Thank you asiantheory!!

"They laugh at us because we look different. We laugh at them because they all look the same." ~ CL of 2ne1

*Is the Korean Beauty Standard too Strict?* HELL YEAH OF COURSE

"If I don't fit in beauty standards, I'll become the standard myself".. - Hwasa (Mamamoo)

I remember going to the USA and seeing how acceptive they are of people of all sizes and color. It was amazing to see someone with my skin tone and body type featured as a model in many of the stores and magazines. Not just the US, even most western countries are way more acceptive than Asian countries.

What’s the point if everyone starts to look the same? No diversity, No unique people. That’s boring and not natural.

the problem isn't just the beauty standards, it's the consequences of not fitting them. i mean losing job opportunities, being denied housing, extreme bullying and worse. it makes people turn to unsafe surgeries and denying themselves food. these beauty standards are so enforced that *they put people in danger* .

I am Asian and hate my tan colours but when I moved and live in New Zealand, that is when I started to appreciate my own colours and learn to love my self. I was also shocked that some caucasian want darker skin. I guess, people always want to have something they don't have. It does not matter what is the colour of our skin, all of us are beautiful in the eyes of God.

"I'm not ugly. Ugly starts with U." -Suga

Hwasa changed kpop idol reputation. As she said if she doesn't fit in their korean beauty standards, she'll make her own. That's why I stan her.

The feel when the "ugly" girl in the thumbnail is a gorgeous woman.

“I’m bad at being ugly” - Kim Seokjin once said and you should follow his teachings

I studied with koreans and the guys constantly talked about how good I look and same time said their Korean female friend was ugly. It was DISGUSTING! These guys were not looking K-pop idols etc. eighter. That treatment was really brutal for her and really awkward for me.

i think female idols receive more hate for being "ugly" than male idols 😔

I remember a youtuber saying that “Korean beauty standards are so high, not even Koreans can follow them.”

As a Filipina woman with features similar to the “ugly” Asian girl, I really felt this. Awhile back when I was broken up with by my Korean bf, I was talking to my Korean friend about the situation. She said that I probably didn’t meet his parents because I’m Filipino. I understood why she said that because the perception of Filipinos in South Korea is pretty bad. We’re thought of as dirty, poor, uneducated, and ugly. I grew up with identity issues and constantly comparing myself to paler, taller, and skinnier Asian women. It was definitely a learning process, but I think following ig models/influencers who embraced their morena skin helped me a lot. As everyday goes by I appreciate my flat nose, tan skin, and thick body more. When Filipino women/men start seeing the beauty in themselves, others will see it too IMO.

I am Korean. In Korea, it is becoming more and more free from appearance. Many people are pointing out the problems of Lookism. I can feel that society is becoming more and more positive. And the average Korean and K-pop idol are separate. There is no need to evaluate you according to celebrities. They all have their own charms. And there are many Koreans who live without makeup, short cuts, and training clothes. Not everyone is obsessed with their appearance.

"You're born to be real, not to be perfect." -Min Yoongi

i wish looks weren’t so important in the world

“K-Beauty wants pale skin and a skinny body? A ghost?” WAIT, MY FRIEND IS PALE AND SKINNY, I’M FRIENDS WITH A GHOST???

Right now I am feeling really good that I wasn't born in South Korea and was born in a country without any beauty standards. 😌😌

"if you dont match the standards, then make your own standards." - Hwasa (edit: By the way, Hwasa is not meant to serve as a model, but for proof that it can be done. Everyone should find power in their own strengths, not just emulate somebody!)

Is the Korean Beauty Standard too Strict? When people state that RM, Jimin, and J-hope are ugly yes it is.

They have standards for literally every feature on your face, eyes, nose, mouth, hair, jawline, waist and skin that people who actually abide by them end up looking like the same person

I am 5"6" tall and when I was in collage, I was 120 pounds and Korean guy in school told me I was actually fat and needed to lose almost 10 pounds. I should have punched him in the face and dang I regret it! lol

I wouldn't call them strict I rather prefer calling them toxic.

“why stan bts and blackpink when u could stan innisfree” I CHOKED-

Funny how their stand of beauty is so high, and yet they don't even make a name on the International Beauty Pageants.

Why they are so specific with physical looks? That’s just sad and toxic at the same time. I can’t imagine the bullying over there to people they think are ugly.

I really don't like the Korean Beauty standard. Everyone is beautiful and it shouldn't be what identifies someone. Of course, it would be nice to be really pretty, but it shouldn't be something that would set you apart from others.

