Double eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty is on the rise in Korea and other parts of East Asia. The procedure is one of the most of the popular cosmetic surgery in Korea and entails the placement of a pretarsal crease in the individuals’ eyes that lack a fold. The surgery causes a prominent upper lid crease consequently leading to an expressive and a ‘wide-eyed’ appearance (Leung, Lau, and Henderson 374). Furthermore, people who undergo such procedures want to remove the puffy and tired look as well as for other reasons such as making the application of an eye liner easy. Blepharoplasty is categorized into two main classes: the Western blepharoplasty and Asian procedures that are conducted to enhance the Caucasoid and Asian features respectively.
About 50% of Asians lack the upper the prominent upper eye lid. The double eyelid surgery is, therefore, the most asked in Asia and the third most requested by the Asian Americans. The absence of the prominent upper eye lid is associated with a nasally tapered eye lid and can be observed to have the individuals who possess such an attribute to exhibit small or narrowed eyes.
Even though the procedure is considered to have grown due to their Western influence, there is documented evidence that double eyelid surgery was first performed in Asia in the late 1800s long before the effects of Westernization (Kaw 74). However, it can be argued that Westernization has contributed significantly to the development of the cosmetic surgery especially due to the standards that are associated with the Western culture. Furthermore, some studies have argued that the advent of cosmetic surgery was closely related to racism and the US military agenda in the Korean Peninsula in 1959. Most of the Koreans are increasingly trying to acquire the facial features that are more ‘white’. About 20% of Korean female population has today undergone the cosmetic surgery (Leung, Lau, and Henderson 374). The popularity of the procedure is reflected in the essence that many Korean celebrities such as well as former President Roh Moo-hyun and veteran singer Patti Kim who have undergone the surgery. This study seeks to explore the effects of westernization on the Korean perceptions of beauty as well as eliminating the features that distinguish the Koreans from people of other races. Furthermore, the paper examines the reasons why some Koreans may find the double-eyelids more appealing as compared to the lack of the feature.
The significance of the Study
The need for double eyelid surgery is prevalent in the Korean society. The older individuals are increasingly encouraging the younger generations especially the young women to consider undergoing the double eye lid surgery procedures. The research is important in raising awareness about the factors that relate to the double eye lid surgery among the younger generations in the Asian community. The author of this research paper is a young Korean woman who has been urged to consider undergoing the cosmetic process to improve her facial features. This research is therefore essential in answering questions such as why she cannot be proud of the features that define her true identity as a Korean and Asian. Further importance of the study is due to the sensitization about the prevalence of the cosmetic in the modern society. The research is also necessary for determining whether the Koreans who undergoing the surgery are doing so because of the need to appear
Research Questions
The Koreans undergoing the blepharoplasty procedure have been accused of trying to look white and hence abandoning the distinct features that are inherent to the culture and the community. This research explores the reasons for the phenomenon while seeking to answer the following questions.
Why has westernization wiped the features and pride that made Koreans who they were in the beginning?
Why are bigger eyes more appealing in Korean culture?
Why is okay for Korean men to have small eyes but not for Korean women?
Methodology
The study is designed to provide a historical perspective of the double eye lid surgery among the Koreans by reviewing information from various sources. Six sources (journals and textbooks) are analyzed to present a thematic understanding of the factors relating to the rising demand for the cosmetic surgery. The sources are located and retrieved from online libraries using key terms such as ‘westernization’, ‘trend’, ‘big eyes=beautiful’, and ‘whiteness’. Apart from the journal and textbook sources, the research also utilizes findings of the interview of the author’s mother who is undergone the surgery to offer more insight into the subject.
History of Korean Double Eye Lid Surgery
Blepharoplasty was first described by Mikamo in 1896. Mikamo indicated that the lack of the crease was due to minor defects in the muscle fiber that anchor the superficial dermis. A single eye lid was perceived as expressionless and monotonous. Furthermore, the lack of prominent crease suggested a narrow vision and not a marker of beauty (Leung, Lau, and Henderson 374). Mikamo’s procedures in which he described the application of three through-and-through silk sutures that were placed 6–8 mm above the upper lid margin to create and indentation and hence an appearance of the prominent crease. The operations by Mikamo became the cornerstone of the Asian blepharoplasty.
While the origin of the double eye lid surgery is debated the procedure was popularized by David Ralph Millard. Dr. Millard was an American plastic surgeon who was stationed in Korea during the Korean War (1950-53) as part of the public relations to the American’s benevolent approach to the Koreans. Some of the first individuals to undergo the surgery were the Korean War brides who were married to the American soldiers (Kaw 76). Millard’s western origin and influence on the procedure has been questioned especially on its nature. Even though the surgery was being conducted before the Korean War, Milliard helped to popularize and advance the surgery to the Asians. While Milliard’s primary role was to assist treat Korean accident and burn victims, he performed the double eye lid operation with the intention of creating a more Western look to enable the Koreans to assimilate into the emerging international economy. Apart from the war brides, some other first Milliard's clientele included the Korean prostitutes whose goal was to look more attractive to appeal to the American soldiers.
