It was a huge shock back then.
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These days, an idol going blonde for a comeback is practically expected. But in 1999, S.E.S.‘s Bada caused such a stir with her blonde transformation that it reportedly resulted in restrictions from Korea’s biggest television networks.
S.E.S. returned that year with their third album, Love, sporting a noticeably more mature image than the innocent concepts associated with their earlier releases. One of the biggest changes was Bada’s bleached blonde hair.
It might seem completely ordinary by modern K-Pop standards, but Korean broadcasters had dramatically different rules at the time.
Major networks including KBS, MBC, and SBS maintained strict standards surrounding dyed hair, particularly on programs watched by younger audiences. Unnaturally light or heavily dyed hairstyles could be viewed as rebellious and potentially a “bad influence” on teenagers. As a result, Bada’s blonde hair reportedly created problems for S.E.S.’s television promotions.
The group faced restrictions on appearing on major music programs with the hairstyle visible, limiting their ability to freely promote Love with the concept SM Entertainment had originally intended.
Over the following years, restrictions surrounding dyed hair gradually loosened as unconventional hair colors became increasingly common, and even expected, among Korean celebrities.