I wonder if any of the producers ever tried losing 7kg in a week. I bet that would make them think twice about forcing their idols to do it.

this is really sick. This is the most toxic beauty standard ever

5:30 Momo was telling a heartbreaking story and their reactions were ... Annoying.

Bruh, I'm asian and my mom says I'm overweight when I'm literally 30 kg

when everyone wants to look like the beauty standards everyone starts looking....the same. There's no individuality, nothing different. That's not good😓 Edit: For people saying that all Asians look the same you have to understand that it is not because of their beauty standards. In places like S.Korea where most don't date people outside their race and this is one of the causes of the same features being passed down to the next generation. In America where it his very diverse people of different races interact with each other and therefore breeds new genes and new characteristics for new generations.

washing face Koreans : 10 steps each very meticulous Me: slap me with water boi

The lady on the left in the thumbnail is gorgeous!!!!!

I laughed that the example of the “ugly” girl was just a photo of you that was turned into a girl.

why should beauty even have a standard?

I honestly sad for the Korean boys and girls who got breakup because they all are going to see same face wherever they go 😂

"I only ate ice and even then I thought I might get fat" I'd say it's too high.

As a freaking Korean,, There's something I'd like to tell. That high standards are only for the people who already attained freaking beautyful face and shape, to normal people? We just try to be somewhat better self of us. YES ESPECIALLY to IDOLs. I mean they are freaking MADE. That should not be it but,,, you know prettier=more money hey... I don't know why beauty standard to male is soooo lower than female. Really... All kpop girl groups look perfect but,,, not for the boy groups I mean 차은우 should be the standard of high beauty to match with that of the girl groups... Like hey we are so strict on girls.

The girl in the thumbnail that was labeled ugly was good looking to me🤣🤣

Koreans: maybe she's born with it? Reality: maybe it's cosmetic surgery😆

Wow, personally my mother (Korean) is one of the moms who I've meet who really doesnt care about looks. She doesnt do makeup etc. I am glad I've taken after her, although I am not shaming makeup or anyone who wears it! Although I have meet some Korean family friends (of my dad's side also Korean) who's standards were tough. They said to my mom "Oh you're style is really resereved. You don't like people and judge them quick." Because my mom is more of an introvert and she doesnt prefer showy clothes! 😤 while I must agree that Korea overall has tough standards, many are trying to break through! Aslong as one is healthy and happy, that's what matters!! Have a great day everyone!

Honestly yeah the Korean beauty standard is really strict. To see idols, especially female idols have to go through these really harsh diets in order to achieve that is just nuts. I mean eating an ice cube to lose weight?? That’s crazy to me

This has made me remember my own experience. I walked into a beauty shop one day in 2016 to buy shower gel and sunblock, now mind you, these people love "white" skin so much that they put whitening agents in almost all their products. I speak and can read the language so I was avoiding the whitening products and trying to find one that wouldn't lighten my skin. Two shop assistants then walked up to me and recommended that I buy the whitening ones. I looked up at them and said "No, I do not want the whitening products". They asked me "Why"? and I said "Because I don't want to be white. I think my dark skin is better. I love it." Their reactions made me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants. I honestly thought they were going to pass out from shock. Literally every customer in the shop who heard our exchange looked at me like I was a crazy person. The thing that made this whole situation even funnier to me is that I am black, light skinned black sure but still black. So to them I was the ugliest thing on the planet and I just rejected an offer to be beautiful. I loved it. I returned to that same shop many times to buy non-whitening products and enjoy their reactions. Never let anyone define your beauty.

Nice video with good questions. One thing which might benefit the understanding of the audience is to take note that these body appearance standards are driven by the [professional] standards for the K-Pop and K-Drama idols and actors/actresses, and it just so happens that the K-public possesses the extreme level of willingness to apply those standards into practice at civilian personal level... which explains the size of the beauty market. The professional standards are mainly driven by the market, influencing what the production companies perceive will sell well, which prompts them to select/develop the artists with standards defaulting to the thin body & white skin stereotypes... unless the project is conceived with a compelling artistic idea from the beginning. Artists like PSY, Bae Doona, (and some say even Lisa and Jennie of Blackpink and RM of BTS as far as the facial appearances are concerned) do not fit such typical formula, but because those artists offer uniqueness, originality, amazing talent supported by insane amount of hard work and most importantly, overall good artistic value through their work, they sell well and are respected worldwide. That is why JYP always emphasizes to the young artists the crucial need to have originality and unique artistic voice(which is harder to artificially achieve by training), and not necessarily the appearance(which is the easiest component to develop and obtain). As for the public... although they don't actually have to do anything but sit back and enjoy the art, high percentage of the Korean people choose to emulate and follow by action at some extreme level, driving the overall market.

