Lecture Notes: Alternative Beauty in South Korea

Introduction

• Speaker: Grace Neutral, tattoo artist and activist
• Focus on alternative beauty and positive body image
• Discussion on beauty standards in South Korea

Beauty Norms in South Korea

• South Korea has a $6 billion domestic beauty industry.
• Tattooing is illegal in South Korea.
• K-pop significantly influences Korean beauty ideals.
• South Koreans, especially women, spend more on beauty products than Americans.

Mong Dong: The Beauty Epicenter

• Mong Dong in Seoul as a hub for beauty products.
• Streets filled with makeup shops; high consumer activity.
• Korean women spend twice as much on makeup compared to American women.
• Men in South Korea spend more on beauty than globally.

Skincare Practices

• Extensive skincare routines: 10 to 18 products daily.
• Emphasis on perfect skin.
• Korean beauty (K Beauty) products increasingly exported globally.

Encounter with Olana

• Olana represents mainstream beauty in South Korea.
• Discussion about beauty procedures and makeup usage.
• K-pop's influence on beauty standards is profound.
• Olana's makeup routine takes around 2 hours daily.

Cosmetic Surgery Insights

• Over 60% of young women in their 20s have undergone cosmetic surgery.
• Olana discusses her experiences with surgeries (nose job, Botox).
• Concerns about young girls feeling pressured to conform to K-pop ideals.
• Discussion of the psychological impact of beauty pressures.

Spa Experience

• Visit to a 24-hour mega spa in Seoul.
• Grace feels out of place due to tattoos and clothing style.
• Observation of societal attitudes toward tattoos in beauty spaces.

Beauty Regime and Personal Feelings

• Olana expresses strong attachment to beauty routines; fears losing makeup and cosmetic surgery options.
• Grace's discomfort with societal pressures regarding beauty.

Conclusion

• Contrast between K-pop idols and Western beauty pressures.
• Social acceptance of cosmetic surgery for teens vs. criminalization of tattooing in South Korea.
• Interest in how younger generations are challenging traditional beauty norms.