K-Pop Idol Hair? How to Talk About Your New Style in Korean!

Hello! Welcome to Daily Hangul, here to upgrade your Korean skills!

Have you ever made a big change to your hair and wanted to tell your friends all about it? Or maybe you saw your favorite K-Pop idol’s new look and wanted to describe it? Today, we’re going to learn how to talk about your past hairstyle experiences in Korean!

Lately in Korea, changing your hair is a huge trend, not just for idols but for everyone. It’s a way to express yourself and refresh your mood. So, let’s learn the essential phrases you need to chat about your amazing hair transformations!

Core Expressions You Need to Know

Here are the key phrases to talk about your new ‘do!

1. 머리 잘랐어요 (I got a haircut.)

• Korean: 머리 잘랐어요.
• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Meori jallasseoyo.
• English Meaning: I got a haircut.
• Detailed Explanation: This is the most basic and common way to say you’ve cut your hair. 머리 (meori) means “hair” (or “head”), and 잘랐어요 (jallasseoyo) is the polite past tense of the verb 자르다 (jareuda), which means “to cut.” You can use this for any kind of haircut, from a small trim to a big chop!
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  The double consonant ㅆ (ss) in 잘랐어요 is a “tense” sound. To make this sound, make your tongue tense and force the air out, creating a sharp “ss” sound, stronger than a single ㅅ (s). Think of the sound in “hiss,” but with more force!

2. 염색했어요 (I dyed my hair.)

• Korean: 염색했어요.
• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Yeomsaekhaesseoyo.
• English Meaning: I dyed my hair.
• Detailed Explanation: Want to talk about your new hair color? This is the phrase! 염색 (yeomsaek) means “dye,” and 했어요 (haesseoyo) is the past tense of 하다 (hada), “to do.” So, you’re literally saying, “I did dyeing.” To add a color, you can say, for example, 빨간색으로 염색했어요 (Ppalgansaegeuro yeomsaekhaesseoyo) – “I dyed it red.”
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  When the final consonant ㄱ (k) in 염색 meets the ㅎ (h) in 했어요, they combine to make a stronger, breathy ㅋ (k) sound. This is a sound change rule called “aspiration.” So, instead of saying “yeomsaek-haesseoyo,” it sounds more natural to say [yeomsae-kaesseoyo].

3. 파마했어요 (I got a perm.)

• Korean: 파마했어요.
• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Pamahaesseoyo.
• English Meaning: I got a perm.
• Detailed Explanation: This one is easy! 파마 (pama) is a loanword from the English “perm” (permanent wave). Just like with 염색, you simply add 했어요 (haesseoyo) to say that you got a perm.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  The Korean consonant ㅍ (p) is an “aspirated” sound. This means you should release a strong puff of air when you say it, like the ‘p’ in the English word “pie,” not the ‘p’ in “spy.”

4. 마음에 들어요 (I like it.)

• Korean: 마음에 들어요.
• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Ma-eume deureoyo.
• English Meaning: I like it. / It’s to my liking.
• Detailed Explanation: This is the perfect phrase to express your satisfaction! It literally means “it enters my heart/mind.” It’s the most natural way to say you like something you’ve just seen or experienced, like your new hairstyle! If you want to say you liked it in the past, you can say 마음에 들었어요 (ma-eume deureosseoyo).
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  The consonant ㄹ (r/l) in 들어요 is pronounced like a light ‘r’ when it’s between two vowels. It’s not a strong, rolling ‘r’. Try to make a quick “flap” sound by tapping your tongue against the roof of your mouth, similar to the ‘tt’ sound in the American English pronunciation of “water.”

Example Dialogue

Let’s see how these phrases work in a real conversation between two friends, Sora and Minjun.

Sora: 민준아, 나 어때? 머리 잘랐어!
(Minjun-a, na eottae? Meori jallasseo!)
Minjun, how do I look? I got a haircut!

Minjun: 와, 진짜? 애쉬그레이로 염색도 했네! 너무 잘 어울려!
(Wa, jinjja? Aeswi-geureiro yeomsaekdo haenne! Neomu jal eoullyeo!)
Wow, really? You dyed it ash grey, too! It suits you so well!

Sora: 응! 기분 전환으로 해봤어. 마음에 들어?
(Eung! Gibun jeonhwaneuro haebwasseo. Ma-eume deureo?)
Yeah! I did it for a change of pace. Do you like it?

Minjun: 완전! 아이돌 같아!
(Wanjeon! Aidol gata!)
Totally! You look like a K-Pop idol!

Culture Tip: The “Mood Refresh” Haircut

In Korea, changing your hairstyle is more than just about beauty. It’s often done for a 기분 전환 (gibun jeonhwan), which means “a change of pace” or “a mood refresh.”

Feeling stressed after exams? Time for a 기분 전환 haircut! Starting a new job? 기분 전환 with a new hair color! This idea is deeply connected to self-care and marking a new beginning.

You’ll see this all the time in the K-Pop world. Before a group has a 컴백 (keombaek – comeback) with a new album, the members almost always get dramatic new hairstyles. It signals a new concept and gets fans excited. So, if you tell a Korean friend you changed your hair for a 기분 전환, they will completely understand what you mean!

Time to Practice!

Great job today! You learned how to say you 머리 잘랐어요 (got a haircut), 염색했어요 (dyed your hair), and 파마했어요 (got a perm). Most importantly, you know how to say you love it with 마음에 들어요!

Now, let’s test your knowledge!

1. Fill in the blank: You went to the salon and got beautiful new curls. What would you say?
   

   나 오늘 _______했어요! (I got a ______ today!)

2. Make a sentence: Imagine you bravely cut your hair short and you love the result. How would you say, “I got a haircut. I like it!” in polite Korean?

Leave your answers in the comments below! Have you ever had a 기분 전환 hairstyle? Tell us about it using the phrases you learned today