Cosmetic Surgery

Over at Haps, James Turnbull looks at South Korea’s line obsession, (e.g. “S-line”, “V-line”, “X-line”) and those that push them. He has some especially choice words for the “Bagel Girl” concept.

One more, is the deeply misogynistic, almost pedophilic label ‘bagel girl’ heavily promoted in the media, the “bay” referring to young, “baby” faces, and the “gul” referring to “glamour,” which means large breasts in Korean.

(Source: Seoul Focus, May 17 2011, p. 13)

Normally I’d reserve something like this for the next “Korean Gender Reader” post, but then this is simply one of the most appalling things I’ve seen on Korean television in nearly 11 years here. Or, as a friend put it, it’s “totally fucking reprehensible”, and in the strange event that it’s not rapidly removed from YouTube because of the overwhelmingly negative response, then we’ll both be calling Arirang TV to complain about it.

A simply surreal video making the rounds at the moment. As explained by Lisa at Sociological Images, it:

…beautifully illustrates the socialization of children into particular kinds of worship. With hand motions, body movements, and facial expressions, this child is doing a wonderful job learning the culturally-specific rules guiding the performance of devotion.

Regardless of your feelings about cosmetic surgery, hopefully this will still bring a smile to your face this weekend. Thanks to reader Tobi for passing it on!^^

Update: Fellow blogger 아름답다, ah-lum-dahp-dah also noticed the ad.

(For all posts in the Creative Korean Advertising series, see here)