Actress Shin Ji-won's Dress Sparks Online Debate Over 'Mysterious Bulge' at VIP Screening

Actress Shin Ji-won (신지원), formerly Jo Hyun (祚弦) of the K-pop girl group Berry Good, is now active in the acting scene under her birth name. Her attire at a recent VIP screening for the film "Karlovy Vary" drew significant online attention due to an unexpected 'bulge' in the lower part of her dress.

On September 4, a video of Shin attending the event circulated widely across South Korean social media platforms, sparking heated discussions. The video showed her at the VIP premiere of "Karlovy Vary," greeting the audience alongside other cast members.

However, it wasn't the film itself that captured the most attention that day, but Shin's outfit. She wore a burgundy ribbed knit maxi dress with a body-hugging silhouette and a unique criss-cross V-neck design, which perfectly accentuated her figure.

What truly ignited the discussion was a noticeable 'bulge' in her lower abdominal area, prompting netizens to speculate about its cause. Footage from the event also showed Shin seemingly aware of the issue, as she frequently kept her hands neatly clasped in front of her, appearing to deliberately cover the area.

After the video was released, netizens left numerous comments, expressing regret over her styling: "Is the stylist an anti-fan in disguise? They should pay more attention," "What exactly is that bulge?" "The stylist is really over the top," and "What on earth is that?"

Some netizens attempted to analyze the cause of the bulge, speculating it could be "a lighting issue," "looks like audio equipment," or "might just be natural wrinkles in the fabric." These various theories fueled further online discussion.

Meanwhile, "Karlovy Vary" is a comedy film directed by Lee Yong-seok. In addition to Shin, the cast includes actors Oh Ji-ho and Lee Je-yeon. The film is scheduled for official release on September 9.

Shin debuted in 2016 as Jo Hyun with Berry Good. After the group disbanded in 2021, she continued her solo activities. In 2023, she adopted her birth name, Shin Ji-won, for her activities and officially transitioned into acting.