Fostering talented future hairdressers with passion

▲ CEO Jeon Eun-jeong

The Korea Employment Information Service released a report on manpower requirement between 2016 and 2030. The report predicted that jobs related to research, management, culture, art, sports, hair and beauty, wedding and medical services would rather increase despite the 4th industrial revolution that would change the map of the future job market. For example, the job of hairdresser is hard to be altered with AI since it involves knowhow, technique and one’s own creative style. Jeon Eun-jeong, CEO of Choigaeul Hairdresser in Busan, is one of the industry specialists who have been fostering talented future hairdressers with passion for a long time. 

25 years of single path as a hairdresser

Jeon showed a great dexterity since she was a child. She enjoyed trimming her friend’s hairs during her middle school years which often received ‘wows’ from her friends. On finishing the academic requirements, she went to Seoul to obtain a certificate which she did and came back down to Busan to start her hairdresser’s career in earnest. One certificate led to various other certificates as her skills and knowhow in the field was getting deepened and mature and in 2014 she finally obtained a Master Hairdresser Certificate. 

“No matter you are a novice or master hairdresser, satisfying your client is the most important thing. All those certificates and knowhow are nothing if this is missing. Technique and an eye to read the trend come next. But again nobody can beat those who are diligent” says Jeon.

Walking together
“Being a hairdresser is not a one way path but requires teamwork” emphasizes Jeon “One must share her skills and knowhow so that one can contribute to advancement of the industry as a whole.” It is natural for Jeon, therefore, to give a special lecture time to time to help those who wish to open a hair salon alongside various related engagement and activities. 

Among many specialized areas, Jeon especially shows strength in up-style. Up-style is a style that ties one’s hair back in various forms from up and twist up to interlocking and rolling. Up-style requires a high level of skills since it suits both the western dress and the Korean dress for formal occasions. 

Years of her expertise and fame led her to have served as a judge of the Busan Skills Competition, of the National Hair Skills Competition, and a board member of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea hair and beauty division. Also, she is a visiting professor to a hair and beauty college in Kyoto, Japan. 

“I feel proud to be a visiting professor to the college in Kyoto because I can teach them excellence of Korean skills and styles in addition to the basic and advancement knowledge and skills of hairdressing. I’m also teaching students at Daedong College Lifelong Learning Center and it is notable that most students are owners of hair salon. So I tried hard to deliver as much knowledge as I can whenever I take the podium” says Jeon.

Continuous study and practice

“Being a master hairdresser doesn’t mean one should stop learning and practice. It requires more time and effort because excellent customer services come from this. Customers always want to be as stylish as up-to-date trend and neglecting the study on this can leave a hairdresser behind of the industry and soon be out of business by the talented young hairdressers.”  

Meanwhile, Jeon is a hairdresser of a kind heart. She has engaged in various volunteer activities in her spare time to give free haircut. “Helping people in need makes me feel good and happy. After all, we all live together and affect each other. Positive energy can lead to another positive energy and by doing this we can contribute to creating a better society and the world.”