K-Pop Idol Turned Actress’ Dress Choice At Movie Event Sparks Debate
Actress Shin Ji Won, known as Cho Hyun during her time with the group Berry Good, is at the center of online debate after wearing a form-fitting dress to a movie stage greeting.
On August 26th, Shin Ji Won attended the VIP screening and stage greeting for the film “Karlovy Vary” at Megabox COEX in Seoul. She wore a deep burgundy ribbed-knit long dress featuring a deep V-neck and a mermaid silhouette that hugged her figure. She greeted the audience with a bright smile, waving and clapping throughout the event.
However, after footage from the stage greeting spread across social media and online communities, an unexpected detail became the center of attention. Due to the tight material and stage lighting, the outline of the dress around her lower abdomen appeared more pronounced, and the fact that she stood with her hands clasped in front of her fueled speculation that she may have been self-conscious about the outfit.
Online reactions were divided. Some criticized the styling, with comments like “She must have looked in the mirror,” “Is her stylist an anti-fan?” and “Why would you make such a great figure look this awkward?” Others pushed back, arguing the appearance was likely due to lighting or natural fabric creasing that can happen with any tight clothing, and that zooming in to scrutinize a specific part of someone’s body for sexual commentary should be discouraged.
Shin Ji Won herself has not addressed the controversy directly. On September 6th, she shared an everyday photo on social media holding her dog, captioning it simply “ㅋㅋ” in reaction to her pet’s expression, with no direct mention of the outfit debate.
Shin Ji Won debuted with Berry Good as Cho Hyun in 2016 and continued as a singer until the group disbanded in 2021, after which she returned to acting under her real name. She has appeared in dramas including “Strange School Tales: The Child Who Wouldn’t Come,” “Cherry Blossoms After Winter,” and “Walking on Thin Ice,” as well as films such as “The Dragon Inn” and “Hypnosis.”
Source: (A)
