Judge’s hair rollers go viral
When the judge who oversaw the ouster of South Korea’s president went to work yesterday with two pink plastic hair rollers still attached to the back of her bobbed hair, the image, as is common in this hyper-connected society, went viral.
Many South Koreans chose to see acting chief justice Lee Jungmi’s rushed arrival at the constitutional court ahead of one of the most highly watched rulings in recent South Korean history as a symbol of a hardworking woman who is dedicated to a demanding job.
The hair rollers, which the judge was apparently unaware of as she entered her office, topped the list of most searched keywords on South Korea’s most-visited web portal at one point.
The moment was a point of reflection for working women in the Asian country. It is common here for comedy shows and pop culture to make harsh jokes about women’s appearances and mock their weight.
There appeared to be little of that yesterday, although some of impeached president Park Geunhye’s ardent supporters shared Lee’s address online and the hair salon she has frequented.
Many saw the episode as a sign of Lee’s dedication to her work. She was photographed arriving three hours before the scheduled reading of the verdict.
Some women also found it humbling that one of the highest judges in the country does her own hair instead of hiring a stylist even on such an important day.
“Any woman who does her hair on her own has an experience like that at least once,” a tweet said.
Lee, 54, is the sole female among eight judges on the constitutional court. She read the verdict that unanimously removed Park from office. Her sixyear term ends on Monday.