Tap to unmute
Why South Korea Is So Into Lookmaxing - Economics of Beauty
Embed
- Published on Apr 15, 2026
- Spotify (early access to youtube videos):
open.spotify.c...
Second RUclips Channel (More Content but Less Polished Videos):
/ @jimmymaio
Instagram:
www.instagram....
Tennis App
serveitup.io/
In South Korea, beauty isn’t a bonus. It’s a baseline. It affects your job prospects, dating life, and even how much respect you get in daily interactions. And it’s powered a K-beauty industry worth over $10 billion.
South Korea has the highest plastic surgery rate per capita in the world. About 1 in 5 women have had cosmetic work done. In Gangnam, it’s closer to 1 in 2. Even men are in on it. South Korean men spend over $1.1 billion a year on skincare products alone - that’s about 21% of the global men’s skincare market, despite making up less than 1% of the world’s population. To put that in perspective, American men - with a population six times larger - spend only a fraction of that per capita. In Seoul, it’s not unusual to see men browsing eye creams, BB creams, or booking skin treatments right after work. Looking polished isn’t a trend here - it’s routine.
In fact, procedures like jawline slimming, nose refinement, and even eyelid surgery are increasingly common among men - with some clinics reporting that men now make up nearly 15% of their clientele.
What’s driving it? In short: lookism - the belief that appearance affects every part of your life. Until recently, job applications required photos. Some even listed preferred height and weight. In one government tweet, cosmetic surgery was casually called “one of the seven credentials” for getting hired. It was deleted, but no one was surprised.
The result? Young people grow up learning that looks matter - a lot. Looking average might actually cost you opportunities. So investing in your appearance becomes a practical move, not a vain one. 
Entertainment
so when racist people said "all asians look the same" the industry said "bet"
and they delivered. I struggle to differentiate between korean actresses
@ask0_888 same goes for chinese, i seriously had to look some of them up like 4 times because i doubted the information of them not being the same lol its crazy!
@JustMe-vs1kj i struggle more with korean female and chinese male actors I know that even with the picture i still have to rely on My Drama List and the character name to link to the actor. They need to diversify that 1 beaty standard
Kind of ironic how North and South Korea are both dystopian in their own, almost opposite, ways.
Must be genetic
Consequences of a Korean civil war (and tbh Japan).
victim mindset🎉
As a Japanese we helped Korea civilized when we were in control
@aynrandfan7454 Ironically, that's a heavily debated and controversial topic in East Asian politics.
"Backed by an industry worth 10B" Yeah, they aren't going to let this disappear any time soon. This is crazy to me, but if their culture has shaped them (literally lmao) this way, it's become the norm. Nice video
Proof culture make or break a society
The fact that the companies will choose someone who is pretty over someone that is skilled is wild...
They're pretty much all equally skilled tho
Korea emphasizes so much on education that everyone is highly skilled/educated, so looks are the most realistic/practical way to stand out.
Pushing too many people into higher education creates a employer's market (employer having the leverage). Not having enough people in higher education means stagnant economy. Higher education is a delicate balance.
Why is that wild? In America DEI will hire someone that is black over a more qualified person…
That's the thing though, most people are not that much more skilled than everyone else.
Because of it, their looks and attitude matters more.
Happens everywhere but S.Korea takes it to another level.
Looking ugly is one thing but having inferiority complex is just sad.
The US and Brazil lead the world by volume of plastic surgeries.
@day@dayoonman3264brest and butt not face changing surgery like korea
@conquerman9825renee zellweger, meg ryan, joan rivers, mj, ... everyone been doing it😂
@conquerman9825everyone at the mall lookin like kesha😂
@conquerman9825 가슴과 엉덩이 수술이 훨씬 더 위험한 수술입니다. ㅋㅋㅋ
this is so sad 😞 can't imagine living in a society where being yourself and embracing your natural looks is considered a shamefull thing 😓
The children of this generation parents will grow up thinking they are adopted!
Actually some parents will go as far as getting their kids plastic surgery as young as six to prevent people suspecting the said parent and child (in the future) got plastic surgery
They're not having kids lol
@Burbowantsahug😮😮😮😮😮😮😢😢
I was thinking that the children will also have to change their faces later and no one will look unique anymore
No wonder all the suicides and deaths among pop stars.
so basically korea is just a few decades away from turning cyberpunk real.. that is scary.
