Why is this number so special? Well, 17 refers to the age of Hazel-eyed model/actress Koh A-ra(17) as well as the length of her face! So you are probably asking – what’s the deal with having a small face. Well, everything! Having a small face is one prerequisites of beauty in this country – check out all the stars, most have small faces. Small face size is something that is difficult to attain unless you are born with it or have undergone painful jaw reduction surgery (for a rounder/heart-shaped face). So many people talk about face size and compare their size with everyone else’s- including stars. They are fascinated by those who are both beautiful and those who have small faces (the beautiful are assumed to have small faces). Perhaps the small-face phenomenon is a direct result of the stars from the western world having smaller faces. Similarly, the near national obsession with plastic surgery is for the purpose of attaining more western features – larger nose, bigger eyes, and slimmer face. West is not always best. Why can’t we just accept ourselves the way we are?

Pop in:
If you want to be a star, a small face is a must
Beauty is in the eye of the CD

Can you find Korea’s little sister Moon Geun Young in the picture? She’s the one in the middle with the super duper short hair and a pleasant smile. With her new hairdo, she looks as young as those elementary kids in the picture, but I like it. I’m so glad that our little sis came to her senses and realized that her attempts of looking sexy won’t get her anywhere because she looks best the way she is now.

*The picture was taken with kids from End of Land Children Center (땅끝아동센터) when Moon Geun Young donated 3 million won to their foundation. Did you know that Moon donated over 1 billion won (US$1 million) during her career?

Related:
Moon Geun Young at the 44th Daejong Film Awards
Moon Geun Young’s new funky look
Moon Geunyoung wants to be a Pussycat Doll

If you need a good laugh to start off your week on a good note, just take a look at the out-dated and scary hairdos from the 90s. Obviously the big lion hairs parted down the middle was in for both genders, making some of us embarrassed to admit that we adored some of these stars back then. Fortunately for all of us, the hairspray and moose enhanced hairdos are long gone. Thank God!

Stars from the top left:
Jae Hee & Lee Na Young, So Ji Sub & Chae Rim and Shinhwa
Stars from the top right:
Kim Joong Suh & Seo Taiji, SES

To prepare for her role in Coffee Prince, Yun Eun Hye chopped of her hair and waved it. But her new cut sort of reminds me of the popular ajumma hairstyle that is seen on every street corner in Korea. Hmm..perhaps it’s because of the angle or the fact that she’s not smiling. What do ya think?

Yay – stars are taking our tips seriously! A couple of days ago Jun Ji Hyun got a trim in an attempt to eliminate herself from the most boring hairstyle list and just yesterday, Lee Jun Ki made an appearance at the 43rd annual Paekseng Arts Awards with his new sporty hair cut. It’s definitely a step up from the messy shaggy cut he owned for the past two years and he even left his Michael Jackson wannabe gloves at home. Good for him!

*Lee Jun Ki also went home with Popular Award along with Kim Tae Hee, Lee Bum Su and Han Yeh-Seul. Congrats to all!

As you requested, Lee Jun Ki’s high school picture.

Related:
Jun Ji Hyun got a haircut!
Lee Jun Ki & Jun Ji Hyun need a hair cut

The always stylish Kim Minhee is featured in her new short crop on the April cover of Anam magazine. She recently broke up from a long-term relationship with actor and hottie, Lee Jong-jae and so it’s understandable that she would want to chop off all of her hair. It signals a fresh start. I know, because I did it too. And we are not alone. The urge to move on with your life is what drives women to take such lengths after a big break up.

I am reminded of the 90’s movie, Sliding Doors, when Gwyneth Paltrow chopped off her locks opting for a similar style with Minhee’s. Then there is the crazy Britney Spears who went the extreme route to shave off her hair completely after separating from K-fed (but the girl is better without him!).

