Behind South Korean cosmetic surgery: its historical causes and its intertwined relationship with Korean pop culture

Author(s)Wang, Yuqing
Date Accessioned2016-01-12T13:48:17Z
Date Available2016-01-12T13:48:17Z
Publication Date2015
AbstractThis thesis focuses on South Korea's cosmetic surgery industry. Its discussion covers three aspects: cause of the fast booming cosmetic surgery practices in South Korea; Korean Pop culture as a live advertisement promoting surgery clinics and pressuring more people to undergo cosmetic surgery; and the impact of cosmetic surgery on South Korean society and economics. The thesis challenges some interpretations on Korean cosmetic surgery that western media reports put forward. Many of these reports outline how influenced Koreans are by the "western standards" of beauty and, therefore, are trying to "look more western" through surgery (Kyung Lah, CNN.com ). This thesis argues that the reasons that account for the Korean surgery boom can be traced to a set of more complicated factors, both historical and cultural. These factors gave birth to aesthetic surgery practice, while Korean Pop culture and stars largely encouraged the continued expansion and growth of the Korean cosmetic surgery industry. Jointly, these two forces together have made South Korea the most surgically-enhanced nation on the planet. In conclusion, the thesis examines the impact of such pervasive beauty surgery practices in South Korea.en_US
AdvisorBrock, D. Heyward
DegreeM.A.
ProgramUniversity of Delaware, Liberal Studies Program
Unique Identifier934514703
URLhttp://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/17372
PublisherUniversity of Delawareen_US
URIhttp://search.proquest.com/docview/1718184566?accountid=10457
dc.subject.lcshSurgery, Plastic -- Korea (South)
dc.subject.lcshSurgery, Plastic -- Economic aspects -- Korea (South)
dc.subject.lcshSurgery, Plastic -- Social aspects -- Korea (South)
dc.subject.lcshPopular culture -- Korea (South)
dc.subject.lcshMedical care -- Korea (South)
TitleBehind South Korean cosmetic surgery: its historical causes and its intertwined relationship with Korean pop cultureen_US
TypeThesisen_US
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