Thank you so much for this video.

If I came to korea they would have to make a new word for "ugly" because that's not enough for me

Not gonna lie , every beauty standard is toxic .there shouldn't be any beauty standard. That's how we can accept everyone on society.

Too Strict?! Nah!!! Let's say Too Toxic 🤭🤣

The result of Korean's crazy beauty standard is that their women look THE SAME, like clones from a beauty surgery clinic. So scary! Beauty comes from shapes and sizes.

K-beauty: wash face in 10 steps Normal people: step 1 - wash face. Done.

I recently got into K drama and I noticed that even though the acting is good, looking pretty at every angle is the priority over showing genuine emotion. A female character might be going through the worst pain but there's no tension in the face muscles or real sobbing... It's delicate and flattering, like they just lost their kitten. I might be misspeaking, maybe there's a cultural difference with regards to showing emotion...but that's what I took from it.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and beauty standards constantly change. I don't care for them. Love yourself the way you are and you will be much happier then trying to reach a beauty standard that is impossible to achieve.

The issue is at home, with upbringing and family. If your parents and relatives tell you you're too dark you will be insecure, if they say you're too short you be insecure etc. Even if there is representation the issue will remain, the home is the foundation of society, representation is not the foundation of society.

“No ones born ugly. We’re just born in a judgmental society.”- Kim Namjoon BTS’s forever leader.💜 (Soon to be president)

I've been to Korea multiple times as a dark-skinned Filipino. I thought I'd face adversity because the Korean beauty standard is made so clear in their media. Truth is though, hella Koreans told me I was beautiful! They said they loved my skin too. I nearly cried. Yes, their beauty standard is heavily perpetuated, but I think the general population is not as deluded as their media tends to make them out.

And here I am who eats af but still unable to gain weight 😂

*NO ONE IS BORN UGLY, WE ARE JUST BORN IN A JUDGEMENTAL SOCIETY* - *KIM NAMJOON*

I just can remember Irene saying I'm a original visual

Grazy Grace you are beautiful the way you are... don't loss your jaws. That makes u different from the rest. And being different from the rest makes you unique. 💖💖💖

Very informative 😇

As a photographer I see beauty in everyone

South East Asia is obsessed with getting paler skin and as a child who grew up in that environment I can say it has definitely made me insecure. I remember if someone looked tanner than usual (which is perfectly normal) other people would imply that it was a bad thing saying things like "how did you get so dark?" and such.

I remember when Jihyo's color tanned skin its just so perfect😘😘😘😘 I prefer tan than white😑😑😑😑

I'm a k-pop stan myself and yes i look up to them as an inspiration for stuff like working hard and not giving but i never look up to them as an inspiration in terms of beauty cause 1 that's toxic af and 2 It's definitely not healthy and I'm a dark skinned curvy South indian girl and my parents have personally always taught to love who i am and not who i can be😌I'd rather be healthy than underweight and depressed don't get me wrong i would never blame these idols but I'll definitely blame their company and the unrealistic beauty standards 😌

I find it hard to go with "dont judge those who want plastic surgery" and then go with "there are too many beauty standards and we should accept everyone as they are". Think about it, if were didnt have makeup, if we didnt do surgery, if we straight up didnt judge anyone but appreciated differences, then no one would question their self worth to the point of having low self esteem and needing to change. Beauty standards has always been about oppression, whether it was through colonialism or sexism, it was a matter of control and status and power. Its grown and now feeds the beauty industry, diet industry, medical industry etc. Its all about money and power and control still. Self worth needs to take priority again. I'd never ever put someone down for getting surgery or wanting it but I would be concerned and I would feel sad. They shouldn't have to feel those insecurities. Let's celebrate natural beauty, different cultures, differences in general and maybe take the power back. There are alot of movements taking place atm, trying to get acne, cellulite, different skin colours, body hair...everything, out in the media, seen more and normalised.

When a Korean woman told me that she envied my tan skintone, I realized that I do not have to reach their standard.

Surprised to see you're just under 120k subs. Looks like a 1M channel. You'll get there in no time 👍

There should be no "standard" for beauty. Love yourself.

"No one is born ugly, we just lived in a judgmental society" BTS' leader RM once said.

