Beauty standards seem to change over time. Somehow it seems to be linked to status and personal outing of wealth. It used to be popular to be curvy because that meant you were a wealthy person. In North-Korea this is still the case but on the other side of the border things have changed. In Seoul the aesthetic surgery industry is exploding. Nowadays one of the ways to show off wealth by appearance is plastic surgery.
Pressure is high in Seoul in almost every part of life. Getting into a good school, finding a good job, finding a man and having a wealthy life is not taken for granted. People have to compete with each other all the time. And of course beauty is a very important part of this competition. But Seoul takes it to a next level. A picture on your school application or job interview is a must. That’s why looks are a very important part of you future. Girls get nose jobs as a graduating gift to get a better job. The problem is now that the competition isn’t real. The Ideals; the K‑pop stars the drama stars are not natural looking people. So how can the average person keep up with this?
