* Sorry friends for the late posting... I saved this post as a draft and never got to published it until now.
My
intercultural scenario is drawn from South Korea, also often known as the land
of plastic surgery beauties and Mecca of cosmetic surgery. I may have
unconsciously experienced its excellence during my trip to Seoul a year ago but I'm certain I got the Korean society's stance on cosmetic surgery.
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| A cosmetic surgery ad found in a Seoul train with the words in red saying " It's my design" |
In place of the total defense ads found in buses and trains in Singapore that appeal to citizens to voluntarily protect our homeland, ads in Seoul’s public transport showcase incredible before-and-after cases of individuals who have undergone plastic surgery.
The fact
that such ads are found so easily and in such visible places show that
having plastic surgery is not something most Koreans frown upon. Yet, it also
reveals that the importance of good looks in the Korean society and this
inevitably exerts pressure on individuals to constantly re-evaluate their self image – in this case, public transport commuters may be confronted with
such issues on a daily basis.
This sight is unlikely to be witnessed in Singapore since having plastic surgery is usually seen in a negative light by society. Also, it tends to be considered as an affair of the rich and famous rather than of the mainstream (as in South Korea) since the former are thought to be the ones with money to spend on such procedures. This idea of a good self image might not be as influential in the Singapore society as it operates on the principle of meritocracy where citizens are credited for their merits rather than physical appearance. In contrast, in Seoul, Koreans believe that being good-looking give them a head start in their intensely competitive society by widening their social networks.
Such ads are often accompanied by 'Korean' vocabulary which ironically uses English alphabets to describe highly desirable body images that are heavily endorsed and publicized by the media. Here are a few examples:
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| The X- line (long arms and legs with a narrow waist) *Notice the 'X' in the background |
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| The S- line (a curvaceous figure) |
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| The two types of V-line |
Did you know that people may receive plastic surgery as their 18 year old birthday presents or that it is extremely common for college students to have cosmetic procedures during their summer breaks before they return to school?
While it is natural for people to want to look good, in the South Korean context, such standards are taken to incomprehensible level as Koreans work around an image of an ideal beauty/ hunk. Even though men have their fair share of 'lines' like the M-line which is used to illustrate defined six-packs, Korean women face
disproportionately more societal pressure to look good than men. This is mainly because the Korean
society subscribes to Confucian ideals which emphasise hierarchy and male-dominant principles. Some skeptics (or not) have even gone ahead to suggest that the societal importance on good looks is the result of a survivalist philosophy/mentality among Koreans. Accordingly, men go under the knife to hang on to their dominant position in society and women do likewise to survive in a male-dominated society.
Maybe its good that we hear it from the horse's mouth? Let's see what Arirang Today has to say about why are Koreans so into their looks ;) Hmm, so might Singaporeans' lack of receptiveness to plastic surgery and their sloppy dressing a good societal trend and a blessing in disguise?
