Beauty is in The Eye of The Beholder...

But what happens when everyone, from friends, family, tv, and magazines tells you that you are ugly...

I came across a video about a documentary film on a Korean high school by Kelley Katzenmeyer. It tells the tale of students in South Korea, preparing for their final exam of high school and what they will do after.  Not only will it show the beauty of Korea and the fun these kids have, but the harsh reality of what it takes to finish school and venture into real life.  These kids study 16 hours a day and don't leave till 9:30pm. They are studying for their final 9 hour exam that will determine their "economic and social status". Not only do they worry about their academics, but they all care about appearances. They believe beautiful people have big eyes, "double lids", noses that stick out, small bodies and white skin. The stresses of school and social appearance has led to a high number of deaths. As it is stated on the website:

"Korean students have some of the highest test scores in the world, and a higher rate of acceptance into American Ivy Leagues than any other foreign country. But Korea also leads the world in two not quite so stunning ways- the highest rate of plastic surgery per capita, and a higher suicide rate than any other developed nation. "

I'm mainly talking about this image of beauty that these kids have growing up. I have seen and read many things on the internet that speak about what Koreans think is beautiful and many are willing to have plastic surgery to look exactly like it. There are blogs dedicated to the before and after pictures of Korean plastic surgery. I've read about people who have lived there and weren't pretty enough.

As you watch this video, many of these students talk about what surgery they will get done or what beauty products they use to look beautiful. It's just what they think is pretty and see every day through magazines, advertisements, and other celebrities. It's hardwired into their brains to think like this. I'm haven't even touched based on how they must excel academically or they are considered failures.

Here's an article about the Miss Korea pageant and how the contestants look very similar to each other and an update on the actual competition. Though I'm sure Photoshop was used to tweak things here and there, but they really look like this. Even the competition, they performed in the same outfits, they started to look like a K-pop band.

Maybe because so many of these celebrities look like this, that kids feel that they need to look like that too. No matter what though, we all want to look "beautiful" but we all don't see beauty in this one way. The word "beautiful" means different things to different people. We are a mixture of cultures, races, and people. We look and dress differently from each other so our picture of beauty is not one image. We see the "perfection" that people have inside and out. 

As far as the academics, the pressure to be smart and get into a great school is what we all want but it seems like all these students do is study, study, study. Many don't have other hobbies or activities outside of school. The stress not only comes from school but from their parents. They want their kids to be the top of the class; to be the smartest; but what are they striving for? What are their dreams? What do they want to become? Or are they given a dream and don't develop their own?

Watch the excerpt video on this documentary. 

What do you think? Have they gone to far? Do you think this can or will change?

Other Links:
I Wasn't Beautiful Enough to Live in South Korea
31 Crazy Before And After Photos of Korean Plastic Surgery