Korean beauty standards are a distinct feature of Korean culture. In 2015, South Korea became the only Eastern Asia country (among many European and American countries like Brazil, US, Italy, Colombia, and others) that entered into the top 10 "countries with the highest rate of cosmetic surgeries" in the world based on the global survey by ISAPS (the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons). Examples of Korean beauty criteria include slimness, a small face, V-shaped jaw, double eyelids that exemplify innocence,aegyo sal (puffy under eyes),small lips, straight eyebrows that are usually light in color (preferably brown),large eyes (Koreans usually wear contacts although clear is mostly used) and dewy spotless skin that is bright and white with a bit of an golden undertone.
Cosmetic surgery began during the Korean War, in the 1950s, as doctors performed reconstructive surgeries on soldiers whose faces sustained injuries. Soon enough, prostitutes became clients of cosmetic surgery, in order to appeal to society, altering their faces to have a different feature, simultaneously providing opportunities for cosmetic surgeons to create businesses. Since then, the business has thrived, with many women from ages 19 to 49 having had cosmetic surgery.
Korean beauty standards have varied influences, and K-pop is one of the biggest impact. K-pop has become globalized and exposed around the world; aside from the music, the physical appearance idols portray have impacted the beauty standards in Korea. Most Asians are born with single eyelids, a flat nose, and a rounder face, but Korean idols portray double eyelids, a high bridged nose, and a V-shaped jaw. In order to look like a Korean idol, cosmetic surgery has increased among Koreans who don't have the standard features.
Video Korean beauty standards
Cultural pressure
Korean students are not allowed to wear make-up and jewellery in school until graduation. Students, especially girls, have low self-esteem about their appearance and are eager to be more beautiful than others. Some decide to have cosmetic surgery to change their facial features. The most recent 'official' statistic put the percentage of Koreans undergoing cosmetic surgery in 2008 at around 20%. The actual number is much higher but it is unknown as many undergo these procedures at private clinics. This is significant as it shows how popular cosmetic surgery is in South Korea. Many companies require a photo, height, and even family backgrounds of the applicants as part of the hiring process.
While Korean women are more critical of their body image, many are not satisfied with how they present themselves. There is low-self esteem and less satisfaction in comparison to women from the United States based from the survey.
Beauty is often seen as a means for socioeconomic success in the rapidly modernized and post-war economy of South Korea, which has seen a sluggish growth rate for jobs after its economic boom period. This has left Korea with a highly skilled and educated workforce to compete for a short supply of job opportunities and chances for upward social mobility. Koreans view investments in beauty such as cosmetic products, services and medical beauty treatments such as plastic surgery, dermatology and cosmetic dentistry as a means of cultural capital to achieve an edge over peers for social and economic advancement.
Maps Korean beauty standards
Beauty products
Women in South Korea spend more money on cosmetics than women in any other Asian country. In 2015, South Korea exported more than 2.64 billion dollars of cosmetic goods. It is much higher than in 2014 where they exported around 1.91 billion dollars. Some of the most popular products used in Korean are BB (blemish balm) creams, CC (color correction) creams, serums, essences, ampoules, sea weed face masks, and scrubs. Korean beauty products contain ingredients not commonly found in Western products such as snail extract. In 2011 BB cream hit the shelves in America which prior was only exclusively used in Korea had a massive effect. In 2014, the US market for BB cream was around 164 million dollars just by itself.
A massive difference between American and Korean beauty is how they achieve beauty. Americans mostly have a three-step beauty regime which includes cleanse, tone, moisturize. Koreans on the other hand have a ten step beauty regime which includes makeup remover and oil cleanser, water-based cleanser, exfoliation, toner, essences, serums, booster and ampoules, sheet masks, eye cream, moisturizer, and lastly sun protection.
Asian cosmetics are gaining an increasing amount of success in the beauty industry. The Euromonitor International predict that by the year of 2019, around 80% of global skincare revenue will come from Asia. At the moment there is more Asian beauty products in the West specifically from East Asia, especially South Korea and Japan.
Surgery
Some Koreans decide to have cosmetic surgery to achieve a more attractive face because they believe that it will help them have a successful career. South Korea has a very competitive society, maybe one of the most competitive societies in the world. There are advertisements of cosmetic surgery in many bus stations in Seoul. Cosmetic surgery clinics are especially prevalent in the Gangnam district.
Tattoos in Korea
Tattoos in Korea are frowned upon. There is a tattoo movement but it is relatively small. The tattoo movement remains underground since it is a small movement. Most of the people you see with tattoos are artists, musicians, gangsters, and foreigners. Tattoos are not allowed on Korean television. If someone with tattoos is on television they are asked to cover up the tattoos with clothes such as a long sleeve shirt. They will even blur out the tattoos if they can visually see them.
For someone in Korea to legally (official certified) give tattoos in Korea they must be a doctor. A doctor is the only legal person to give tattoos to the general public.
Most tattoo parlors are not advertised to the general public in such form like a neon sign saying tattoos. Most of the time you have to get in contact with someone who knows where to find a tattoo artist. Most tattoo parlors are in apartment buildings. The apartment buildings would most often have sterilization machine and clean leather seats. The few places that advertise themselves to the public have a similar setup but are more open in the eye of the public. These sites often get raided by the police, get expensive fines, and are even forced to close down. You can also find travelling tattoo artists who are more likely go to the clients' house or have the client come to their house.
References
Assembly Required; in Seoul's 'Makeover Town,' Surgeons Struggle to Keep up with Demand for Faces as Seen on TV
Source of article : Wikipedia
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