What are you talking about South Korea is a cyberpunk dystopia without the interesting tech.
@exosproudmamabear558 the tech is just a few decades away. in a fantasy world that tech is cool and interesting, in reality that shit would be terrifying.
Yeah they are also a tech corp run nation, I think they are cyberpunk now...
Why is the country investing that much in romance and beauty has that much low fertility rating?
Because children make women "ugly" and undesirable in these types of societies. Having children changes your body, it makes you gain weight, makes you too tired to tend to your appearance with make-up, makes you poorer (since women often have to quit their jobs), and makes you seem less "pure". They get hired if they are attractive AND appear single (just like Kpop idols). They eve have "on the job" idols within their own work groups, which drives sales from consumers. Ruining that can ruin your whole career.
@MaddHattrix Exactly. Also that it's unaffordable to have a family nowadays.
@MaddHattrix
Korea has historically been one of the countries with the longest working hours in the world.
Since educational background is a prerequisite for success, parents spend a significant amount of time and money on their children's education.
Consequently, many women quit their jobs to care for their children because mothers with children cannot dedicate 100% of their time to their careers.
As salaries typically increase with years of service, companies try to reduce costs by hiring younger women.
Korean society does not demand high standards regarding the appearance of married mothers.
Although the cost of improving one's appearance is not so high in Korean society and the plastic surgery and beauty industries are well-developed, young people remain the primary customers.
With the development of the beauty industry, technology has advanced, and costs have decreased.
There are many customers from China and Japan, and managers from both countries are employed.
Women in their 50s and 60s and older who are financially comfortable also undergo cosmetic procedures to look younger. Although Korea has the highest plastic surgery rate in the world, and there is almost no difference compared to the country ranked second, it appears that only Korea's plastic surgery industry is attracting global attention due to critics who want to link the popularity of the K-pop industry with plastic surgery.
But its not natural beauty but man made, cut, chopped, chiselled to look attractive, so why are they acting like it's genetic beauty, and being pretentious towards someone they consider unattractive, when they are not organically or naturally beautiful.
Another aspect is that plastic surgery is a status symbol, so them criticizing someone who is ugly isn’t just about looks. It’s also about being well off enough to be able to afford the surgery, and find a good plastic surgeon who can make you look pretty. It’s also why poor people who get plastic surgery aren’t seen as truly beautiful compared to their rich counterparts because they don’t have the funds or lifestyle to back up their looks
Skin bleaching is also a thing, not just in Korea, but in a lot of countries where people have brown skin. I saw a map of skin tanning VS skin bleaching and literally half of the world had skin bleaching at some point in their lives.
I think that stats are skewed.
White skin will always be considered the ideal across the world.
@Guba25 not white, but pale. Cause tanned skin is sign of working class(peasants)
@Guba25 Naah, in Eastern Europe, until around the late 2010s, girls and women would visit tanning salons to prepare for their vacations and have perfect photos on the beach. Or even just looking tanned in the summer was considered beautiful. Many of my friends were embarrassed to wear shorts and dresses because they didn't want to show their white legs, haha. Standards are sometimes strange.
@talyacold Yes, because in a relatively poor place like Eastern Europe, and even in richer countries, it's viewed as a status symbol to have a tan. Because it signals that you are wealthy enough to have free time and potentially travel to a distant sunny country. However, throughout most of European history, being pale was the beauty ideal for women, especially as it indicated that one was wealthy enough to stay indoors and not work in the fields like a common peasant. This is why royalty is often referred to as 'blue bloods'.
It’s tough in Korea
@laymouna-laymouna pff y'all should visit india
Never was a society more in need of a really badass punk culture.
@HannesRadke fr
Why do I see you everywhere
FU
You can fool others with your appearance, but when you will have children, you cannot get away with genetics.
They don't care. Their children will just get those surgeries when they grew up. And 20years from now, the surgery tech would advance so much. Genetics no longer matter, only bank accounts matter.
Gene editing is a thing in Asia so you’re wrong.
I heard most Korean girls will get a facial surgery right after high-school graduation
Just mix Korean with white and new species forms
Nobody is having kids there anymore 😂
Ppl are shallow. I dont blame them.
