Customer smiles at CCTV camera before fleeing salon without paying 600,000 won bill

Police have launched an investigation after a customer fled a hair salon without paying 600,000 won ($402) for a five-hour hair extension procedure.

The case involving A, who runs a hair salon in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, was featured on JTBC's "Sageon Banjang," a crime news program, on Tuesday.

According to the tip, the incident occurred Saturday. A was feeling unwell at the time and had left a single employee to run the salon alone.

A reserved customer identified as B arrived and requested the removal of existing hair extensions and a new application using the longest and most expensive hair available. The employee quoted around 600,000 won and completed the procedure over five hours.

Just before the final trim, B said she needed to use the restroom and stepped outside wearing the salon's slippers. Footage from the salon's CCTV camera captured her asking the employee for the restroom door code and taking some tissue before leaving.

When B had not returned after 10 minutes and her phone went straight to voicemail, A immediately filed a police report.

"When I reviewed the CCTV footage, I could see she had run off — and she walked out smiling at the camera," A said. "It felt a little like she was mocking me, like she was saying, 'Good work.'"

It later emerged that B had visited the same salon two years earlier without incident. Because she had left her name and contact information this time as well, A said she had no reason to be suspicious.

When police helped A check the bag B had left behind, they found 1,000 won in cash and a single counterfeit wireless earbud. The shoes B had left in exchange for the salon slippers were heavily worn, and the bag was not a high-end item, according to the report.

A said she has since sent multiple calls and online messages to B but has yet to receive any response.