Reasons for the Rise of Double Eye Lid Surgery in Asia
The double eye lid surgery procedure is a simple and easy to undertake with the surgeons needing only to create a crease in the eyes of the clients without any major complications. The simplicity of the process can be a major reason for the rise of blepharoplasty as the individuals get to heal fast and recover from the process (Ouellette 15). The minor complications may, however, include infections and a persistent bruising. The growing income is another factor that has influenced the growth of the operation as people get sufficient financial resources to cater for the costs that are associated with the procedures. Furthermore, the parents of the younger generations are also becoming more willing to spend to make their children especially daughters to look more attractive.
The long existing beauty standards in which the wide eyes are favored further facilitates the individuals to undertake process as a way of enhancing their looks to conform to the desired facial features and looks (Ouellette 17). The increasing social acceptability of the operation is another reason for the growing popularity of the operation among the Koreans and other Asian populations. People are becoming more decisive especially in pursuing the individual styles that suit their tastes and personalities. The younger people are furthermore being influenced by the celebrities like in the mentioned case of the former Korean President and veteran singer. The influence of celebrities on the acceptability of the operation is also common in other popular social trends and culture in which individuals or fans tend to copy the habits or styles of their idols.
The Obsession with Bigger Eyes in the Korean Culture
For many young American Koreans unhappiness with appearance is one of the reasons that increase the appeal for the bigger eyes. The young Koreans may find the facial attributes and features such as higher cheeks, more delicate chin, and bigger lips are some other factors that influence the need for cosmetic surgeries to make the individuals appear more attractive (Kaw 75). The double eye lid surgery and an operation in the nose are for instance essential in enabling the people to acquire a western crease and a small chiseled nose.
The changes in the standards of beauty in the Korean culture have also significantly influenced the perception of bigger eyes as appealing. Some of the old standards that were vital in measuring beauty include wide hips and big body. Furthermore, the eyes were seen as slanty and sleepy (Blum 12). The new standards for beauty or pretty include a small head, high nose and forehead, and big eyes. Further inspirations and appeal for bigger eyes arise from girl groups such as WonderGirls and Girls Generation that were launched by girls of between 17 and 20 years. The celebrities from such groups exhibit features such as small faces, large eyes, and tiny button nose. The desirable qualities are further indicated as pointed chins with wide cheeks giving the bearers an animated artificial glow. Other standards of beauty in the modern Korean culture include being skinny, pale skin, small face, and long lashes. To achieve a paler skin, whitening screens that are available in make-ups and hand creams and hence becoming a crucial element in the whiteness fetish (Blum 12). In some professions, beauty is considered an important element with the prospective employers always keen on having a closer scrutiny of the applicants’ looks. Job applicants are required to attach their photos to their applications when seeking employment. Since bigger eyes are makers of beauty in the culture, some individuals may undergo the double eye lid surgery to get the jobs in which they are interested. The scrutiny of the physical attractiveness in addition to the professional qualifications is based on the stereotypical basis that for Korean women to be capable of some tasks then they must be beautiful as well.
The Korean culture places a significant emphasis on beauty with especially young women being constantly ridiculed if they don’t meet the standards stipulated by the society (Ouellette 17). Since bigger eyes are beauty markers, the individuals who don’t possess such attributes may find the double eye lid procedures to be more appealing towards the attainment of their desired look. Furthermore emphasis on beauty is observed in the societal comments to individuals especially on the younger generations such as; ‘you would look much better if you had your nose tapered’ and so on.
Cosmetic Surgery and the Korean Culture
Cosmetic surgery has a significant influence on the identities of the people who are exposed to such procedures (Blum 104). Apart from changing the physical appearances, a plastic surgery has the potential to alter the personality of a person due to the new looks that are associated with the cosmetic operations. In the Korean culture, plastic surgery has become so common that it has increasingly gained acceptability in the society. The rise in the number of people undergoing plastic surgery can also be related to the advancement of technology that has made the processes to be cheaper, faster, safer, and better. As compared to any other group around the world, Koreans get more plastic surgery to obtain the ideal look as observed in the sense that one in five Korean women in Seoul had had some form of cosmetic surgery.
Blepharoplasty is the common type of plastic or cosmetic surgery and is encouraged at an early age to allow the individuals to grow up as if they were naturally born with the prominent crease (Kaw 74). The procedure entails the incision on the upper lid, removing excess skin, and adjusting the muscles to obtain the desired look in the person undergoing the surgery. The goal of the double eye lid surgery is to widen the skin and eye tissue to create the desired shape of the skin muscle. The process enlarges the eye and more proportionate to the face. Since the eyes are generally larger, the individuals who have undergone the processes, therefore, look more youthful as compared to their previous appearances. The wound then heals in the newly formed crease allowing the individual who has undergone the procedure to acquire new folds that are made to enhance their new looks. In addition, to nose jobs, double eyelid surgeries are referred to as the basics of plastic surgery in Korea due to the common nature of such procedures.