You know that rat experiment that ended in societal collapse? One of the warning signs was "The Beautiful Ones." Rats who ignored social norms and kept to themselves, leaving a very small footprint. They were called beautiful because they spent a lot of time self-caring and not constantly competing. Just focusing on survival. No kids too, which is a striking parallel to South Korea.
Not constantly competing sounds like the opposite of looksmaxing
Makeup to hide the emptiness inside 😢
More of inferiority complex
@lancelot2900. Nah opposite
@Flake52Actually inferiority complex is correct.
Plastic surgery technology in Korea has advanced, and costs have significantly decreased.
Not many people undergo surgery on their jawbone, teeth, eyes, and nose all at once; most surgeries involve correcting specific features they consider flaws.
Double eyelid surgery is the most common, followed by cases where the nose is slightly raised.
Since these procedures are inexpensive and recovery times are short, some young girls undergo them during the gap between graduating from high school and entering college.
There are many clients from China and Japan, and managers from both countries work in the field.
Economically affluent women in their 50s and 60s and older also undergo cosmetic procedures to look younger.
Although Korea has the highest plastic surgery rate in the world-with almost no difference from the country ranked second-it appears that only the Korean plastic surgery industry is attracting global attention due to critics who want to link the popularity of the K-pop industry to plastic surgery.
Some foreigners claim that the reason Koreans undergo so much plastic surgery is because they are narcissists, while others attribute it to inferiority complexes. In fact, Koreans today do not consider changing or improving of their part of face to be a big deal.
While it is true that Korea has experience many social side effects due to its rapid economic growth, there are also many issues that are not significant internally but are exaggerated to appear major problems in the eyes of foreigners.
That's an unfair generalization
"ghost surgeon" is crazy work
They also have the highest suicide rate in the world
Lesotho actually does
South Korea is highest among developed countries
I think you mean youth sui*ide rate
@luxurybuzz3681
did AI tell you that?
@charmc13 its SA not South korea
Mentally ill
Damn why'd you do Jin dirty like that?! His just living life Mr WWH!
😮😅
picking someone who has zero plastic surgery for the thumbnail is so misleading 😏
lol sure 😂
Jin what are you doing here lol
😂
Cuz he is the mr world wide handsome
Right? He was born pretty, I doubt he's done much in the way of looksmaxxing.
@Priyansu-qr6li is he born handsome ? This is the real question
@conquerman9825yes he's natural, he has tons of childhood photos online, you have a phone, do your research
You think if the biggest artist in korea had plastic surgery, they wouldn't drag him to hell and back?
You'd hear about it
Definitely because of insecurities and feeling inferior.
Or sometimes you need adapt to the circumstances.
I think there are worse countries out there who did not resort to such race hating trend
Nie - to inwestycja
@BeataBookworm Investment in what?
@costealucia5357It's an investment in life-changing success. I'm not saying it's an investment that guarantees a return
But thumbnail mein jin 😂😂😂😂
I was surprised by the thumbnail
Sk just doesn’t pretend people aren’t shallow
This is THE MOST underrated yt channel I've ever seen. The quality is amazing!!!
This is the first video from this channel i've ever been recommended And I literally came to the comments to say this exact same thing!❤❤❤ it's a fabulous channel!
Me too.
Wwh what are you doing in the thumbnail😂
my Korean students first question was "what procedures did I get"... I said none. They decided not to believe it.
:(
Insecurity kicks yikes 😔
Both Koreas are dystopias.
So many mental illnesses, and cancer developments in the future.
Korea's mental health is dangerously unwell. I seriously pray the people find Jesus and focus on Him as the meaning of their life.
yeah
@SkkrSkrr60%+ of them are atheist. The rest are either Christians or their old religions or others. Their society are build based on racial system after the war with all Korean only citizen and those who are mix blood are sent to adoption programs overseas in the 60-70s. Not to mention the 1% conglomerate families that are controlling the economies and when plastic surgery were introduced with an unclear intention. It's like someone is designing the South Korea's society today to be like NPC with many serious mental issues. A totally godless society that lead them to worship human idols and materials like money and status. They treated everything as if they're materials. That's why when the western world introduced Christianity to them, they treated it like a tool or materials to control others and harvest profits. That's why there are so many Christians cults coming from South Korea.
