IT’S NO SECRET K-pop has spiked in popularity in recent years. According to Korea JoongAng Daily USA, by 2010, over 900 K-pop videos on YouTube by South Korea’s top three media companies had received over 500 million hits from Asia alone. However some Koreans internally are worried that K-pop may be encouraging the growth of another trend: teen plastic surgery.
Certainly, plastic surgery in South Korea, in general, has made headlines over the years. Last April, The Economist reported that the Asian country emerged as the most-cosmetically enhanced population in the world. The report was based on data from a 2010 Survey by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, which found that, while the total number of aesthetic surgical procedures was highest in the U.S., when adjusted for population size, Korea topped the list. (To be fair, some Korean media pointed out that nearly half of those procedures were non-invasive, such as Botox injections.)
Just a decade or so ago, the majority of Koreans receiving plastic surgery were in their 20s and 30s. But that majority appears to be shrinking as more teenagers go under the knife—so much so that, in 2011, South Korea’s Ministry of Education issued a booklet to warn high school students about “plastic surgery syndrome.” An e-Seoul survey reported last year by Korea JoongAng Dailyfound that 41.4 percent of teens were “willing to have plastic surgery for beauty.” This percentage is about 10 points higher than that of interviewees in their 20s, 20 points higher than that of interviewees in their 30s, and 30 points higher than that of interviewees in their 40s or older.
It could be mere coincidence that, with the incredible rise of K-pop, the plastic surgery age may be trending younger. However, while it’s difficult to prove a direct correlation, it’s no secret that K-pop stars are recognized not only for their music, but also for their physical appearance. And what’s become almost trademark for most Kpop idols are features like double eyelids and high-bridged noses, facial features that many East Asians aren’t necessarily born with. Even members of Korean boy bands are known to be “pretty.”
IN RECENT DECADES, technology and low costs of operation have increased the accessibility of plastic surgery. An operation to get double eyelids can cost as little as $800 in Korea.
The New York Times reported last year that the number of doctors trained in plastic surgery in Korea had doubled in the past decade. In the same story, one plastic surgeon commented how a consequence of this boom was that young women, who often come with pictures of their favorite stars, were starting to look increasingly alike because Koreans tended to agree on what constitutes a pretty face.
Having grown up in Southern California, home to a large Korean American community, Professor Lee became interested in the explanations for Korea’s high plastic surgery rate. In her research, she found that the Korean standard of beauty has been influenced by the Western look, though the reasons are complex. “The double eyelid surgery actually happened in Korea as a result of U.S. occupation after the Korean War, when U.S. military doctors were doing reconstructive surgeries on Korean War victims,” she said. “One doctor, in particular, felt that alleviating the slanted, Oriental eye was one way he could ‘help’ Koreans, even though, obviously, this wasn’t an actual injury or reconstructive in nature.”
Within that context, one can clearly see the U.S. influence on Korea’s beauty standard early on, but Lee said her research also showed how the reasons for plastic surgery for Koreans changed over time. She pointed to the 1997 economic crisis in Korea, and how people were competing for a limited number of jobs. Because job applicants there must submit their photos with their resumes, better looks are seen as an asset. “Now, people really feel that these procedures are necessary for getting ahead in a highly competitive society,” she said.
But why such a strong societal focus on physical appearance and image?
Lee believes the reasons are tied to Korea’s rapid industrialization. In two generations, South Korea went from an impoverished, agrarian country to an “industrial tiger,” exporting Kias, Samsung smartphones and now K-pop. “Korean people largely see themselves as having made a lot of sacrifices to be where they are today. Where they are today and where they want to be is to acquire these symbols of wealth because that’s the narrative that’s been told to the nation,” she explained. “That atmosphere has led to a focus on looks and image.”
In the last several years, however, the rise of teen plastic surgery has sparked a counter-movement among social organizations in Korea. Korean Womenlink (Yŏsŏng Minuhoe), a feminist organization in Korea, launched a campaign targeting young girls. The campaign, called “Love Your Body,” encouraged girls to embrace their natural appearance. “They would do things like stop young girls on the street and have them write things they loved about their body,” Lee said. “Or sign a contract that they would not engage in dangerous dieting practices or consider plastic surgery until they were adults.”
In 2011, the Korean Ministry of Education released a booklet cautioning students against the effects of plastic surgery. The booklet cited individuals like Michael Jackson to emphasize the potential side effects of surgery.
– source alternet.org