Earlier, Korean actress Koo Hye Sun (also known as Goo Hye Sun) had unveiled her patented hair roller, Kooroll, alongside news of earning a master’s degree in engineering from KAIST.
However, the price of ₩13,000 KRW (about $8.89 USD) per unit, more than ten times that of regular hair rollers, sparked criticism and put her at the center of controversy.
When online debates erupted over the price of the hair roller, Koo Hye Sun took a direct approach by explaining the product’s value and pricing background.
On the 5th, Koo Hye Sun emphasized the product’s uniqueness through her social media, stating, “Unlike traditional round hair rollers, Kooroll is an eco-friendly product that reduces plastic use by over 80%.”
Addressing the price controversy, she candidly admitted, “The initial manufacturing volume was low, which led to higher initial costs,” but also explained, “While conventional hair rollers are prone to hair tangling and contamination, Kooroll can be unfolded for cleaning and is highly durable, making it a high-performance product for long-term use.”
She proposed value-based consumption by urging, “Please choose Kooroll if you consider the environment,” and added, “We plan to ease the purchasing burden for consumers through future discount events.”
Having graduated at the top of her class from Sungkyunkwan University and earned a master’s degree from KAIST, Koo Hye Sun was involved in every step of the product’s development—from planning to design to branding. The product, featuring a “self-restoring” function, was selected as an excellent patent of Korea in 2025, already receiving recognition for its technological excellence.