@SkkrSkrramén son ateo lo necesitan 😢😢😢😢😢
you can try every cream on the planet but genetics is what makes the most difference with aging and also the sun.
Imagine how the kids will look like
Hollywood taught me that everything has its price, especially when you come from poverty. Don't believe what you see, dig deeper and see that their life is a lie.
All those surgeries just to get mogged by consuming whole foods + hydration, being a well-rounded athlete and getting enough sleep/recovery😂
Mostly just piling on the whitest foundation available
What’s funny is that in Korea, plastic surgery has already become part of the culture, and taking care of one’s appearance is generally accepted as something normal rather than a big social issue. Yet it’s often foreigners who criticize it the most. Ironically, if they were asked to choose between someone attractive and someone average-looking, they would most likely pick the attractive person too. It’s also not a good look to selectively highlight only the negative aspects of Korea just to generate views and turn it into content.
Very informative and well-done video.
looking your best is good for you mentally, emotionally, and men and women should look their best, nothing wrong with it, but their are issues, like going outside your means, going beyond needed, and getting surgery when you are fine the way you are, maybe you need a little repair, but not major stuff, but still getting major stuff, these are problems, looks is not everything, a good personality, behavior will get you alot of friends, so dont rush to do things if you are not in a position. I like that the shows were of people that needed the work done, and that is important to understand. some people keep getting surgery, and it never gives them the result from people they want, because its not the physical that needs to be repair, its the personality and behavior, so no matter how much work they do, it will never fix them
The Halo and Horn Effect in South Korea is so strong. So strong, to the point that it becomes societal discrimination
Heyy Seokjin on the thumbnail
I wonder if some came to the U.S. and see the many unattractive people what they would think. Let's face it in the U.S. most people could care less how they look. Walk into a store, women would be wearing a shower cap and slippers. It's so sad that these beautiful people have to care what others think.
I don't know some of those pre MUG SHOTS were kinda rough! Some of them really needed the work.
very interesting video! ❤
I am surprised the US made the list of the top 10 highest plastic surgeries in the world.
Oh, wait, I'm not surprised.
before the pandemic Koreatown in LA was a tough place to hang out if you did not meet "their standard of cool and beauty"
Really ?
South Koreans with surgeries look like identical twins. You can’t tell them apart. Then a lot of work goes into fixing their hairdo to look Western.
Exacto 😢😢😢 son locos y son malos. 😢😢😢
Since when did Koreans opt to have Western style hairdo?
I was actually planning on going to South Korea to get full face surgery for 35k , These numbers might be on the low end
No one will look unique in the near future
0:59 It should be noted that this is for procedures done on everyone, including foreigners that travel to that country specifically for plastic surgery. It's not necessarily indicative of the amount of locals with plastic surgery (looking at you, Turkey and Mexico).
Wow good point. Nice critical thinking
Korean skincare products be secret sauce 🔥
8:25 😍😍😍😍😍😍
So black pill is more brutal there
My Southeast Asian ass’s reaction to that thousand-dollar eyelid surgery:
WTF, we get those for free! 🤣
Me to 😂
No one wants thick, masculine, indian-style double eyelids in korea. Ty
I see jin. I click the video
Why is Jin the thumbnail 😭
he is one of guys who promote this
Man, that's crazy. I didn't realise it was this bad. I feel bad because SKans who have had surgery look good and I am happy for them, but... like... they don't need to be doing half of this.
The reason many Koreans have superiority complex is just to hide their insecurities, just like poor people like to flex branded items
Inkwells ahead of the curve again i see.
Now i have to find a guy with his childhood pictures before just to save my kids genetics 😂
it could be worse, at least they are not into limb lengthening
Lookism mentioned
In SK, you never know how your kids will look. You may think your partner cheated on you, but that's not the case.
They can never cheat genetics 😂
@JB.v8 Nope, they cannot. Right you are. Just imagine. You marry a person, from whatever country. Doesn't have to be SK. You've never seen a before and after Picture. Have a kid and doesn't look at all like you, but has the real likeness of the partner with plastic surgery... You'll be thinking a great deal of things.
