Hyoyeon uploaded a clip to her YouTube channel, Hyoyeon’s Level Up - Fake Kim Hyoyeon, titled “Do Only Third-Gen Idols Wear Pigtails? Try 2.5-Gen — It’s Refreshing.”
The sketch imagines the two bumping into each other at a salon. Hyoyeon greets Irene, calling her stunning and asking where she’s headed. Irene jokes that she’s off to a fictional program called “Back to 2015.”
Hyoyeon says she’s on the same schedule and compliments Irene, noting how little she seems to have changed since her debut. Irene deflects the praise, pointing instead to Girls’ Generation members like Taeyeon and Yoona for looking the same as ever.
When Hyoyeon realizes her name wasn’t mentioned, she gives Irene a pointed look. Irene quickly reassures her — “You’re truly one of a kind” — which makes Hyoyeon laugh. Then Hyoyeon asks whether Red Velvet counts as fourth generation; Irene replies, “We’re third generation.”
Hyoyeon jokes back that they’re “2.5 generation,” suggesting they’re only half a generation apart. Irene, flustered, insists, “Isn’t Girls’ Generation second generation?” Hyoyeon keeps teasing the 2.5 label and repeats that they’re only 0.5 generation apart, drawing laughs.
Hyoyeon goads Irene about not being up on memes. Irene fires back that she knows more than Hyoyeon because she spends time with Red Velvet and aespa members and keeps up with the latest trends. They launch into a lighthearted meme-off, until a millennial staffer interjects, “That trend already passed,” prompting everyone to burst out laughing.
At one point Hyoyeon snacks on something and leaves a trail of crumbs. Irene fetches a broom and starts sweeping them up. Hyoyeon, clad in a black skirt, pretends to get white crumbs on herself and theatrically swats them away with a duster.
The pair then escalate into a playful hair-style showdown. Irene announces she’ll rock the twin pigtails she wore during 2015’s “Dumb Dumb” promotions. Hyoyeon says Irene looks cute and puts her hair in pigtails too. Irene questions whether Hyoyeon actually wore pigtails in 2015; Hyoyeon, surprised, insists she did during “Party.” Irene maintains she doesn’t recall Hyoyeon promoting in pigtails, but Hyoyeon keeps repeating that she wore them for “Party.”
The mock competition intensifies: whenever Irene raises her pigtails higher, Hyoyeon raises hers higher. Irene matches her, and the exchange has the set in stitches. Irene teases, “Aren’t you overdoing it? I’ve never seen you in pigtails during ‘Party,’” and Hyoyeon continues to deny it. Declaring she’ll go onstage first, Hyoyeon exits the salon. Irene sighs at the mess of crumbs and hair ties left behind, picks up the broom, and resumes sweeping as the clip ends.
Im Chae-ryeong, TenAsia reporter
