Trying to live a normal life in plastic surgery central

Whether it’s Botox or breast augmentation, liposuction or laser treatment, there’s not much a cosmetic surgeon can’t do these days to change a person’s appearance. Plastic surgery used to be just for the rich and famous, but not any longer.
More and more ordinary women, and even men, are looking to reshape their bodies. Perhaps in no other place has the trend grown so fast as in South Korea, where women are under more pressure than ever to go under the knife.
I once believed only celebrities adjusted their faces through medical technology, but Korea has proved me wrong. The most common surgery is blepharoplasty, or double eyelid surgery. This procedure is not only popular among adults, but also among teenagers.
As someone who was brought up abroad, it took time for me to get used to seeing women with bandages wrapped around their noses and eyelids. I’ve always viewed Korea as a very conservative country. However, the subject of “attractiveness” seems to have boomed in recent years.
As the level of medical technology has advanced rapidly in Korea, the number of people having surgery has also increased. I guess it was the influence of the media that first intrigued and pressured Koreans into going “plastic,” which is now, I believe, a part of our culture.
Ridiculous as it is, I couldn’t believe people were getting plastic surgery to get jobs. Why should appearance be of concern when applying for a job? To my knowledge, pretty faces are referred to as “flowers on the job,” but just having a good-looking outer shell doesn’t mean that it will help make you a millionaire.
I support the idea of plastic surgery, but only to a certain extent. I truly believe in the expression “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” In other words, personality outweighs appearance.
People should be thankful and happy for the way they look. Your appearance represents who you are and your individuality.
These days, almost all the women I see on the streets look amazingly similar. The unnatural thick double eyelids and the artificial high nose are not very difficult to notice.
In Korean society, appearance has become an important factor, and there is no escaping that sad fact. I always thought it was enough if people were satisfied with the way they look, but the mentality of our community seems to expect more than it needs.
If Koreans have to undergo plastic surgery to get jobs, whom are we really trying to impress? Is it ourselves or others?

by Minnie Ko