Giihee is the founder of Holy Hair salon situated in Apgujeong, a neighbourhood in Seoul’s upscale Gangnam district. Once an aspiring pianist, Giihee turned to hairdressing as an alternative use of her dynamic fingers, where she now cuts, dyes and styles hair for the likes of Tomorrow x Together, Lee Hi, Dean and other celebrities. Going against the grain of traditional K beauty, Giihee’s hairdressing style catches the eye with its strong anti-beauty energy that favours asymmetry and a punk approach to colour placement; an aesthetic that she says helped process her anxieties and frustrations. We speak to Giihee about adapting to Covid-19, her plans to open a museum, and the ultimate artist, God.

How did you first get into hair? Originally, I majored in piano, but because my family wasn’t holding up too well financially, I had to give up music and get into a job that utilises my hands, as suggested by my parents. So I entered beauty school and began my journey.

Tell us about Holy Hair. Holy Hair is my very first hair salon. My goal is to build a beauty salon empire and the Holy Hair Museum. Because it has been in business for only two years, we are currently just one hair salon in Korea, but after the pandemic we aim to expand to Japan and New York along with the museum so I can be a positive influence to a wide range of people. Rather than satisfying my own self-interest, I want to make it into a meaningful enterprise that leaves a positive impact on others.

Who are the kind of people in your clientele? My clients consists of famous singers, models, composers, stylists, makeup artists, students, ordinary men, etc. From struggling adolescents to office workers, most of them are unique and quirky people who love music, fashion and art.

Your aesthetic feels fresh in its anti mainstream beauty approach. How would you describe your style of hairdressing? At first, my style actually expressed ‘hatred’. I only created works that, to my eyes looked cool or edgy to help relieve my stress. My intention was that if I am able to relief tensions through my work, maybe others would also be able to mitigate stress, so I created hair looks with this in mind. But now, I learned to see beyond myself, and I am full of gratefulness. I am gaining wisdom from the Bible and from God who made nature and is the artist I respect the most.

What inspires your work? Wonderful people, shockingly beautiful natural colours, buildings, etc. I thought about who made all these things, and it was God!

How has Covid affected hairdressing in Korea? When Covid-19 became serious, I thought that in about 2 weeks, Holy Hair Salon would go out of business and have to close down. It was such a quiet and terrifying time for me. Even though, now we must wear masks during all cosmetic treatments, I am more than grateful that I can continue to work.

What hair trends would you love to see become more popular? I think deep colours like purple or burgundy, or very simple beige and natural hair colour will be in trend. And as the clothes become more flashy and structural, I think that people will want very natural hair with light styling or edgy cuts.

Do you have a favourite hair job that you’ve done? If the message or concept is clear, I enjoy all hair jobs. When I work with visual director and stylist Yumi Choi, and makeup artist Joo young Han and a great photographer, it is always great fun to conceptualise and work together.