Former Jewelry member Lee Ji-hyun quits salon role to focus on childcare

Former Jewelry member Lee Ji-hyun is stepping down as director of Bugeu Hair at Government Complex Gwacheon Station to prioritize her children. Following an incident where her daughter required four stitches, Lee decided to move to a workplace five minutes from her home to better support her family.

Lee Ji-hyun, a former member of the group Jewelry, has decided to step down from her position as a salon director to make a new choice. This decision comes shortly after she drew attention for starting a second chapter of her life as a hair stylist. After leaving the glamorous entertainment industry to learn a new trade, she has now chosen to prioritize being by her children's side over her work.

On the 10th, Lee Ji-hyun posted a long message on her personal social media, stating, "I have made a decision regarding the concerns I have been struggling with alone, and I am sharing the news." Having completed designer training and worked as the director of Bugeu Hair at Government Complex Gwacheon Station, she expressed gratitude to the officials who gave her new opportunities and to the colleagues she worked with. Leaving behind the time and experience she built while challenging a new field, she noted there was significant regret involved.

However, the reality of balancing work and childcare was heavier than expected. Lee confessed, "There was never a calm day with the children due to various small and large problems." While she thought the burden of childcare would decrease as the children grew, the moments requiring a mother's attention and touch were constant. She attempted to balance labor for livelihood with the role of caring for her children's daily lives, but the practical limits of that process became clear.

In particular, the incident where her daughter fell and required four stitches deeply shook her. The reality of having to visit the hospital alone while the child needed medical attention was an emotional shock for Lee that went beyond simple parenting difficulties. "I live so hard for my children, but I wondered what the point of it all was if I couldn't be by their side when they need their mother," she confessed, expressing her distress.

While working hard for her own dreams and for the future of her children is also a mother's responsibility, she felt compelled to reconsider the meaning of those efforts if she could not be present during the moments her children most desperately needed her. Lee's decision is seen as a choice made after contemplating what to prioritize between work and childcare, rather than a simple change of workplace.

Ultimately, Lee Ji-hyun decided to leave JUNO HAIR at Government Complex Gwacheon Station. This does not mean she is giving up her dream of being a hair stylist. She plans to move her workplace to a location just five minutes from her home to continue her modeling work. Rather than abandoning the work itself, she focused on creating an environment where she can respond immediately if something happens to her children. It is a practical compromise to continue her career while not neglecting her role as a mother.

Lee stated that she wants to be a "5-minute standby team" who can run to her children whenever they need her. Her determination to not completely abandon either professional achievement or parental responsibility is evident. For Lee, who began a new life as a hair stylist, this decision is not a retreat but another starting point to protect her and her children's daily lives.

In her post, she added, "Will you support the difficult and hard choice of a single mom?" asking for public encouragement. From a celebrity who received public love on glamorous stages to a woman living as a mother of two and a hair stylist, Lee's choice highlights the realistic struggles faced by parents managing both work and childcare, conveying her sincere desire to be there when her children need her most.

Read the original (Korean)