Beauty and the East
Beauty is a relative thing. What is considered beautiful in one place may be considered ugly in another, but most of us were brought up to believe that what is on the inside is what matters most.
For centuries people have tried to augment their outward appearance. Whether they have done it with minor measures (makeup, wearing stripes to look skinny) or with drastic measures (see Michael Jackson) people have tried to make themselves more beautiful. Plastic surgery is kind of a big thing in South Korea, but there is one surgery that just baffles me: eye surgery.
For the first few weeks I was here I didn't notice it, but after it was pointed out to me, I started to notice it everywhere. Girls get eye surgery to make their eyes look more open, giving their face a more European or American look. Most of the models in advertisements on the subway and on the street have clearly had the surgery, so the standard has been set - you are not a truly beautiful Korean unless you don't look like one. What a fucked up mentality.
I have decided to protest this surgery I am going to have surgery to close my eyes and make them look more Korean. I'm not sure how the surgery works, but I'm sure it is expensive so I will have to wait until I have saved up enough money. I will change nothing about my personality or other physical appearances, just my eyes. I guess my other option is getting surgery to open my eyes even further, making me look like some kind of surprised cartoon character.
I don't like it when people pretend to be something they aren't (see Ted Haggard.) One pleasant thing about my journey to Korea is the chance I have gotten to see myself adapt to totally new people, both of a new culture and from my own. Starting anew somewhere gives one the chance to augment their personality for the better and I am proud to say, I am pretty much the same over here as I am in the States. I guess that means I'm pretty happy with what's inside. Now I've just got to get a tummy tuck, some butt implants, a boob job and that eye surgery.
Love from Seoul
For centuries people have tried to augment their outward appearance. Whether they have done it with minor measures (makeup, wearing stripes to look skinny) or with drastic measures (see Michael Jackson) people have tried to make themselves more beautiful. Plastic surgery is kind of a big thing in South Korea, but there is one surgery that just baffles me: eye surgery.
For the first few weeks I was here I didn't notice it, but after it was pointed out to me, I started to notice it everywhere. Girls get eye surgery to make their eyes look more open, giving their face a more European or American look. Most of the models in advertisements on the subway and on the street have clearly had the surgery, so the standard has been set - you are not a truly beautiful Korean unless you don't look like one. What a fucked up mentality.
I have decided to protest this surgery I am going to have surgery to close my eyes and make them look more Korean. I'm not sure how the surgery works, but I'm sure it is expensive so I will have to wait until I have saved up enough money. I will change nothing about my personality or other physical appearances, just my eyes. I guess my other option is getting surgery to open my eyes even further, making me look like some kind of surprised cartoon character.
I don't like it when people pretend to be something they aren't (see Ted Haggard.) One pleasant thing about my journey to Korea is the chance I have gotten to see myself adapt to totally new people, both of a new culture and from my own. Starting anew somewhere gives one the chance to augment their personality for the better and I am proud to say, I am pretty much the same over here as I am in the States. I guess that means I'm pretty happy with what's inside. Now I've just got to get a tummy tuck, some butt implants, a boob job and that eye surgery.
Love from Seoul
posted by Kyle at 12:53 PM
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