Beliefs and trends of aesthetic surgery in South Korean young adults

Abstract

In 2003, the word "외모지상주의 (oe-mo-ji-sang-ju-ui)" first made an appearance in the neologism dictionary of the National Institute of Korean Language. The closest English translation to this word is "lookism," which was first used in 1978 in the Washington Post magazine [1]. The term is defined as "prejudice or discrimination based on physical appearance" that falls short of the societal notions of beauty [2]. With the rise of "lookism" in South Korea, plastic surgery has grown from a subculture into a mainstream culture that penetrated deeply into the society. External appearance is now considered a pivotal factor that contributes to professional achievements and interpersonal relationships [3]. Correlation between attractiveness and success is not a new concept nor is it limited to South Korea [4]; however, over recent decades this phenomenon of "lookism" has led many individuals to pursue cosmetic surgery as a means for reaching social and professional success.