
Influencers inspire how we dress, eat, and think.
But who started it all in Korea?
Here’s the first Korean influencer, Oh Yeop-ju, a true pioneer of style and beauty during the 1930s.
Quick Summary
- Oh Yeop-ju was the first Korean hairdresser to open a hair salon in Jongno, Seoul in 1933.
- She was also the first Korean woman to get double eyelid surgery.
- As an actress, teacher, makeup artist, hair designer, and beauty icon, Oh Yeop-ju holds many titles of “first Korean”.
The First Korean to Get Double Eyelid Surgery
Oh Yeop-ju was a fearless innovator in beauty and fashion when Korea was under Japanese colonial rule and society was super conservative.
She was the first known Korean to undergo double eyelid surgery in 1933, a procedure to get bigger eyes.
Back then, such surgeries were unheard of and her surgery was so elaborate that no one noticed.
The Pioneer of Perms

Oh Yeop-ju was also Korea’s first hair designer, introducing the perm to the country.
Her salon was known as the “birthplace of the modern woman,” helping many Korean girls get modern hairstyles like short hair and perms.
Even though the price of perm was around 5 won, which was enough to buy a gold ring back then, wealthy women were lining up.
Getting a perm was such a thrilling and wonderful experience for them in the 1930s. Even now, I get excited to get my hair permed in Korea.
Oh Yeop-ju was a woman who supported other women as she also provided complimentary styling to actresses who were financially struggling.
She was a pioneer who didn’t view beauty as simple consumerism for improving appearance but emphasized the pursuit of a modern view on women’s bodies, hygiene, and health.
The First Korean Influencer
Long before social media, Oh Yeop-ju was the living embodiment of an influencer.
She was a fashionista who enjoyed wearing colored glasses, high heels, and a suit or dress from a tailor.
Her choices and innovations inspired many women in Korea, proving that beauty and style could be tools of empowerment.
Oh Yeop-ju’s impact resonates even today.
Korean perms and K-beauty industry owe much to pioneers like Oh Yeop-ju.
There’s even a musical, Eye Charm, based on her life story.
Her legacy reminds us that the desire to express oneself through beauty and fashion is timeless.