So this is kind of a hot topic… But I’m gonna go there~ Koreans and Plastic Surgery

Koreans get a lot of Plastic Surgery.
It seems that about 70% of women in their 20′s-30′s have undergone Plastic Surgery. (Don’t quote me on the stats… Just trust me.. It’s a lot!)
* Almost everyone you see on Korean Dramas/Movies/Music Videos has had some sort of Plastic Surgery.
* Koreans are getting Plastic Surgery to further their career.
* I’ve even heard about parents getting their children Plastic Surgery as a Graduation present.

Personally, I’m all about people doing whatever they want. You only have one life~ Live it the way you want.
However, it does make me think when someone wants to get Plastic Surgery…or when a whole nation so wholly accepts permanently altering your face/body.

Perhaps you may see it ironic that I, a Makeup Artist (who’s profession is to change the way someone looks), am saying this….
Here’s the thing~ Makeup washes off.
Maybe getting the double eyelid isn’t that much different than the fact that I put on thick eyeliner every day, everywhere I go… but the idea of Plastic Surgery scares me.
[ Mind you, I am a big chicken who still screams when I'm at the Dentist/Doctor (True Story)... but doing something so permanent is REALLY scary to me]

A lot of Korean women get the Double Eyelid Surgery.
I hear it’s not really a big deal…. I care to disagree.
You’re SEWING/CUTTING YOUR EYELID! How can that not be a big deal?
Nose Jobs and Cutting of the Chin (?) are also pretty common.  Breaking your nose and slicing your face does not sound pleasant to me.
Yes, with all that Plastic Surgery, you may have “prettier” features… but can you still recognize yourself when you look in the mirror?

Plastic Surgery also seems to play a part in getting jobs.
I’m not going to lie and say that looks don’t have an influence or play a factor in society.
OF COURSE everyone likes looking at an attractive person.
And yes, unfortunately, people may judge others based on their looks… but this is a temporary thing.
Initially a person who is attractive may stand out more, but if there’s no substance… the beauty fades.
Some of the most attractive people in the world have the ugliest hearts… and that makes them an ugly person.
If you have the qualifications, the confidence, and the personality, you’ll most likely get the job.
If you have to have surgery to get a job… find another job!

I’d previously written about how Korean Adults can make negative comments, which can make you feel bad about yourself….  but what does it say when parents encourage their children to change the way they look by suggesting, giving as a gift, or forcing their children to get plastic surgery?!?
“Parents make their kids get plastic surgery,” says Dr. Shim Hyung Bo, a plastic surgeon practicing in Seoul, “just like they make them study. They realize looks are important for success.” Which means that in today’s Korea, getting your eyes done can be easier than getting the keys to dad’s car” (http://www.time.com/time/asia/covers/1101020805/plastics.html)
* To me, it’s always really sad when a parent can’t accept their child for who they are.
When they can’t accept something as personal as the way their child looks… what kind of message is that sending?
Instead of teaching children that they need to change the way they look to fit into society’s ideal of beauty, how about teaching children the value of their self-worth and showing them love and acceptance?

It truly makes me sad that South Korea has become a country that accepts, embraces, and even encourages Plastic Surgery so easily.

• First of All~ It’s Permanent! You will never have the same face you had before. NEVER!   NEVER EVER!
• Secondly~ What if you don’t like the results? God Forbid something goes wrong, or you’re not happy with the way you look.
• Thirdly~ It can become an addiction

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Hang Mioku is a 48 year old woman who became obsessed with plastic surgery. She started getting plastic surgery at the age of 28. After having multiple operations, her face was left enlarged and disfigured.  After surgeons refused to work on her anymore, she resorted to injecting cooking oil into her face.  She became known as “Standing Fan” by the neighborhood children because of her large face and small body.

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Apparently, the number of Plastic Surgeries has declined since the Recession hit. I think this is a good thing.
I hope that Korea stops looking at Plastic Surgery so lightly.

