If you’re into K-culture, you’ve probably admired the Korean hairstyles as much as the storylines. Think Kim Seon Ho’s textured fringe in Can This Love Be Translated?, Park Bo Gum’s side-swept hair during the When Life Gives You Tangerines promotions, Nam Joo Hyuk’s dandy cut and BTS’s V‘s constantly evolving hairstyles, all of which have become as recognisable as the roles they play and the music they make.
As the Hallyu wave continues to influence style in India, these looks have made the jump from the screen to the salon chair.
How to recreate Korean hairstyles like your favourite K-Pop and K-Drama starsWhat to ask for at the salon
“Korean-inspired haircuts can work very well for Indian men, but they need to be adapted to suit individual face shapes, hair density and texture,” says Florian Hurel, founder of fHair & Florian Hurel Hair Couture Salon.
“Indian hair is often thicker, denser and naturally wavier than East Asian hair,” he says. That’s why he recommends reducing bulk through internal layering, softening the fringe and adjusting the taper around the sides.
Before you settle on a style, consider what works best for your face shape:
Round: Create height on top with neater sides.Square: Softer layers and a curtain fringe balance a strong jawline.Oval: Most Korean-inspired styles work with minimal changes.Wavy: Work with your natural texture. Pin-straight hair isn’t essential.Choosing the right cut
Priti Rajesh Sawant, artistic director & lead, Looks Salon Seawoods, recommends starting with a two-block cut. “Keep the sides disconnected, leave length on top and ask for a light, airy finish.”
If you’re in a mood to experiment, a wolf cut or a comma haircut makes a stronger statement. She suggests the two-block suits round and oval faces particularly well, while longer styles complement square and heart-shaped faces. The two-block cut generally needs trimming every four to five weeks, while longer styles can comfortably stretch to six or eight.
Meanwhile, Hurel suggests asking for movement through the crown, a natural fringe and clean sides. Reference photos certainly help, but you’re often better off describing the elements you like rather than asking your stylist to recreate a celebrity haircut. Something as simple as, “I would like a softly layered haircut with natural texture and a fringe that’s easy to style every day,” is usually enough.