The Effect of Westernization on the Korean Racial Features
Even though the patients and the surgeons dispute the claim that the rise in the double eye lid surgeries is due to the need to conform to the western beauty standards, the popularity of such procedures raises a question as to whether the Koreans are truly proud of their distinct racial features (Ouellette 17). The initial Korean features are therefore at risk of being wiped out by Westernization since most people want to exhibit faces that are similar to those of the Americans or from people from other countries in the west. While the majority of the trends have been influenced by the Korean history of aesthetic standards, the western influence cannot be ignored.
The introduction of the double eye lid surgery in the 1950s is further associated with racism and military agenda (Pyke 553). Contemporary South Korea has, for instance, idolized the western beauty standards to an extent that the individuals who don’t possess the perceived features are discriminated against and may find it difficult to find spouses or land jobs in their daily lives. Furthermore, K-pop also influences the societal perceptions of how individuals should look. The use of whitening products is, for instance, a common phenomenon in Korea. Furthermore, the importance of the youth exhibiting pale and dewy complexion is demonstrated in the essence that the Korean cosmetic industry is the tenth largest in the world.
Small Eyes in Korean men and Women
The rise in demand for cosmetic surgery in Korea is not associated with women but men as well. For instance, the former President Roh Moo-hyun is one of the prominent males who underwent the procedure. Furthermore, most of the male celebrities are reported as having undergone the double eye lid surgery to improve their appearance (Kaw 77). The trends depict patterns in which the traditional masculine ideals are being redefined by cultural, economic, and social forces. Although the masculinity is still considered important in the society, the K-pop culture has encouraged a new male ideal referred to as the ‘pretty boy’ look where the delicate looks are reflected in the increasing male surgery trends.
Even though the Korean culture presents a society in which there is an obsession for beauty and appearance, young women are under more pressure to have bigger eyes than men due to the traditional stereotypes and the associated objectification of women. Based on the feminist theory of the male gaze, the Korean culture may force the young women to appear more beautiful as a way of attracting partners and spouse (Kaw 76). The parents can be seen to be paying for the daughters to have the procedures to make them appealing to the potential spouse. Some Korean mothers can thus be seen to believe that undergoing such surgeries will increase the chances of their daughters becoming successful in their professions as well as finding husbands in their lives. There is a perception by the parents that other children are increasingly becoming pretty and prettier when they undergo the surgery as such their own daughters should not be left behind.
The commonality of the procedures indicates the gender discrimination against women especially by the emphasis on the women’s beauty as a determinant of success (Blum 13). Other types of surgeries such those done on the lips lead to the manipulation of the body such that the women are made to look as if they are always smiling. Especially due to the feel that the females need to look happier at work. Further unfair practices related to the surgeries entail the fact that most of the advertisements that primarily target young women objectify them and do not define the needed gender equality.
Conclusion
Standards vary from one location to another with factors such as celebrities seen as playing a significant role in depicting certain standard of beauty through normalizing the various trends relating to fashion and style. For many young Koreans especially women, the beauty standards are major points of struggle as they seek to maintain their racial identities amidst the pressure to undergo procedures aimed at attaining perfect or beautiful looks.
It is debatable whether the increasing demand for blepharoplasty by Koreans is due to the need to conform to the western ideals of beauty or reflecting the aesthetical derived The assumptions that are made about double eye lid surgery include such as the fact that the individuals who had undergone such procedures want to appear whiter or fewer Asians. The standards of beauty are therefore observed as entangled deeply in the dynamics of power and race. Such dynamics become the basis upon which the society judges people and their perception of beauty. One of the arguments of the essence that the Koreans are not undergoing the double eye lid procedure to gain a more westernized appearance is the fact that Korea is a racially homogenous country and hence there would be no need to conform to the certain standards of beauty that reflect the features from the west.
Works Cited
Blum, Virginia. "Becoming the other woman: The psychic drama of cosmetic surgery." Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies (2005): 104-131.
Blum, Virginia. Flesh wounds: The culture of cosmetic surgery. Univ of California Press, 2003.
Kaw, Eugenia. "Steven Polgar Prize Essay (1991). Medicalization of racial features: asian american women and cosmetic surgery." Medical Anthropology Quarterly 7.1 (1993): 74-89.
Leung, Billy Ching, Kimberley Lau, and Hugo Henderson. "Blepharoplasty–Special Focus on Asian Blepharoplasty." Textbook of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (2016): 374.
Ouellette, Alicia. "Eyes wide open: Surgery to westernize the eyes of an Asian child." Hastings Center Report 39.1 (2009): 15-18.
Pyke, Karen D. "What is internalized racial oppression and why don't we study it? Acknowledging racism's hidden injuries." Sociological Perspectives 53.4 (2010): 551-572.
