This Hallyu Star Just Became a Certified CEO—And Her Product Will Shock You

Ku Hye-sun has officially become the CEO of Studio Ku Hye-sun Co., Ltd. as of September 17, 2025. This move marks a major shift in her career. The 40-year-old actress also received a venture business certification on September 3, 2025. The certification will remain valid until September 2, 2028.

Her new path stands far from her old image as an actress. It shows how determined she is to create something on her own. She is not just known for her acting now. She is now also known as a venture entrepreneur.

Building a Business Around Hair Roll Innovation

Ku Hye-sun’s company centers on beauty and lifestyle products. The spotlight product is her patented hair roller, named “Kurol.” It takes its name from her own surname.

Unlike traditional hair rollers, this product folds flat into a rectangular shape. It is portable, lightweight, and easy to carry. When used, it bends to form a curl.

This idea started years ago. She developed it while studying at the KAIST Graduate School of Future Strategy. She worked with chair professor Lee Hae-shin on this concept. Hye-Sun filed her first patent in July 2020. By December 2021, the design was officially registered.

Her company office reflects her dual focus on both art and business. The first floor is called “Ku Hye-sun Film” and is dedicated to her filmmaking activities. The second floor houses “Studio Ku Hye-sun,” which focuses on her business operations.

She has even signed a business agreement with the KAIST venture company Polyphenol Factory. This shows that the commercialization of her hair roll prototypes is near.

Updates on Her CEO Journey

Ku Hye-sun has been sharing small updates as she builds this company. On September 16, 2025, she posted photos of her office exterior and her venture confirmation certificate. She wrote, “I’m an introverted CEO” on social media.

In August 2025, she revealed her plans to launch the Kurol hair roll within the same year. By July 2025, she had finished setting up her new office. She expressed how excited she felt to finally call herself a venture entrepreneur.

Her shift to entrepreneurship has not stopped her academic growth. She graduated top of her class from Sungkyunkwan University’s Film Studies program in February 2023.

She is now pursuing a master’s degree in engineering at the KAIST Graduate School of Science Journalism. Running a business while studying engineering shows her drive.

Stepping Away From Acting

Ku Hye-sun has not appeared in a drama for several years. Her last acting project was the 2021 short film “Dark Yellow.” It marked her ninth time as a director and her first acting role since 2017.

Dark Yellow premiered at the 2021 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. It was later nominated at Japan’s Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2022.

“Dark Yellow” tells the story of a woman working at a yellow flower shop. It explores how women face men who hate or ignore them. It used the color yellow as a symbol of strength and female power.

Her last drama was “You’re Too Much” (2017). She played Jung Hae-dang from episodes 1 to 6. She left due to a severe allergic digestive condition. It caused anaphylaxis, dizziness, and breathing trouble. She was replaced by Jang Hee-jin from episode 7 onward.

Before that, she starred in several dramas. She played Yoo Ri-ta in “Blood” (2015), Yoon Soo-wan in “Angel Eyes” (2014), and Han Da-jin in “Take Care of Us, Captain” (2012).

And her iconic role in “Boys Over Flowers’ as Guem Jan-Di with, Lee Min-Ho which made her Hallyu Star. These roles once defined her as a leading actress. Now, they feel like part of another life.

Also Read: EXchange Season 4: Complete Guide to Korean Reality Show’s Return

Reclaiming Her Image

Ku Hye-sun has also spoken openly about media coverage of her private life. In August 2025, she criticized headlines that keep labeling her under the “five years since divorce” tag.

She also asked variety shows and interviews to avoid using her name for jokes. She said, “No one has the right to mock me just because I bring laughter to the public.”

This shows a shift in how she wants to be seen. She is not only protecting her image. She is also setting new boundaries.

Her move from Hallyu actress to tech-driven CEO shows her resilience. It proves she is not afraid to reinvent herself. She is using her creativity in a new field and showing that personal struggles do not define her future.

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