To me, Plastic Surgery can seem like a loss of Ethnic Identity and a loss of Self.
But I don’t know….. maybe that’s just the way I see it…

I don’t want to make people that have had Plastic Surgery feel bad about themselves.
If you’ve done it…. I’m sure you had your reasons, and I hope you like the results.
If it’s made you happier, more confident, feel more beautiful… that’s wonderful!  Do what you gotta do~*

I just hope that people realize that Plastic Surgery IS a big deal.
It’s not just something that everyone does, something that will make you a better person, and it is most definitely NOT an appropriate graduation gift!

But those are just my thoughts…. What are yours?

P.S. You’d be amazed at what a little eyelid tape and makeup can do~*

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

http://irenekimmakeup.com
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David Chang was making kimchi on national television this week on the Today Show, and we all know that Korea is trying to evangelize the wonders of Korean food.  So there’s a lot of news bits about Korean food overall, but are we taking it a little too far with kimchi donuts?  Really?  I know you all have kimchi on the side next to the turkey at Thanksgiving, but imagine eating kimchi with custard.  Well Dunkin Donuts just launched the kimchi donut in South Korea or kimchi croquette.

The Wonder Girls are Trending Up
The Wonder Girls were in the top ten trending topics on Twitter. Say that 5 times real fast. That’s right, the lovable teen Kpop group from South Korea not only made it to the top 100 on the Billboard charts in the U.S., they became a top tenner on Twitter this weekend. We’re going to guess Rain as the next Korean entity to become a Top Ten Trending Twitter Topic (TTTTT).


There are Three Ways to Say “Thank You” in Korean
According to the Korea Times, there are three ways to say “thank you” informally in Korean, depending on where you live. This is a result of the Korean language evolving as Koreans have spread out across the world.

For North Koreans it is “고마와,” for the Koryo-saram in Central Asia it might be “아슴챠이타” and in standard Korean, based on the dialect of Seoul, it is “고마워.” On top of this, the occasional English “thank you,” can be heard.

I wonder if there are three different ways to say “Can I have your number?”

Korean Wave of Plastic Surgery
Do you want to look like Lee Byung Hun or Hyori? Koreans are famous like Brazilians for plastic surgery. Well, Kpop and Korean dramas seem to be the rage lately and all of Asia is enamored with the singers and actors.  It also helps that we’ve got some good looking Koreans. Anyway, looks like Asians (that are not Korean) are opting for surgery to look more Korean, this according to the Plastic Surgery Channel.

People from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore and Hong Kong are flocking to Korea these days for facial bone contouring and cosmetic surgery on their eyes and noses.

The trend was reportedly spawned by what many are calling the “Korean Wave” – the rising popularity of Korean celebrities.

Asians from other territories want to look more like popular Korean actors and musicians. And they’re willing to travel and pay up to three times more for plastic surgery than they would in China.

Currently, the number of foreign patients in Korea is 33 percent higher than it was in 2008, and they reportedly spend twice as much money as regular Japanese tourists.

In South Korea, men account for 15% of all plastic surgery compared to 9% of men having similar procedures in the U.S.  So what’s with all the nip and tuck among South Korean men?  How about trying to keep your job and also advancing your career.

Appearance is one of the most important aspects in getting, and keeping, a job in a nation where men are the main breadwinners in 80 percent of households, said Kang, Choi’s surgeon.

“Men have cut down on their bar bill and vacation budget. But they are still investing in their appearance,” said Kang. “People believe it pays to look good.”

About 31 percent of Korean job-seekers said they were willing to undergo plastic surgery because appearance has become an important factor in finding a job, according to a survey last month by recruiting firm Saramin.  Read more…

But turmoil coursing through the financial world and then into the global economy has hit South Korea hard, as it has many middle-income countries. The downturn drove down the stock market and the currency by a third or more last year, and the resulting anxiety forced many South Koreans to change their habits.

A particular chill has seeped into the plastic surgery industry, emptying waiting rooms and driving clinics out of business.

“In hard times, people always cut back on luxuries like eating out, jewelry and plastic surgery,” said one plastic surgeon, Park Hyun, who has seen the number of his patients drop sharply. “If this is a normal recession, then these desires will eventually get reignited, and our patients will come back.”  Continue reading at NYTimes>