http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05293/592034.stm

The WSJ introduced as an example Hong Kong aspiring actress Kate Shu. Determined to become a successful performer, Kate made up her mind to go to Seoul in order to have plastic surgery. She especially liked the feminine appearance of actress Song Hye-gyo and had her nose done, her eyes made to look larger, and her chin whittled down.

She was a keen viewer of Korean dramas and gobbled up every little detail about Korean stars on internet websites. “Korean actresses are really pretty,” she said. “They have graceful, prominent noses.” That was the reason for having plastic surgery in Seoul, she explained.

Korean Fever in Asia: Korean faces set the standard of beauty in Asia.

Plastic surgery tourism fever: “Make me look like Lee Young-Ae.”

Korean fever is spreading beyond Japan and China to other parts of Asia. In countries like Japan and Singapore, Korean hip-hop, pop, dramas, and romantic comedies are gaining popularity. In Taiwan, the most popular Korean star is Clone, in Vietnam, Jang Dong-gun and Kim Nam-ju, in China, Kim Hee-sun, Jang Na-ra, and Lee Young-Ae, in Japan, BoA, Bae Yong-jun, and Choi Ji-woo. The final episode of The Jewel in the Palace, starring Lee Young-Ae, was the top-rated show in Hong Kong, watched by more than 40% of the population. In Japan, BoA has sold more albums than Brittany Spears. In China, broadcasting stations have shown more than 100 Korean programs. In Japan, Winter Sonata was wildly popular.

It’s 9 PM and I’m getting a little tired of translating a long article that is available perhaps in the print version of the WSJ, so I’m skipping down to an interesting part:

A Rebellion against the image of Caucasian beauty?

Plastic surgery fever is not unrelated to the Korean beauty ideal of huge eyes, a prominent nose, and a slender face. Having the right appearance is necessary in order to get work. For actresses, getting work done is an inescapable reality. Entertainers like like Jadu, Ok Ju-hyun, Shin Ji and others have been applauded for candidly admitting to plastic surgery.

Korean beauty may be setting a new standard in Asia, but Korean women themselves are the least satisfied with their appearance among Asian women. The reason may be looksism.

Multinational corporation Unilever surveyed 2100 women between the ages of 15 and 45 in ten Asian countries. 53% of Korean women responded “yes” when asked if they had ever considered plastic surgery, ranking first among the ten nations surveyed. The number is 5-13 times higher than in Malaysia (4%), China (9%), and Singapore (10%). Only 1% of Korean women expressed the opinion that they were beautiful in this survey, compared to 3% of all women surveyed. 43% of Korean women felt they were too fat, and 8 out of 10 thought they looked their best before the age of 30.

Okay, I’m tired of translating. G’night.

Asian Rebellion Against Western Beauty?

A side effect of Korean fever?

Riding the wave of Korean fever in Asia, plastic surgery that imitates the features of Korean movie actors is a hot trend.

In the Wall Street Journal 1st edition of Oct. 20, the story “Korean plastic surgery is changing the face of Asia” dealt with the topic of plastic surgery in Korea.

“As Korean beauties have attracted a following through the export of Korean entertainment, Asian women and men are stampeding to Seoul to get their faces done,” the newspaper reported. Korea, long known as an industrial nation that sold cars and home appliances, is creating a new style by spreading Korean style beauty in Asia through its cultural exports, centered around Korean style plastic surgery to enhance one’s looks. The newspaper examined in detail the preference for a Korean appearance in the Asian region.

http://www.hani.co.kr/kisa/sec.....56766.html

Marmot,

How can I become a guest blogger? I’m not as witty as you or some of the other Marmot regulars, but I read Korean media online and I’m always happy to polish my translation skills.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10.....nvest.html

south korea becoming big asian ivestor by james brooks.

i told you south korea was the largest ivestor in china.

And you’re (Mark) citing growth rates, not actual numbers. As JYC hinted, all those numbers are demonstrating is that people immigrate, move to California, and adopt the local customs.

(Don’t mind me, not to pick a fight or anything…I guess I had too much to say after not commenting here for a month.)