work. Pursuing uniqueness is what makes him and keeps him among the best hairstylists the entertainment industry has ever seen.
Although, even he must pay the price for such lifestyle. Being a CEO of his own make-up and hair salon Bit and Boot (Translated “Comb and brush”) and being a hairstylist for today’s biggest names is not an easy task. Usually he is booked around 6 months in advance and as he says, the quality of his life is really low.
Working with A list celebrities is a dream come true for his career but a nightmare for his private life. Hopefully he gets his well-deserved and hard-earned rest this year. As the time proceeds to flow, trends and styles will change, and this hair designer will probably be responsible for a lot of them. What has he in store next? That is a mystery we are all eager to reveal but for now let’s patiently wait and support his upcoming projects.