{"id":122,"date":"2026-06-29T19:38:41","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T10:38:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/a-blog.enko.kr\/?p=122"},"modified":"2026-06-29T19:38:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T10:38:42","slug":"the-clash-of-beauty-standards-in-south-korea-a-frenchwomans-perspective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stay.enko.kr\/blog\/the-clash-of-beauty-standards-in-south-korea-a-frenchwomans-perspective\/","title":{"rendered":"The clash of beauty standards in South Korea: A Frenchwoman\u2019s perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Between skincare, cosmetic surgery, and social pressure, South Korea\u2019s beauty standards were one of the biggest culture shocks I experienced as a French woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Discovering Korean Beauty Culture<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before coming to South Korea, I had already heard about the importance of appearance in Korean society. Between social media, Korean skincare products that have become popular worldwide, and influencers, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what it was all about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But once I arrived in Seoul, I quickly realized that beauty standards were truly a part of everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Busy street in Japan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Appearance Everywhere in Daily Life<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On the streets, in the subway, in shopping malls, or even in conversations, appearance plays a very prominent role. It\u2019s probably one of the cultural differences that struck me the most as a French woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also noticed that many people pay close attention to their appearance, from fashion and hairstyles to skincare and makeup. Looking polished and well put together seems to be almost part of everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What surprised me the most is that this applies to everyone, women, but also men. Many take care of their skin, use light makeup, or follow very detailed skincare routines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Filters, Social Media, and Beauty Standards<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was also surprised by how common beauty filters and photo editing are. Whether in photo booths, on social media, or even directly on phone cameras, filters that smooth the skin or slim the face seem very normalized in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living here, I\u2019ve noticed that there are some very well-defined beauty standards:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • very light skin,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • a small face,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • a delicate jawline,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • a slim body,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • long legs,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • and sometimes the famous \u201cdouble eyelids.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    These standards often appear in the media, advertising, and fashion. Even photo apps and filters used on social media seem to follow this image of beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As a foreigner, this made me realize just how much beauty standards can vary from one country and culture to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>Cosmetic Surgery and Public Advertising<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    I was shocked to see so many advertisements related to beauty and cosmetic surgery. In certain neighborhoods of Seoul, it\u2019s almost impossible not to see posters for cosmetic clinics, skincare treatments, or before-and-after transformations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In France, this type of advertising also exists, but it\u2019s generally less visible in public spaces. In Korea, it seems much more integrated into daily life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"A
    Shopping street in South Korea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>Discovering Korean Skincare<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    I also discovered the world of Korean skincare and its many different products, to the point where I quickly became really interested in it myself. Since appearance plays such an important role in South Korea, there is a real focus on product quality and addressing different skin types and needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I quickly understood why so many foreigners come to Korea specifically to buy these famous \u201cKorean beauty\u201d products. Behind this importance placed on appearance, there is also a genuine culture of self-care, attention to detail, and highly developed beauty routines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>A Different View of Beauty<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Living in South Korea has already made me step back and reevaluate my views on beauty and appearance. Beauty standards here are much more visible than in France, which makes the cultural differences especially noticeable in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I quickly realized that every country has its own norms and definition of beauty. What seems normal in one culture may seem surprising in another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Above all, experiencing these differences firsthand made me realize how strongly our idea of beauty is shaped by the culture we grow up in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"A
    Seoul skyline at Sunset<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    thank you for your interest<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Best regards,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Eva Glanger<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Between skincare, cosmetic surgery, and social pressure, South Korea\u2019s beauty standards were one of the biggest culture shocks I experienced as a French woman. Discovering Korean Beauty Culture Before coming to South Korea, I had already heard about the importance of appearance in Korean society. Between social media, Korean skincare products that have become popular […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":231,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life"],"blocksy_meta":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t