Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Keepongoing]

I know this has been addressed in diffeent ways; I just want to put a different slant on it.

If Korean are women are boasted to be some of the most beautiful women in the world then why is cosmetic surgery so prominent in Korea? Is it a natural beauty, or a cosmetically enhanced beauty?


I work in a women's university and it truly saddens me to see some nice looking girls who think they need cosmetic surgery. A lot of it comes from their parents. I have had many students tell me that they were told by their parents to get double eyelid surgery between high school and university. One student told me that her father had compalined to her about her less than beautiful looks; I was shocked, so much for her self esteem.

I can't link it because it was a study that a student showed me, but a survey of 880 women students showed that 61% had surgery before the age of 22.

Honestly, most of these women are already attractive and absolutely do not need this surgery, but you can not convince them.
Wouldn't such an emphasis on a "set" appearance create a lot of neurosis? The whole thing saddens me.

[nobbyken]

The grass always seems greener....

Women in the UK tend to want tanned skin, smaller noses and tight skin round the eyes.
Korean women tend to want white skin, bigger noses and bags on on their eyelids.

Personally, I think double eyelids don't look good.
I can't figure it out, but somebody has said here before that insecurity is a big thing here. Many mirrors are needed to check how you look.

[kat2]

But so much of Korean (and east asian in general) culture is about having a "set" of norms that everyone should conform too. Individuality, whether looks, personality, or interests, is not valued.
Korean women are beautiful, but in the way that a china doll is beautiful...symmetrical, aesthetically pleasing, but dull. I meat very few women who have any real "spunk" or anything looks or personality wise to separate them from teh masses.

[Underwaterbob]

What kind of women do you meat?

[Dome Vans]

Having lived in Sweden for four years, I would see the most beautiful women everyday. Absolutely perfect. But Sweden has the second highest percentage of plastic surgery behind the States. I can't speak for why Americans have it done. But in Sweden it's almost like a competition. Because there is so many beautiful women, the only idea for them to be more beautiful/well thought of, is surgery OR find a rich boyfriend with loads of cash so you can be seen in the swankiest bars/ restaurants. It's a shame really. On the surface they would appear to have high self esteem but deep down there's a lack of it.

I noticed it a lot more than in England. Where, of the people I knew and saw, they seemed to accept that was their body shape and they were comfortable with that to a certain respect.

Korea to me seems a completely new kettle of fish and I've never seen the level of preening in the teachers room ever before. Women staring in the mirror for ages adjusting one hair. Is it really that important? To them obviously, but don't think it's an isolated incident. I can't claim to be an expert of why this is in Korea I've not been here long enough. Is it to do with self esteem? Is it to do with a woman's position in society? I find Korean women very pretty indeed but very 'vain' (maybe not the best word). Please let me see you laugh, don't cover your mouth when you do it. It's ok. This happens in Japan as well.

I think in England, we have lower expectations. We're told most of our school lives that we either pass or fail. When we fail all the time, it doesn't bother us. But I find that the parental pressure is probably a lot greater in Korea because you want your children to be something. This is shown by the money paid by parents for private lessons. I happens in England but not ot the extent in Korea. Even if the family is poor they will pay what they can to give their children that "head start." Looks play a big part in this too.

[JustJohn]

[da_moler]

As there are very few attractive women in the UK (native ones, anyway), there is little pressure to appear attractive there (people aspire to be 'normal', and in the UK, normal is not attractive!).

In Korea, on the other hand, and as in a number of European countries other than the UK, there are a lot of attractive people. So, people here aspire to a more attractive norm.

Much is made of the fact that being attractive is of vital importance to getting a job in Korea (as also in many European countries). In the UK, however, I feel that attractive people are prejudiced against because they threaten the secuirty of the unattractive majority.

[ajgeddes]

[venus]

It's because they want to look like the western women they see in ads / music vids / movies / tv shows.

Just like the Turks began emulating Europens and Americans in their hairstyles and dress and gestures when hollywood ans European movies hit their screens.

I've also read tons of articles where the top Asian cosmetic surgeons always look up to and want to emulate 'Classical Greek ideas of beauty.'

[Underwaterbob]

There are no laws (I'm aware of) prohibiting discrimination according to appearance in Korea when hiring.

The better you look the better your job, irrespective of talent or ability in many cases I'm sure.

Anyone here seen "200 pound beauty". I've been forced to see it 3 times now and it only gets more and more frightening.

The third time I saw it they were showing it to middle school students of mine on the bus!

[R-Seoul]

[JustJohn]

Ah yes, I should have accused the earlier poster of the slip. Still funny though.

[Dome Vans]

da_moler wrote:

[da_moler]

[Boodleheimer]

my students all have hand mirrors, boys and girls. there's a mirror in every classroom and in every hall. vainest people i've ever encountered.