Update:
Horrifying, the urge not to be oneself. The New Yorker: “About Face:
Why is South Korea the world’s plastic-surgery capital?”
Update: From a Reader, with thanks:
-
My reply: Thanks! That article (above) says make up was half responsible, touching up the other half, for all these women joining into “one glowing, adorable, humanoid Borg,” which nevertheless underlines the notion that there is an ideal of beauty that everyone is trying to live up to, leaving behind who we are, as we are. It’s assumed–in fact it’s the point–of the original take, below, that these women did not look the same, but they (and society) aspire to do so.Also, the article notes that 20% of Korean women (and far more in beauty contests) have had plastic surgery.~
Plastic surgery is, sometimes, helpful. Sometimes, it’s practical. But often, it reflects a profound, and sad, dis-ease with ourselves. Maitri is an alternative, and it’s harder work: we all know folks who are charming, gorgeous…but not because they’re conventionally beautiful. Because of the joy and truth they manifest, from the inside, out.
In relephant news: Chinese man sues wife after ‘ugly’ baby born.
Local perspective, via Reddit:
I live in Seoul.
Relevant link to show how great k surgeons are:
1) You aren’t racist. Those women in fact do look unnervingly similar and yes, Koreans think so too. This is because they all get the exact same plastic surgeries and the surgeons follow the same formulas for noses and eyes and everything else they’ve had done (fillers, cheek and forehead implants, eye surgery, nose surgery, jaw reduction, breast job, calf muscle job, fat grafting etc). Every single one of them has had nose and eye surgery. Those faces cost those girls thousands. Also don’t underestimate makeup, they’ve got it caked on in a similar style.
2). Those are called the Korean plastic face look. In certain areas of Seoul, you would think all the women are sisters because they look so similar due to same surgeries.
Koreans cant tell them apart ether. They’re jokingly referred to as “Samsung Robots”3). Most korean women don’t look like those women. Not anywhere near actually. Most don’t have the money to fund their body dysmorphia. Some actually have self esteem. Without the plastic surgery, korean women are very diverse looking and easily can be told apart. The surgery takes away their individuality and uniqueness and its sad. Most are beautiful without it but telling them that their korean ethnic features are in fact lovely is as effective as screaming at a brick wall. They wont believe you because they’ve been brainwashed to think westernization of their features is superior, I don’t think they want to look white, but a mix of white and asian and definitely less Korean.
4). Its weird to see the real plastic ones with kids. The kids look adopted. I always wonder how they explain to their kids later on why they look so different, “Don’t worry when you’re old enough we will have a surgeon fix the ugly parts just like mommy did!”. And yes many korean men DO ask for old pics before getting serious about a woman.
Koreans are lovely but this part of the culture is just sad imo because no one ever addresses WHY they feel the need to follow a very narrow beauty standard that can only be achieved through invasive surgery. Especially when they’re beautiful naturally. Sigh
All together now!
Facing all the same way:
Relephant reads:
The Plastification of America
The Importance of Body Love. {Video}
Read 35 Comments and Reply
Read 35 comments and reply