Suffering to be Accepted

By Iris Park and Dan Park

Are there any cultural conflicts or clashes because of plastic surgery in other countries? 
Korea has the highest rate of plastic surgery in the world. Koreans usually prefer procedures such as ‘double-eyelids’ and nose jobs. 

Why are they doing this? Because Korean women are trying to look like Western women. Korean women think Western women have small and slim faces, which to Korean women are ideal features. 

These days, when you go to the Gang-nam area in Seoul, you can see girls who have similar faces. They look almost identical. This is reality in South Korea. We can see how Asians view themselves and how they are influenced by cultural perspectives. 

“In order to become beautiful, visit our BK Aesthetic Surgery Hospital. We are experts. Don’t hesitate! Without pain, you can become the sexy woman of your dreams! Getting wonderful jobs and finding a great lover are thrown in!” 

These ads are everywhere you go: bus wraps, billboards, posters, and flyers.
Let’s move on to another country: Brazil. According to the most recent statistics, Brazil ranks fifth among industrialized nations when it comes to plastic surgery. Brazilian men prefer voluptuous women, and women want to have that kind of body. This reason causes them to have plastic surgery to enlarge their breasts and their buttocks.

Camila from Brazil said that she had plastic surgery on her breasts to make them bigger. Her mother even had hers done at the same time. It’s very common in Brazil. 

Camila and her mother felt very self-conscious before, but her sister, who is too young to have plastic surgery, still has the same complex.

Liposuction and lip augmentation are very popular as well.

These days, plastic surgery has become accepted by the media, which even promotes it. After having  a procedure, many people finally feel satisfied. Even though going under the knife can boost one’s self-confidence and increase profits for the private medical industry, it also gives people unrealistic expectations. 

By achieving 'ideal' beauty, people receive positive attention.  But why should they care about their outward appearance and not the inside? People always want to look like society’s ideals. The masses idolize “beautiful people” simply because of their outward appearance.

Have you ever thought that you’d like to change your features? If so, which features would you like to change? Are you willing to go under the knife to look 'beautiful'?