“It may not be a hexagon, but a decagon.”
On KBS Joy ‘20th Century Hit Song’ that aired on the 6th, MC Kim Hee-chul described Lee Hyo-ri like this.The show that day was a special feature titled ‘It’s foul play~ foul play~ skills at max level! Hexagonal singer hit song ‘, and highlighted singers who possess various skills including singing, visuals, dancing, variety, and acting.

MC Lee Mi-joo said, “People who are good at singing, looking good, and dancing are called hexagonal people,” citing BTS’ Jungkook, Blackpink’s Jennie, and actors Jo Jung-seok and Lee Chan-won as examples.Kim Hee-chul then said, “In the past, there was a prejudice that if you were good-looking, you lacked other abilities, but these days, there are many people who are both good-looking and talented.”

At the center of it all was Lee Hyori.Lee Hyori, formerly of the group ‘Fin.K.L.’ , ranked 4th on the list that day.The song introduced was ‘Hey Girl’, released in 2003.At the time, Lee Hyori dominated the CF industry with her ‘sexy diva’ image.Kim Hee-chul also reminisced, “If you go to a store the day after Lee Hyori appears on a music show, it’s all Lee Hyori.”

● 11 years of gap, 4.2 billion in just 5 months
Hyori Lee was a typical ‘blue chip of the advertising world’.Immediately after her solo debut, she worked as a model for many brands, and Hyori Lee’s CF images immediately became popular.However, in 2012, Hyori Lee announced that she would stop working in commercial advertisements.At the time, she chose to live in Jeju Island, saying, “My life is more important than advertisements.”

However, 11 years later, Lee Hyo-ri announced her return to commercial advertising.The industry responded immediately, and it was reported that she earned about 4.2 billion won in advertising fees in just 5 months after her return announcement.

This fact was also mentioned in ‘20th Century Hit Song’.Kim Hee-chul said, “As soon as Hyori noona said she would do CFs again, brands started flooding her with love calls, and she earned 4.2 billion won in just 5 months.” Im Ji-joo added, “It’s surprising that the advertising industry wanted Lee Hyori again.”

● Because it was only Lee Hyo-ri
Lee Hyo-ri was able to dominate the advertising world again not only because of her past ‘recovery of her prime’.In fact, Lee Hyo-ri was not entirely free from social and public controversy.
However, Hyori Lee did not avoid controversy, but embraced it as part of her identity.An honest narrative can be more persuasive than a refined image.Hyori Lee was chosen not because she was “free of controversy,” but because she was “a person who could even accept controversy.”

Kim Hee-chul also said, “I saw Hyori noona at Kim Jong-min’s wedding a while ago, and she was the same.She had a natural beauty without any makeup on.” Even a face without makeup can function as a brand.This is the power of ‘Lee Hyori-ness’ that the advertising world believes in.

After marrying musician Lee Sang-soon in 2013, Hyori Lee lived in Jeju Island for 11 years.Then in 2024, the couple purchased a single-family home in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul for approximately 6 billion won in cash and moved to Seoul.

This was interpreted as a signal of her return to activities, not just a ‘relocation of residence’.From the advertisers ‘perspective, Lee Hyo-ri became an’ approachable model ‘again, and Lee Hyo-ri’s return began in all directions, from entertainment shows to advertisements and event bookings.

Hyori Lee is still an influential figure today.She is not just a celebrity who shoots commercials, but a person who completes the brand’s message.Brands still see ‘contemporary persuasiveness’ in her.


Reporter Yang com -mo hmyang0307@donga

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.