She Started the Ugg Boot Trend in Korea—Here's Exactly How
One drama, one actress, one pair of boots: the untold story of how Im Soo-jung accidentally influenced an entire nation's footwear choices.
- One drama prop turned into a national obsession
- She masters the art of quiet sophistication
- When she commits to bold colors, people notice

Im Soo-jung is 47 now, and her resume is genuinely wild. You've probably heard the story about how she single-handedly made Ugg boots a thing in Korea. When she wore them in the drama *Sorry, I Love You*, they weren't even on most people's radar in the domestic market yet. But one drama, one actress, and suddenly Ugg boots became the must-have shoe in every Korean woman's closet. That's the level of cultural influence.
The other thing people mention about her is the perpetual-youth factor. During one drama shoot, older viewers actually thought she was a middle schooler—her bone structure just doesn't age like most people's. At 165cm, there's a weird illusion that happens where she seems taller in person than you'd expect. That youthful image extends to how she dresses. She goes for understated and polished over flashy. Clean pieces, sharp tailoring, nothing overdone.
① First shot from a Tiffany & Co. event: black suit with white turtleneck underneath.

The structured suit paired with that high turtleneck creates this really sophisticated, buttoned-up impression. She kept her hair neat to match, and this is basically the masterclass in event dressing—formal but not stiff.
② Second is an outdoor candid: just a white shirt, nothing else needed.

She rolls the sleeves up casually, tucks her sunglasses into the neckline for this effortless-but-obviously-calculated vibe. This is day-to-day perfection—looks like zero effort, reads like she's got all the answers.
③ Third one was shot in a record shop and the star here is this yellow trench coat.

She layered a white shirt underneath, so the color all lives in the coat. She cinched it at the waist with a belt, which gives the silhouette real shape. The smile in the photo pushes the whole energy into warm and approachable territory—the coat becomes brighter somehow.
④ Last look: orange turtleneck knit in a photo shoot.

The color is bold, very vivid, and paired with her dark hair it makes her face pop. She's not tentative about bold colors, which actually might explain why a single drama prop could start a nationwide trend. She commits to choices.
The pattern here is interesting: she'll wear quiet, tailored pieces but then occasionally surprise you with a bold color choice. No conflicting patterns, no visual chaos—just calculated moves. It explains the influence.
"When she wore them in the drama *Sorry, I Love You*, they weren't even on most people's radar in the domestic market yet. But one drama, one actress, and suddenly Ugg boots became the must-have shoe in every Korean woman's closet."



