Lee Ji-hye Reveals the Story Behind Her Iconic Swimsuit Press Conference

Lee Ji-hye, a guest on the recent episode of SBS's 'Shoes Off, Single for Men,' shared the reason behind her memorable swimsuit press conference.

On the October 16th episode, titled 'Queen is Back,' singers Lee Ji-hye, Son Dam-bi, and Kim Dol-dol appeared as guests.

Son Dam-bi, who is four months postpartum, expressed her determination to return to work, proudly showcasing her post-baby figure reminiscent of her prime days.

She humorously recounted her inability to remember working with Tak Jae-hoon and Lim Won-hee, attributing it to the effects of general anesthesia. Lee Ji-hye playfully countered, "I also had general anesthesia for a C-section, but I don't have that issue," eliciting laughter.

When Son Dam-bi expressed a desire to see Lee Ji-hye perform, Lee candidly replied, "It doesn't pay," bringing a bittersweet chuckle.

Lee Ji-hye's 2006 swimsuit press conference was mentioned alongside Korea's top three press conferences, including Na Hoon-a's 'Belt Press Conference' and Lee Sang-min's 'Divorce Press Conference.'

Reflecting on the event, Lee Ji-hye explained, "There were rumors about me having breast surgery due to my well-developed upper body. I wanted to show that while I might have had other surgeries, my breasts were natural."

Emphasizing her natural physique, she added, "I've had facial surgery, but my body is natural. Back then, showing your armpits would reveal if you'd had breast surgery. I'm usually conservative, but I showed my armpits," she said, causing laughter.

Lee Ji-hye also revealed that she once considered a career change to become a flight attendant during her time with the group S#arp. "Being a singer was tough, and I didn't think I could do it for long, so I applied for a flight attendant position but was rejected," she shared.

She humorously added, "I can't lie. When asked about my hobbies, I said karaoke, and that got me rejected," drawing more laughter.

Reported by Kim Eun-jung, TenAsia. Contact: eun@tenasia.co.kr