How Son Ye-jin masters red carpet glamour and everyday style, in celebration of her birthday
As Son Ye-jin celebrates her birthday on January 11, the acclaimed actress, best known for Descendants of the Sun, continues to captivate audiences not only with her performances but also with her style evolution. From commanding the Venice Film Festival red carpet to enjoying gelato on cobblestone streets, Son Ye-jin has proven herself a master of the high-low dressing philosophy. Her return to international cinema with Park Chan-wook’s thriller No Other Choice has ushered in a bold new era—one where she balances designer grandeur with accessible everyday looks. Here are eight standout moments that showcase why she remains South Korea’s most relatable style icon.
In case you missed it: Happy Sana Day: 7 style moods Twice’s Sana owned this year
The red carpet high: the ‘Black Pearl’ halter gown
Son Ye-jin in her show-stopping Cucculelli Shaheen gown at the Venice Film Festival (Photo: Stefania D'Alessandro/WireImage/Getty Images)
For the Venice Film Festival premiere of No Other Choice, Son Ye-jin selected a show-stopping Cucculelli Shaheen gown from the Spring/Summer 2025 collection. The dramatic black halter dress featured intricate Art Deco-inspired beadwork that shimmered as she moved along the red carpet. The backless design showcased her sculpted physique, whilst a sleek high bun added architectural elegance to the ensemble, earning her the nickname “Black Pearl of Venice” from fashion critics.
Vacation luxe: lavender knits and Loewe mules
Son Ye-jin demonstrates vacation dressing in EENK and Loewe during her Venice stay (Photo: Instagram / @yejinhand)
Proving that downtime needn’t mean dressing down, Son Ye-jin navigated Venice’s streets in a lavender knit set by Korean brand EENK, paired with Loewe’s coveted Pebble Mules. The cardigan, tank top and midi skirt combination struck the perfect balance between polish and comfort, whilst her choice to champion a Seoul-based designer on international soil demonstrated subtle fashion diplomacy. Captured enjoying gelato, this look epitomises elevated sightseeing style without tourist clichés.
Daytime couture: the ‘underwater’ tulle dress
Son Ye-jin wears romantic Hermione de Paula at the Venice photocall (Photo: Instagram / @yejinhand)
For the Venice Film Festival photocall, Son Ye-jin chose Hermione de Paula’s ethereal Underwater Wildflower column dress in nude and seaglass tones. The designer piece featured intricate floral embroidery on sheer tulle, creating a soft, romantic contrast to her dramatic premiere gown. The botanical motifs complemented Venice’s aquatic setting, offering a masterclass in dressing for natural lighting and outdoor press events.
Don’t miss: Inside Peggy Gou’s travel wardrobe, from beach denim to winter coats
Street style statement: movie merch and colourful bag
Son Ye-jin perfects casual dressing with a colourful tote and film merchandise (Photo: Instagram / @yejinhand)
Son Ye-jin transformed an errands attire into intentional street style with an oversized grey graphic tee, loose jeans and a baseball cap reading ‘Red Pepper Paper’—the fictional company from No Other Choice. The clever self-promotion is paired with a colourful but practical market tote, demonstrating considered style in everyday moments.
Art-house chic: the avant-garde skirt-pant hybrid
Son Ye-jin channels avant-garde intellectualism in Bottega Veneta at Leeum Museum (Photo: The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins/Getty Images)
For the Pierre Huyghe exhibition at Seoul’s Leeum Museum of Art, Son Ye-jin delivered high-concept dressing in Bottega Veneta. The ensemble paired a classic blue striped shirt with an asymmetrical skirt-pant hybrid, nodding to Japanese avant-garde tailoring traditions. Most striking was her departure from signature rose tones—a bold, deep red lip provided a confident punctuation mark, perfectly suited to the contemporary art setting.
Summer essential: the mint puff-sleeve set
Son Ye-jin embodies the clean girl aesthetic in a mint two-piece ensemble (Photo: Instagram / @yejinhand)
This mint green two-piece set, paired with a Valentino handbag in a matching hue, exemplifies effortless femininity. The structural puff-sleeve top and flared midi skirt create the clean aesthetic—fresh, monochromatic and impeccably tailored. The pastel palette evokes nostalgic echoes of her beloved Crash Landing on You character Yoon Se-ri, proving that brunch dressing can be both simple and impactful.
Polished playful: the yellow bow mini dress
Son Ye-jin embraces the twee revival trend in Self-Portrait and Christian Louboutin (Photo: HLL/Imazins/Getty Images)
At the No Other Choice production briefing in Seoul, Son Ye-jin embraced the resurgent twee trend in a cream-yellow Self-Portrait mini dress. The structured crepe piece featured a jewelled neckline, channelling 1960s mod sensibility with contemporary sophistication. Paired with Christian Louboutin’s leg-lengthening Iriza pumps in nude, the look pushed back against ageist fashion conventions, showing that elegance can still flirt with colour and playfulness.
Off-duty cosy: the blunt bob and loungewear
Son Ye-jin shows off her dramatic new bob haircut in comfortable loungewear (Photo: Instagram / @yejinhand)
In perhaps her most relatable moment, Son Ye-jin appeared in comfortable striped loungewear and socks whilst seated in a camping chair. The look featured her dramatic, blunt bob haircut—a striking departure from her signature long waves that signals both personal transformation and a prioritisation of comfort over public expectation, reminding us that true style confidence includes embracing ease.
NOW READ
8 Taehyung fashion moments that made 2025 his most stylish year yet
Gen Z style icons poised to shape 2026 fashion, from Bhavita Mandava to Zara Larsson