Plastic surgery in South Korea

South Korea is the plastic surgery capital of the world — to such an extent that parents will often pay for their children to have double eyelid surgery before they start college. A plastic surgeon in Seoul's Gangnam District explains the obsession with plastic surgery.

Produced by Will Wei and Drake Baer

[jebremocampo]

"Congratulations child! You graduated! Now here's money to get a surgery, because you look disgusting...I mean not good enough." That's basically the message of the surgery gifts

[Omar-ifvd]

why does she look so sad before and in the after she is smiling ?lol another type of sneaky way to persuade people.

[cyrilcyriac]

Boys and girls, this is the reason why you shouldn't judge your country people's to koreans. Specially kpop ideals.

[royvillasin]

when a korean sees a korean in korea, what do they think of each other in terms of physical appearance? Their monologues must be jarring.

[vincentivantanaya]

damn. i wonder what are their children gonna say to their parents

[JamConcerned]

It was a slight difference, but I guess it give them confidence.

[yenuv]

Welcome to gangnam in korea, everyone looks like gangnam beauty.

[chestnut...]

Can't imagine the amount of societal pressure they experience, if people have to resort to plastic surgery just to fit in and have a better life

[_d.i.n.i_]

most of them look the same. like they have a standard face to copy for surgery. like "I want my chin to look like miss A.. my nose like miss B, my jaw like mister G or my cheeks look like miss C" creepy af.. just sad really. I love my Asian eyelids 💕

[samukelisiwek]

I am a 20 year old black South African, growing up I hated my eyes because I had small eyes & double eyelids and mostly everyone had these big eyes, and they used to make fun of my eyes and even got the nickname China, and to see that my eyes are a beauty standard in other countries & some people actually pay money to have double eyelids is a big game changer for my self confidence.

[Islam-jkgx]

you are beautiful just the way you are it hurts the most when your parents give you plastic surgery as a gift you are beautiful and unique in your own way don't change who you are

[yopiyudafebrian]

that's why in the korea is less of plastic trash.

[Bhargavi.k]

In Asia ... Indian do have double eyelid from the day we are born

[Waldemarvonanhalt]

Imagine what Joseon dynasty Koreans would think of people today wanting to get more European-like features.

[CTOInformation]

what about the kids? they gonna be confused.

[DWook]

Anyone else looking at the before and after pictures and thinking, "That person got more than a double eyelid surgery..." or is it just me? :D

[JCorvinusVR]

Cosmetic surgery less than $3k and looks that good? Damn, that's awesome. Wish we had that here.

[kimchi_taco]

It's because western beauty is current beauty standard. Old Korean paint presents many single eyelib beautiful girls.
If Japan won WW2 to US, it would be different.

[streetcar]

Before: no makeup and no filter
After: tons of makeup and filter

[Peleski]

It's quite a minor procedure, so I'm not sure why there' s any fuss about it. People get their eyebags (blepheroplasty) removed all the time, and it does improve their demeanor, without doubt.