Super short hair is the easiest (and cheapest) way to instantly change how you look and feel. The new look will force you to be conscious of the way you walk and dress because you will no longer be hiding behind a curtain of hair. And when you do decide to start letting your hair grow out, it will also signal that you are willing to let the wounds of the past heal as well. We feel for you girl!*

Before: At the Motorola Launching Party in March 01, 2007

It’s time for Lee Jun Ki and Jun Ji Hyun to meet with their hair stylists because everybody is getting sick and tired of their never changing hair style. Lee Jun Ki owned his shaggy cut ever since his King and the Clown days which was two years ago and Jun Ji Hyun had her long straight hair for the past 8 years!! There’s no doubt that these cuts look great on them for the shaggy cut makes Lee Jun Ki look sharper and the long straight hair makes Jun Ji Hyun look super sexy, but enough is enough. It’s time to get a haircut guys.

Others on the list:
#3: Korea’s ballad king Shin Seung Hoon
#4: Witty actress Kim Won Hee
#5: Veteran actress Kim Gyu Ri
#6: Rising star Park Han Byul

Don’t let the dull packaging deceive you. As the saying goes, “Never judge a book by its cover” And thank goodness for that! Mise en Scene Treatment Pack has restored my long over-processed hair (magic straight perm and highlights for as long as I can remember) to its natural softness and shine. It’s a miracle. I have tried all types of conditioners and treatment packs from domestic and foreign drugstore to salon brands, but my hair remained straw-like.  The effect of other deep conditioners would only last a single day, so that by the end of the day, my hair would returned to its original parched state. But this was different.  I wish I had discovered this when I first came to Korea so I could have saved the headaches and money to find a good treatment for my hair.  The treatment was actually a gift with purchase of the Mise en Scence serum. Both products are excellent and really do make your hair super soft, shiny and manageable.  Highly recommended.

Mise en Scene Treatment for Hair: 5000won

No, the person in the picture is not a Ivy look alike, it is in fact the sexy diva herself. She felt that just telling us about her facial hair wasn’t enough to get her point acrossed. She had to show us what she would look like if she didn’t shave for a month by gluing pieces of her wig to her face and taking pictures to share it with all of us.

Ivy managers – this is your cue to take her to the hospital. Ivy’s self-destructive behavior calls for some professional help. We should’ve sensed that something was going wrong when she tried to be sexy fully clothed…

If I don’t’ shave for a month, it might look like this…
I was bored at night, so I played with my wig…
My emotionless expression…

The popularity of the Olive toner and serum by Innisfree has led to the new Olive Real Cream. The rich cream is a treat for the skin and at 13,000won, the effect more than outweighs the price. The thick greenish cream sinks into the skin nicely without any feeling of stickiness and there is a delicate herbal scent that is not overwhelming. Also, when I apply it at night, the skin remains super soft throughout the next day. Further, I could be imagining it, but my skin also feels a bit more “teng teng” or firmer when I use this stuff! The innisfree herbal line is gaining popularly among the lower end domestic skincare lines and is better in terms of quality of product compared to Missha and the The Faceshop.

After finishing my beloved Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, I stumbled upon the best selling Isa Know Double Effect, Wrinkle Decline Serum (phew that’s a mouthful). There are 2 parts of this serum that is pumped out at the same time. One quick pump is suppose to dispense the proper amount but I found that this was not enough since my round face does not fit in the Korean ideal size of a single CD. So 2 pumps was enough to cover my face and neck. Anyhow, the 2 parts make up a clear green gel to help prep the skin so that the second cream can absorb deeper. And in fact, the serum did absorb quickly and there was no sticking feeling- just a light scent. After a month of daily use 2x a day, I found that it helped to firm up my skin just a tad – nothing miraculous though. Also, I found when combining this with an oil based cleanser, my skin had a noticeable glow. Maybe I should give it a few more months, but at this point, there is no double effect. I give it 3 hearts.*

We knew that pretty boys liked to dress up and wear lip glosses, but we certainly didn’t know that they also get double eye-lid surgery to maintain their pretty boy look. Can you recognize the singer in the picture?

Lee Teuk, member of Super Junior (boy-band with 13 members) recently underwent double eye-lid surgery, a common and popular procedure among Korean women, to make his eyes look bigger. First, it was the lip gloss, then the dress and now double eye lid surgery. What’s next? A boob job for our pretty boys? When will they stop imitating their female co-workers?