Hair Rolls, a Korean Street Culture

Many crossed views on Hair Roll culture

Reporter Lee Jun-woo

junu95598715@gmail.com

 What is a hair roll? There is no doubt that the hair roll was just a utensil that could be seen commonly in places such as hair salons. The main purpose of the hair roll was to give one’s hair style ‘volume’. However, despite the original purpose, there is currently a ‘hair roll’ culture in Korea where women use hair rolls in public. Ranging from personal residences to cafes to business offices, women wearing hair rolls has become a common sight.

 Initially, the main reason for the use of hair rolls in public was to save time, since it is a great way to use time efficiently. It is a common fact that women have a lot on their plates, such as putting on makeup or drying their hair. This process takes a long time, making it hard for some people to be able to get ready for the day. Therefore, using hair rolls in public became an efficient method of time-saving. Ten to fifteen minutes is required for the roll to create volume in the hair. That amount of time can therefore be saved if the hair roll is used on the way to work.

 However, the hair roll has also become an ‘iconic’ symbol, representing the mindset of the new generation. The new generation, also known as the MZ generation regard the concept of a ‘free soul’ as being important. They do not pay too much attention to other people’s negative thoughts and tend to stand firmly in their own beliefs and ideas. Some people belive that the use of hair rolls in public is impolite. But MZ generation believe hair rolls do not cause harm to other people, meaning there is no reason for the use of hair rolls in public to be discouraged.