I think it’s not only a Korean thing, most countries in Asia have high beauty standards similar to the Korean beauty standard. Maybe not as strict but overall Asia as a whole doesn’t see beauty in diverse, unique features.

I am all for a person choosing to get something done because that is their choice, I do however find it sad when people feel as though in order to be successful, loved or accepted that they need to get a procedure done, that is sad and a lot of women have felt like this at one point or another.

The reason why Beauty standards exists, is to make humans humble and not be Prideful and hateful and discriminative. If People in the East want to be Pale, People in the west want to be Tan.

Don't sell yourself short, dude, you're a beautiful Korean woman.

What a TOXIC standard! I feel bad for the women of this country.

Maybe that's one of the reason why there were many Koreans committing suicide due to social pressure.

I honestly thought every Korean woman looked like that because every kpop star I listened to growing up looks like this.

I don’t think everyone wants to beautiful, but rather, accepted. The fashion and cosmetic industry is constantly changing, and depending on the era, or decade you grow up in, your ideas of “acceptable” appearance can radically swing one way or another. Just look at the ridiculous ‘big hair’ styles of the 80’s...so funny, forty yrs later. I’m in my 60’s, and I finally grew secure enough to just accept myself the way I am. I don’t use make up, so I’m authentically showing my real face 24/7. I really couldn’t care less what people think. The people who love me for myself, just as I am, are wonderfully supportive and I accept them in their totality, too. I’m a big fan of K-dramas, and BTS, so I know the beauty standards of Korean culture, but there is no way I’d allow that to dictate how I would strive to look! Ha, ha, what a laugh...by the way, I’m an American, married to a Japanese man, and have lived in Japan for nearly 40 yrs.

Damn this is sad,I can only imagine those who can't afford surgery but got the talent and skills

I’m proud of myself with no plastic surgery. God created me in His image and I’m blessed. Many should be comfortable in their own skin.

Women need to put a foot down and say "hell no" to this dangerous crap. The world is full of real problems without this mess. Just saying.

All the kpop fans: “wow our girls r so natural and born with natural beauty”😂

Beauty doesn't have any standards. Beauty is in eyes of the beholder.

I am so glad that someone made a video on Korea as well because whenever we talk about racism people only talk about India but believe me Korea is more racist then India .

We’re all beautiful, we’re just in the wrong country.

Don't forget that the colorism adds to racism toward other POC.

They have a lot of beauty standard but they would shame anyone who gets a plastic surgery 😒😒😒

Hello so I'm Puerto Rican and I personally can't think of goin there; xD I'm vocal for certain things especially ridiculous beauty standards; they probably would hate me there xD I'm not slim at all(and don't want to be flat all over) but I'm fair with dark brown hair. And this obsession with whitening skin is such a shame. In my country isn't like that but there's a few people who I met that are colorist. But wow it's not like in Asia. All skin tones are so pretty🤩

Female Asian beauty is amazing to consider. For example, I have been to Bangkok, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, and lived in South Korea. Each of the Asian women in those individual countries have their own standards of beauty and look totally different from each other, on average. It is simply amazing. But I do notice world region and ancestral heritage seems to play an important part. For example, Asian women in the Far Eastern countries of Japan, South Korea, and China share some physical characteristics and can all trace their gene pools to Mongolia. While, on the other hand, Asian women from the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Burma, have had there gene pools mixed with Spanish and East Indian blood. Truly amazing. 🤵🇺🇸

This make me think of Eugene LeeYang, he said he went to Korea when he was young and his family from there told him he was ugly when he was just a kid. Now he is successful and rich, his family members from Korea said he was “handsome” and they will change nothing!

The fact that this was recommended to me and I didint search it up.

They bear a lot of pain in their heart. Feeling sorry for them. 🙏🙏

Exotic Beauties. Priceless!!

Even worse is that for a lot of the idols who meet these high standards, their other talent often gets overlooked. Most of the idols in here I discovered because they were praised for looking pretty - which yes, is a compliment, but it took a bit more digging for me to find out how really talented they all are.

It's no wonder the video showed mostly women. The Korean beauty standards are strict but for women are the strictest. They really should let everyone be the way they want to. It is sad that it applies to everyday life too not just idols and actresses. Women are always degraded and judged because of their looks and it is so wrong.

Imagining dating a Korean guy and one day you both end up the relationship and walking on a street and end up seeing your ex boyfriend face everywhere because the Korea look the same 😂

3 of the biggest stars have darker skin: Hyori, Seolhyun, Hwasa.