Every Day New Face

(The title is a joke that none of you will get because you don't live in Korea. It's the motto for a cosmetics company over here. Not funny when I have to tell you it. Still, it's funny for me.)

I'm sure many of you have heard me mention the sheer number of beautiful women in Korea. It's really quite crazy. I'd say nearly 50% of Korean women are very attractive, as opposed to maybe 10 or 15% back home. For a long time I thought Koreans had good genes...or maybe their diet contributed...or maybe the fact that there are so many gyms here. I was mistaken.

I knew plastic surgery was big business in Korea. I've seen the shops. They're everywhere: two or three just on the two kilometer walk to a friend's house. But I didn't really realize how many people actually go for it.

I was having lunch with some Korean co-workers the other day and the subject came up. Apparently, Korea has the highest per capita plastic surgery rate in the world. It's built right into the culture. My co-workers told me that women often give it to themselves as a college graduation gift, going with many friends to get it together.

And what the women actually get done is a bit odd. The most common procedure is getting "double eyelids." Most Westerners have these. Look in the mirror: see how your eyelid has an extra fold in it when it's open? Many Koreans don't have that extra fold, but have it done for them. Weird.

Most of the other procedures are pretty much the same as back home. The only other odd one that I've heard about (and is common) is putting in a nose bridge. This is the area of your nose where your glasses sit. Many Koreans don't really have one.

Well, I'll never look at the beautiful Korean women around me all the time quite the same way. My co-workers really enlightened me. They sure knew a lot about the procedures...but none would admit to having anything one themselves. Hmmmmm....

R