A recent video uploaded to the YouTube channel Workers’ High featured hairstylist Cha Jong-hyun, also known as “Chacha,” the director of the salon artisichacha. In the video, he shared his journey toward becoming a hairstylist for top Hallyu stars and talked about his experiences working with famous K-pop artists.
Cha Jong-hyun recalled how he first began working with major idols. After starting as an on-site freelance stylist and later becoming a salaried stylist, he was given the opportunity to work with the girl group KARA and later Wonder Girls.
He revealed that he worked particularly well with Sunmi during that time. According to the stylist, Sunmi’s famous long layered haircut was his creation, and the hairstyle became extremely popular alongside the group’s hit songs and stage styling. The trend significantly boosted his reputation in the industry.
His connection to BLACKPINK began when YG Entertainment contacted him with photos of trainees who needed a hair and makeup test. Interestingly, the images only showed the girls’ hair and shoulder lines while their faces were hidden. Cha recalled that even from those photos, their silhouettes were striking and those trainees would later debut as BLACKPINK members Jennie, Rosé, Jisoo, and Lisa.
Although Cha was initially selected as the hair stylist for the group, he explained that he could not start working with them immediately because he belonged to a different team from the makeup artists at the time. About six months later, however, Rosé contacted him and asked him to handle her hair coloring. After that, the other members including Lisa, Jisoo, and eventually Jennie also returned to work with him. Today, he proudly said that all four members continue to trust him with their hairstyles.
The stylist also revealed that Rosé has maintained her signature blonde hair for seven years. To keep the color consistent, she undergoes treatment roughly once every two weeks. When Rosé is overseas, Cha even makes quick overseas trips sometimes flying abroad for just a single day to maintain her hair color.
One particularly interesting story involved Jennie’s famous “antenna hair,” a hairstyle featuring two thin strands of hair framing the face that became a major trend among fans. Cha explained that Jennie, known for leading trends, always wanted something new and unique. After thinking about how to create a fresh hairstyle concept, he eventually came up with the now-iconic look.
However, creating the style was not easy. According to Cha, the process took about two weeks because Jennie’s hair at the time was naturally dark black. Since the strands were located at the front, sudden bleaching could cause them to break.
The stylist recalled that Jennie jokingly warned him that if her hair snapped during the process, she might “report it to the police,” adding extra pressure to the task. To achieve the final result safely, Cha revealed that the small front sections of hair had to be bleached around eight times.
Sources: Daum