Celebrating the winter holidays, an increasing number of people are visiting plastic surgery hospitals to receive cosmetic operations; however, many of them exhibit reluctance towards cosmetic surgery.

Cosmetic surgeries can change one’s appearance to be more aesthetically appealing, including lip augmentation, double eyelid operation, nose shaping, facelift, breast augmentation, and more.

South Korea is recognized as a plastic surgery powerhouse with the world’s best techniques.

20% of Korean women have undergone some form of plastic surgery or are considering receiving the operation.

Women are not the only visitors to plastic surgery hospitals.

Cosmetic surgery is prevalent among all genders and age ranges, including men, high school senior students who have recently finished their college entrance exams, college students, and even grade school students.

According to an employment portal, 73.5% of the men and women surveyed answered that they ‘considered receiving cosmetic surgery.’

Ironically, 74% of the subjects also answered that they feel reluctant towards cosmetic surgery.

Two notable reasons can explain the double standards towards cosmetic surgery in Korea: Confucianism and Korea’s rapid development.

Confucianism can be easily seen in modern-day Korea; for example, the usage of honorifics is widespread in Korea as a way to show respect to older people.

Tracing back in history, in the Joseon Dynasty, people were not permitted to cut their hair according to the Confucianism belief that everyone should handle their body with care since one’s parents and ancestors have given it.

With Confucianism beliefs still present in Korea, altering one’s body for beauty and self-satisfaction goes against the norm.

This would have caused a double standard since people view cosmetic surgery as “sinful,” yet the desire for beauty is stirring in present society.

Korea’s rapid development after the Korean War also played a part in creating double standards for cosmetic operations.

Korea made tremendous development in just a few decades, with its GDP per capita increasing by more than 200 times in 2022 compared to 1960.

Korea is a small, crowded, and rapidly developing nation.

These features of South Korea encouraged competition among individuals.

In order to strive among thousands of competitive populations, people pursued superiority among others in various aspects such as education, jobs, and beauty.

A finding revealed that physical appearances also contribute to success in job employment, intensifying the double standards for cosmetic surgery.

Such double standards become even more harsh for celebrities.

In 2007, actress Jeong Hye-sun, more widely known as Jeong Da-bin, committed suicide after being harassed by malicious comments that accused Jeong of undergoing cosmetic surgery when, in fact, she did not.

If the double standard remains unresolved, society might face another tragic loss.

Society wants two things simultaneously— a doll-like, perfect appearance and natural beauty.

It is crucial for the citizens to embrace and accept each individual’s distinct and unique beauty or to stop the double standards.

Subin Cho
Grade 9
Saint Johnsbury Academy Jeju