Song Hye Kyo Says Her Red Carpet Dresses Are Made One Inch Smaller
In a resurfaced interview, the Korean actress talked about intentionally having her dresses made in a smaller size.
by Kyla Villena
Published on Aug 19, 2026
Song Hye Kyo has long commanded attention for both her performances and her polished red-carpet appearances. She has also had her share of Cannes moments, having attended the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. In 2025, she reunited with fellow actress Jeon Yeo Been for Dark Nuns, and the two later opened up about their experiences as actresses during an appearance on VIVO TV’s Secret Guarantee.
Their conversation eventually turned to Yeo Been’s own Cannes experience, which led to a surprising revelation from Hye Kyo about how she prepares for red-carpet appearances: her dresses are made one inch smaller.
Song Hye Kyo and Jeon Yeo Been on Preparing for Red Carpets
Hye Kyo and Yeo Been joined forces for the 2025 supernatural thriller film. To promote it, the two stars appeared on Secret Guarantee, hosted by Song Eun-i and Kim Sook, where they also shared more about their experiences as actresses.
Kim Sook read a question for Yeo Been, saying, “Your dress, hair, and makeup at the Cannes Film Festival were gorgeous. Do worldwide film festival waiting rooms have snacks, too?” The unexpected question lightened the atmosphere in the room, prompting laughter from both the hosts and guests.
Yeo Been attended the Cannes Film Festival in 2023 for the screening of her film Cobweb. She donned the artful Nepeta from Ines Di Santo’s Spring 2021 Bridal Couture Collection. The gown featured a halter neckline and an asymmetrical ruched detail that accentuated her waist. It was also characterized by the designer’s signature low back, with an embellished column tracing her spine.
Photos: Instagram/hautecouturefashionista
Jeon Yeo Been with her fellow actress and co-star, Krystal Jung.
photos to expand
Hye Kyo also made an appearance at the prestigious event in 2014 to promote her Chinese film, The Crossing. At the film's press conference, she wore a simple yet elegant white mini dress with a modest neckline and subtly puffed sleeves. Its fitted waistband gave the look more shape while keeping the overall silhouette understated.
Responding to the question, Yeo Been said, “It was my first overseas film festival, so I was nervous. Once I was there, I didn’t feel hungry, thinking of wearing a dress,” to which Hye Kyo agreed.
This prompted Kim Sook to ask for confirmation about a story that had “given [her] chills.” “When getting a dress before a film festival, I heard that you make it one inch smaller no matter what.”
Hye Kyo casually nodded and said, “That’s right, because you will lose weight until then.”
Her matter-of-fact response surprised both Eun-i and Kim Sook, who revealed that their approach to formalwear is quite different. The hosts said they usually ask for their dresses to be made with stretchable fabric and even request them to be two inches bigger.
On Standard Seam Allowance
Made-to-measure dresses are often constructed with seam allowances, or extra fabric between the stitching line and the raw edge of the fabric. This allows the garment to be adjusted if necessary, including letting out certain seams to accommodate a larger size.
The width of a seam allowance varies depending on the garment, fabric, and specific area, typically ranging from one-fourth to one inch. Areas intended for potential alterations may have wider allowances. With that said, having a dress intentionally made one inch smaller does not appear to be a standard practice.
What are your thoughts?
Kyla Villena loves a good lip gloss and a trip to the art gallery. She is Preview's beauty girl, who doubles as a self-proclaimed motivational speaker.