Working at a liposuction hospital-What makes plastic surgery thrive in South Korea?

Jung Hyun Lee
Aug 22, 2017 · 4 min read

Consumption is a safer option for individuals in a high-pressure society than challenging social norms.

I never imagined myself working at a liposuction hospital. I’ve always looked at this industry with mixed feeling of curiosity and disapproval. Yet, here I am, working as a part-time interpreter at a liposuction hospital in Seoul.

During my first three days of training, I was inundated by stories of how liposuction changed people’s lives. The hospital encourages its customers to share their ‘success stories’ online to attract more customers. Those who share their stories are rewarded with points, which they can later use to get a discount for various treatments at the hospital.

As I go through each of ‘success’ stories of liposuction, I note patterns in these stories. Writers usually express their satisfaction with the operation, and laud its effectiveness. Also, they report increased confidence and self-esteem after the procedure.This raised me a question, is the size of one’s body in reverse relationship with level of self-confidence one is allowed to have?

Throughout my life, I have been in various sizes. My weight fluctuated between 52kg to 60kg. Yet, never had I felt that people were ‘rude’ or ‘nice’ depending on my weight. Then, how come I encounter so many stories of how people were treated differently based on their weight here, which is widely different from my personal experience?

Of few things I came to believe in college, perceptions become reality. Even the most blatant lie may have a tint of truth in it. And when that truth is constantly highlighted, one day the idea may be viewed to be true in its entirety. So far, this has been my impression of the endless list of ‘success stories’ and appealing message the hospital offers to its existing and prospective customers.

Want to feel better about yourself? Get a flat tummy.

Want your relationship to work better? Get slimmer thighs.

Feel like you are getting old and all the good things youth can offer is now gone? Go through a liposuction for the whole body.

Kids are leaving for college and you feel like you sacrificed your entire life for them? Get a liposuction for saddlebag. You deserve that for yourself after years of dedication for your kids and husband.

As people face myriads of complicated problems and issues in their lives, they look for one simple solution, some type of drastic change.

In my opinion, though nothing new, beauty industry feeds on this desire and a lie, that change in outer appearance will also bring changes into their lives, and whatever problem they face.

It is difficult to call this a complete lie. There might be a tiny bit of truth in this idea, as what we say often falls somewhere between lie and truth. Some people do experience changes in their lives after they go through dramatic make-over.

I myself have a habit of buying new lipstick when I feel depressed. Red lips, or well-manicured hands give me some sort of relief, that everything will be fine and I still have control over my life and ability to initiate meaningful changes.

However, it is not only the beauty industry, or liposuction hospital which thrives by promoting their service as ‘life-changing’. Here in Seoul, I see so many products and services promoted to be ‘life-changing’, ranging from English language course at a private institution to a gym membership. Is it because customers are tired of ordinary catch phrases that they need something more sensational, something more shocking? Or do we have so many people who are not happy with their lives that anything branded as ‘life-changing’ is seen as a savior?

I’ve always thought about why beauty industry in South Korea came to thrive so much. One answer might be that level of pressure weigh on individuals in Korean society is heavy yet there is a shortage of ways to deal with this.

Professional counselling service is an expensive, uncommon choice for many. Although perception on mental health is changing, there is still a taboo in getting necessary help . Furthermore, challenging a social norm comes at a great cost for individuals.

Under these circumstances, consumption is seen as a safer, easier option than going through a root of personal/social problems. Instead of working on why she feels like her life has been wasted after her kids left for college, the mother will come to visit the liposuction hospital and buy ‘youthful look’ through the surgery. Rather than questioning why woman is often hold exclusively accountable for raising kids in a household, giving her liposuction is seen as an appropriate reward for the hard job she has done. Instead of questioning why shorts are only to be worn by people with certain body type and challenging this idea, young girls and women walk into the liposuction hospital and pay money to get thighs they ‘should have’ to wear shorts.

In a conformist society where individuals are often judged to be ‘not good enough’, consumption and beating oneself harder is an easier, safer option than asking whether such standard was fair in the first place. This is why ‘becoming a better version of myself’, or more accurately ‘becoming more socially acceptable version of myself’ is seen as a solution, whether it means having a skinnier body through liposuction and diet, or studying up to 18 hours a day to pass through a civil service examination.

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