The normality of plastic surgery in Korea has had a major influence on the skyrocket of the nation's beauty standards. Keep on reading for 7 shocking facts you probably did not know about the Korean plastic surgery industry.
1. Seoul Is The Plastic Surgery Capitol Of The World
The high-status neighborhood of Gangnam reportedly has 500 aesthetic centers alone. South Korea has the most plastic surgeries per capita on earth with over 980,000 recorded operations in 2014. According to Business Insider, South Korea has the most plastic surgeries per capita on earth, with over 980,000 recorded operations in 2014. That's 20 procedures per 1,000 people, putting it ahead of the United States' 13 procedures per 1,000.
2. Half Of The Clients Seen Are International
In recent years foreigners started joining in the rows of patients in pursuit of aesthetic perfection. Japanese, and particularly Chinese visitors, arrive in South Korea, taking advantage of the geographical proximity. Foreigners from all over the world visit plastic surgery clinics in Seoul's Gangnam area to keep up with the skyrocketing beauty industry.
3. Korean Women Are Majorly Impacted
Reports state that one in three South Korean women between the age of 19 and 29 have gone under the knife.
When you simply walk down the street or enter the subway in certain areas of Seoul, it's impossible not to see a flashy advertisement for a surgery clinic. Korean women are so desensitized to plastic surgery that is has become a common phenomenon in society.
4. Half Of Korea's Population Lives In Seoul
Seoul, South Korea has the 6th highest population density on earth and because of this people are confronted by body image all the time. The stress of living in a hyper-competitive society can be overbearing, and the beauty industry plays a large role in this. Because of close proximity, the people of Seoul are conflicted by skyrocketing beauty standards every day, leading it to become the global plastic surgery capital.
5. Your Photo Is Included In Your Resume For Most Jobs
Korea Myeongdong Korean City South Seoul TowerIn South Korea's hyper-competitive job market it helps to be attractive. In addition to a resume and references, most employers want a head shot. According to a survey of 760 companies, 93 percent of firms required one, and six out of ten human resources managers are influenced by an applicant's appearance at the time of hiring.
6. It's Not Only Women Who Are Impacted
The plastic surgery industry does not only impact women in South Korea. Dr. Hang-Seok Choi, a plastic surgeon and director at JK, a clinic in Gangnam, says that it is not just women who are impacted and that 15% to 20% of his clinic's clients are men.
7. The K-Pop Boom Has Created A New Beauty Aesthetic
The K-pop (Korean pop music) boom hasn't just upended the global pop charts; it's also created a new beauty aesthetic. Young people all over East Asia aspire to look like K-pop stars, with wide eyes, small noses, angled chins. Twenty percent of Koreans have had some sort of plastic surgery, and in the capital, Seoul, the number rises to 60 percent of 20-year-olds.
