South Korea loves plastic surgery and makeup. Some women want to change that. Gender inequality and the global #MeToo movement have fueled “Escape the Corset,” a campaign to cast off the country’s rigid beauty standards
SEOUL, South Korea — Kim Ji-yeon knew she wanted plastic surgery when she was seven. For the next 13 years, she destroyed photos of herself until her parents paid for double jaw surgery, a procedure that requires breaking the jaw to realign it.
Then Kim started to question why she devoted so much — $200 a month and two hours a day, she calculated — to her appearance. She cut her hair short. Then she crushed her makeup into pieces.
Kim, 22, is one of a growing group of South Korean women rebelling against their society’s rigid beauty standards — a push they call “Escape the Corset.” Inspired in part by the global #MeToo movement, which has shaken up politics and society in South Korea’s deeply patriarchal culture, the women are challenging long-accepted attitudes about plastic surgery and cosmetics in one of the world’s most beauty-obsessed capitals.
“Misogyny is more extreme in South Korea, and the beauty industry has made it worse,” Kim said.
Beauty is big in South Korea. It has the world’s highest rate of cosmetic surgery per capita, and it keeps rising. It has become a destination for nip-and-tuck tourism. The beauty market — cosmetics and facial care products like masks — generated $13 billion in sales last year, according to Mintel, making it one of the world’s top 10 beauty markets.
While men are an increasing part of the market, the beauty pressure is aimed mostly at women. K-pop stars who often get extensive cosmetic surgery are held up as the standard. YouTube celebrities with millions of followers offer elaborate tutorials on how to apply makeup. Women are bombarded with ads across buses, in subways and on TV.
“Born pretty?” reads one in the Seoul subway. “That’s a big fat lie.”
ãã®èšäºã¯ Marie Claire Malaysia ã® March 2019 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ Marie Claire Malaysia ã® March 2019 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
High Fashion Takes A Stand Against The Covid-19 Pandemic
As the world battles the turbulent effects of COVID-19, fashionâs most prestigious luxury groups join in on the fight against the novel coronavirus
She NAILED It
Pursuing a successful career beautifying the nails of Hollywoodâs whoâs who is incredibly intenseâbut it is also incredibly rewarding. Sought out by Hollywoodâs elite, nail artist Thuy Nguyen gives us a closer insight on her journey as an artist in La-La land
The ILLUSTRATOR of DREAMS
Azza Arif gives an exclusive insight into the romantic world of Elie Saab, brought to life with the creativity of fashion photography and digital illustration using Appleâs creative essentialsâthe iPhone 11 Pro and the iPad Pro
The Newest BEAUTY BOSSES
Redefining the Malaysian beauty scene, Marie Claire Malaysia explores exactly how our homegrown future shapers are thriving in the local landscape of beauty
YUNA AT HOME
We all know her as the woman with a POWERFUL VOICE. An international name, YUNA acknowledges the role her soulful MUSIC plays in the lives of her listeners, and despite her stardom, strives to CONNECT with her audiences during this pandemic through Instagram live sessions, and SHARING her KNOWLEDGE of music through virtual intimate classes she calls Tiny Class. She talks to Azza Arif about life at home under MCO, the CHANGES she hopes to see within the music industry, her LOVE for her QUARANTINE PARTNER and husband, Adamâincluding what habits she picked up from him; and the advice she would give to her 15-YEAR OLD SELF
REINVENTING The Traditional Business Model
Innovative partnerships might be the solution brands need to stay relevant
DESIGNERS to WATCH
Stay in the know with our curated list of talented emerging designers that will keep you looking fashion-forward for any occasion
6 TIPS for a BETTER ORGASM
Achieving consistent, mind-blowing orgasms doesnât necessarily have to be a distant dreamâthere are little tricks that can help you learn how to have betterâand more frequentâorgasms
SPRING Training
Spring clean and revamp your post gym skincare essentials to not only maximise your body and mind, but your beauty health too
Of Mentors and PROTÃGÃS
Supporting quality, excellence and performanceâ a cross-generational exchange like no other. Rolex unveils its list of inspiring mentors and talented protégés for the 2020-2021 Rolex Arts Initiative