Lee Young-ae, 55, Draws Mixed Reactions Over Close-Up Shot of Her Hair at Award Ceremony

An extreme close-up video of actor Lee Young-ae at the 16th Beautiful Artist Awards has set off an online debate, not over her looks but over a patch of brown hair near the crown of her head. Netizens were split between those who found it endearing and those who thought it looked out of place, though it has not been confirmed whether she had any treatment or dye applied.

A video at an outdoor table

The video was posted on the official KSTAR News account and shows Lee attending the ceremony. The camera drew attention in particular with its close shots of her face and head. She sat side by side with her husband, businessman Jeong Ho-yeong, at a table at the outdoor venue. Seated right next to them was singer EJAE, the granddaughter of veteran actor Shin Young-kyun through his daughter, which also drew interest.

Lee and Jeong married in 2009 and had twins, a boy and a girl, in 2011. Attending an official event together as a couple for the first time in a while was enough to draw attention, and apart from the small controversy over her appearance, the sight of the pair at the venue still caught the public eye.

Flawless skin, then a bowed head

Lee showed her trademark elegance that day. Her clear, fair skin, distinct features and clean jawline looked unchanged, hard to square with her age of 55, and suited the nickname "a woman like oxygen" that she has carried for years. Her skin was blemish-free and her V-line sharp as ever. But when she lowered her head, the brown hair near her crown stood out, and attention shifted from admiration of her near-perfect looks to an argument over signs of root dye.

Some netizens speculated that it was a trace of root dye or a henna treatment. Comments included "she seems human," "it looks brown because only the gray part was dyed" and "she probably did it herself at home." Others countered: "If even the hairstyle had been perfect, she'd have been flawless, but this stands out awkwardly." The reactions split between those who see it as a natural change that comes with age and those used to the image of a star who manages every detail.

What the debate says about celebrity scrutiny

The controversy is also notable because it reveals the public's complicated gaze at celebrities' looks more than it concerns Lee's hair itself. People expressed goodwill toward natural aging while also picking apart and judging small changes. When a celebrity's appearance is released in extreme close-up, the texture of skin and hair that usually goes unnoticed easily becomes a target of judgment. Some netizens objected to the practice of pushing a camera close to a celebrity's face and criticized the filming attitude. The point made is that videos showing a star's daily life may attract attention, but filming that is too close can put a burden on the person.

The awards behind the footage

The Beautiful Artist Awards is a culture and arts ceremony established in 2011, the year the Shin Young-kyun Arts and Culture Foundation was founded. It selects people who have contributed to cultural and artistic development in five categories: film, performance, merit, good deeds and newcomer. This year each category winner received 20 million won, for a total prize pool of 100 million won. After the ceremony, a celebration of the 100th birthday of foundation founder Shin Young-kyun was held at the same venue. Lee once again drew the public's attention, and the small change captured by the close-up camera also sparked a debate over how people view celebrities' appearance and private lives.

Read the original (Korean)