In South Korea, beauty standards have a serious impact on women and youth, shaping the demand for radical aesthetic interventions and beauty procedures that not only require significant expenses but can also shock even industry specialists.
South Korea has become a global center for plastic surgery — according to The Economist, one in five women in the country has undergone plastic surgery, and in 2025, around $4 billion was spent on beauty procedures, with projections to grow to nearly $13 billion by 2034.
Most often, interventions are sought by girls aged 19 to 29, for whom beauty injections often become a gift for coming of age or graduation. For Korean women, plastic surgery is an everyday part of life, much like brushing teeth in the morning. In Korea, there is even an unspoken principle known as oemo jisang juui — hiring based on appearance. 93% of companies acknowledge that an attractive appearance increases the chances of getting a job. And yes, Korean women are willing to go to great lengths for their looks. They even undergo unimaginable procedures that would make ordinary people’s blood run cold...
Skin Whitening
The cult of pale skin in Asia emerged long before Western influence and has roots in the past when a light complexion was a sign of noble birth and wealth. Over time, the ideal transformed into a persistent beauty norm that women continue to pursue by any means available. In the quest for a porcelain tone, Asian girls resort to both relatively harmless methods like whitening creams and radical, potentially dangerous procedures. Of particular concern are whitening creams with questionable ingredients, often containing mercury and other toxic substances. Subcutaneous injections are also not entirely safe, quite painful, and require regular repetition.
Epicanthoplasty
One of the most sought-after beauty procedures in East Asia is changing the shape of the outer corner of the eye to create a more open and elongated look. During the surgery, the surgeon cuts the skin of the epicanthus, which visually enlarges the eyes and gives them a more expressive shape. For enhanced effect, this procedure is often combined with eyelid correction, aiming to bring the eye shape closer to that of Europeans. Despite the pain and invasiveness of the intervention, demand for such surgery remains consistently high.
Hairline Lowering
A rather strange procedure. Hair transplants are done to conceal alopecia, but in South Korea, transplants are performed to visually reduce the forehead. First, the plastic surgeon cuts the hairline, then lowers the hairy part of the head and removes excess skin. Lowering the hairline significantly changes the proportions of the face and makes it appear cuter.
Forehead Augmentation
Yes, this procedure contradicts the previous one. But apparently, it depends on personal preference — some want to reduce their forehead, while others want to increase it. During the operation, the surgeon cuts the hairline, creates space down to the base of the nose, places an implant on the frontal bone, and stitches the incision. By increasing the forehead, a Korean woman becomes more similar to a European, which is what she dreamed of.
Mentoplasty
Or simply — jaw narrowing. Another imposed beauty standard is sharp cheekbones and a V-shaped chin. For this, many opt for jaw reduction surgery: an incision is made inside the mouth, after which the surgeon files down and removes part of the bone. Mentoplasty lasts on average a couple of hours, costs $5,000 to $6,000, and requires several months of painful recovery. The scale of the popularity of such surgeries in Korea is vividly illustrated by photos from clinics with huge containers filled with the filed jawbones of patients. It looks frightening.
Chin Augmentation
This is one of the most dangerous surgeries. During the intervention, the jaw is essentially broken and reconstructed. Previously, such plastic surgery was used exclusively for medical reasons, for example, after serious injuries. Due to the high concentration of nerves and blood vessels in this area, the procedure carries serious risks of damage and requires lengthy and painful rehabilitation, which can last up to six months. An unsuccessful intervention can lead to severe complications — from bleeding and infections to paralysis and death.
