Earning 3-4x More Than Korea: How This Mainland Superstar Works Red Tennis Skirt Season

Hong Su-ah launched as a fashion magazine exclusive model in 2003, then charmed viewers with her bubbly energy playing the lead in the sitcom 'Nonstop 5.' She became known for her fearless personality and vibrant onscreen presence, earning regular gigs on variety shows that loved her warmth. In 2013, though, she made a calculated move eastward—pivoting her career focus to mainland China and Taiwan. Since then, she's starred in major Chinese films and dramas, solidifying her status as a bona fide Korean Wave celebrity overseas. And the financial payoff? She's reportedly making three to four times what she would in Korea, juggling shoots between Hangzhou and Beijing these days.

She's brought her signature sunny energy to an industry with deep pockets, and recently, she's been flexing her seasonal style moves on Instagram. We caught sight of some seriously impressive summer looks, so we pulled together the standout pieces.

First up: that dreamy blue-flower garden moment. The backdrop is wild—floor-to-ceiling blooms in soft blues, and she's chosen a white ruffle blouse with off-shoulder detailing. The layered frills cascade down the neckline, creating this impossibly romantic vibe. The fabric reads light and airy—perfect for scorching summer days. She paired it with a pale blue skirt that echoes the flowers behind her, and the whole thing ties together with a light blue tote and a brown woven straw hat. Even her shoes are in on the joke: crisp white flats that hit that innocent, clean-girl aesthetic. Cascading waves in her hair, and she's literally sitting with a cold drink in front of that flower wall. This is the outfit formula for hitting any flower-focused destination or upscale garden café.

Then there's the tennis court energy—and we mean that literally. She walked onto an indoor court wearing a crisp white tee with 'My Ball My' in bold red lettering, then paired it with a Diadora red pleated tennis skirt. That red and white contrast is giving pure summer sports-chic: fresh, punchy, alive. The pleats are tight and structured, so they swing with each movement—this is fabric that was literally designed to move. She slung a matching Diadora red racket bag across her body, went check-print socks and white sneakers, and tied her hair back with a red scrunchie. Every frame reads energetic: laughing in front of a blue container, perched on wooden stairs where that red pops against the browns and grays. If you're hunting for that viral tennis-prep moment, Diadora's latest collection is basically the blueprint.

Last look takes us to Hangzhou: a city of blue-green forests and moody, Instagram-ready cafés. She's wearing an intricate eyelet lace white blouse—delicate, sheer, with a front ribbon tie and ruffled hem that screams romance. The fabric is whisper-thin, channeling that breezy summer transparency everyone wants. The bottom half is an ivory skirt with a lace hem, so she's basically floating in a cloud of whites and creams. A gray tote, black ribbon flats, and long waves of silky hair complete the picture. She's holding what looks like a milk tea, posed in front of towering green trees like she just walked out of a luxury catalog. This is your template for summer travel or a casual date that needs to feel effortless and elegant.

What ties these three completely different aesthetics together? She takes each one seriously. That romantic ruffle isn't competing with sporty red or traveling-in-lace vibes—each look gets its own mood, its own story. The fact that she can code-switch across romance, athleticism, and wanderlust, all in a single week, says everything about an actress comfortable operating at scale across two countries. We're watching.