How Korean Beauty Standards Have Influenced Women Around The World

Korean beauty standards have played a significant role in changing the way women view beauty. Many women around the world have been influenced by the way Korea views women and beauty. These changes in beauty standards have resulted in Korea having a strong influence in setting global beauty standards. In Korea the use of cosmetic surgery is common and widely accepted. Korea has also changed the way people view beauty products and they place an important focus on having a slim build and small face.

Here are some of the ways Korea has affected world beauty standards: 

Slim Figures and Clear Faces

In Korean culture, it is important for females to have both a slim figure and a small face. This change has been seen around the world where women are not expected to have smaller figures and smaller, cuter looking faces. Other desired characteristics of Korean women include having large eyes, smooth skin, and a clear face. We have seen that across the world more and more cultures are adopting an interest in smaller figures and clear faces. There has been an increased focus across the world on using acne creams and face masks to keep faces clear of any blemish. 

Cosmetic Surgery

Korea’s beauty standards have adopted many looks including having a small figure, slim face, smaller lips and larger eyes. People in Korea often use cosmetic surgery to achieve these standards of beauty and the practice of using cosmetic surgery is very common and accepted in Korea. Approximately 20 percent of young women in Korea have undergone cosmetic surgery and this is a higher percentage than other countries.

That trend is starting to become popular in other parts of the world as well. Other people around the world are adopting a similar attitude when it comes to using cosmetic surgery to achieve certain looks. In different parts of the world such as the United States, the views on lip size is different than that of Korea, but the idea that using surgery to achieve desired body aesthetics are the same. 

Beauty Products

In Korea the use of beauty products is vastly evident. Koreans spend around 2.5 Billion dollars annually on beauty related products and that figure is expected to increase over the next 5 years. Koreans mostly purchase blemish creams and color correction serums. Many Koreans are fighting aging with the use of beauty related products because looking young is important in Korean culture. Face Masks are also another popular product in Korea.

Over the last 10 years the world has begun to adopt some of Korea’s beauty routines. The use of face masks has always been very popular in Korean culture and now people across the world are starting to use face masks more often. The reason people like to use face masks is that they help leave your skin nice and soft and they help keep your face free from any blemishes. In Korea it is considered a personal embarrassment to have blemishes on their face. Many people across the world are starting to feel the same way and that has resulted in the increased use of face masks. 

Male Beauty Standards

Korean beauty has not only affected women, but it has also reached the standards of men. The beauty standards for males in Korea are similar to that of women. Men are expected to be slim and are not expected to be overweight. Many men in Korea also undergo surgeries and use beauty related products to help enhance their appearance. In  2012, nearly 20% of the beauty related products purchased in the country were products for men.

This trend is slowly starting to be adopted by the rest of the world. Nowadays there are many more beauty related products that are being marketed to men. Since the market for male beauty products has increased in Korea, we have since a global increase in the beauty products marketed towards men. In most parts of the world the general consensus was that men are to be big and strong, but the beauty standards for males in Korea has always held a preference for smaller men. This trend is starting to change the way society views how men should look and I expect that the future for male beauty standards will continue to be influenced by Korea’s preferences.

The beauty standards in Korea are definitely changing how the world views beauty. They are redefining what it means to be beautiful and their use of cosmetic surgeries and cosmetic products has made them an industry leader when it comes to beauty. The world is expected to continue to adopt the similar beauty standards found in Korea. These include slimmer faces and bodies for women, the increased use of beauty products for both men and women, and the acceptance of using cosmetic surgery to achieve desired results.