"Hey, wait a minute... Have you cheated on me?"
O si los hombres en verdad lo hacen con tanto maquillaje 😢😢😢😢
You can do a DNA paternity test
Totally sad
4:00 um, no
it is so true I was there on vacation and don’t see any ugly women, almost everyone very well dressed and well maintained.
By any chance,did you meet any male with a beard? Someone asked me about it ..am out asking everyone else
just a few body modifications and gun legalization away from being cyberpunk
Is bro calling Gangnam "Gundam"?
acceptable modifications to face imo are teeth alignment correction, jaw for people with under or over bite (cuz that stuff can be painful for chewing food), septoplasty for heavy nasal septum deviations or even skin treatments are fine (if u're skin's breaking out too often and it hurts) that actually cause everyday living hard. you don't have to go get a new face just because u don't feel 'CONFIDENT' enough. confidence doesn't work that way it should start with self acceptance
There’s some people who have working bodies who are just unattractive. For example, my teeth are jet forward, and it looks really bad. Kinda like a goat. Should I just be OK with it knowing people will judge me for it, even though I don’t have any functional problems?
Jin has double eyelids? I can honestly say i never noticed 😬. I feel bad now
I'm a fan but almost all of the idols had some procedures done,the fans often name it as "they just grew up" but that's not true lol
They're really subtle
@Bsfr666apparently so hahaha. Had to look at a few pictures u til i finally saw it. 😅
@pucca-s8p Most of them has one or two things done. It is the industry standard company sometimes force you to go through it before debut.
why is jin in the thumbnail lmao
Im so glad im 60 and Gen X and we could care less about stuff like this
Same here. Being old is a good thing
So why is argentina so high up the list?
4:00 seriously?
enslavement to make up is such a burden...
I agree. The more you do makeup as society the more you need to up that.
Highest rate of suicide !
Looks maxxing in Korea is fake because looks maxxing for them is made in surgery however in the west and also in Japan looks maxxing is so real specially for models like Sean o fry and chico they have prominent jawline and cheekbone, and it's really natural
Cope
Hardmaxxing is part of looksmaxxing
@CosmicNova-e6t cope hard maxxing is wrong
@venturamb people are getting advantage of it . U keep coping , more and more people will do
@CosmicNova-e6t no not me, but you are, you keep coping, more and more people will do, whether you like or not natural beauty still, the best.
@venturambare you dumb ? Ofc natural beauty is best but most of the people are not genetically gifted ,so they don't have other choices
they could have easily made *NO* double eyelid the beauty standard is how ridiculous this is
in heian period japan they had their own beauty ideal - blackened teeth and no eyebrows being among them
90% plastic not 33%
Wrong. Then you would have to say that Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia are too since they have similar rates per capita. By volume of plastic surgeries, the US and Brazil do more.
@dayoonman3264 they don’t change entire face like u
@conquerman9825have you seen your women? They look completely different like wolves. Many don't even have a human face. Have you seen your king michael jackson or christina aguilera?😂
BTW, korea is known for having talented surgeons and attracts over 100,000 foreigners that do procedures there which raises their per capita rate.
Aren't you ashamed of this baseless, false propaganda?
This is soo sad.
What a lost society. Only Kim Jong Un can save them with two nukes.
I'M 100% SURE that when everybody ends up looking the same they're gonna get bored and gonna fight to look like people who are considered ugly or just people who got NO work done to their face
No, they’re just gonna look for another rare trait. Whether it’s thicker eyebrows, different colored eyes. The baseline would still stay. Also, there’s different ways to be attractive. Henry Cavill and Brad Pitt don’t look the same.
He rly used Jins face 😭
Jin (and BTS) does have CHAD SMV in south korea
Must be for views
So glad to be Chinese.
Why is Jin i the thumbnail though?
Using his picture for views
I am croatian man . I use korean skin care products because they are high quality and want to look younger when i am older . I am not obsessed with looks . I have great personality I think. 😄 My charm is better than my looks . I am average looking i think.
You sound confident which is great. Whether average looking or not if you're polite, a good listener, and have a good sense of humor, that along with your confidence should get your. But many women like older men too.
@DreamingDarlin Thank you.
Beauty over God's expectations, Now that's a dangerous risky cocktail self image mix 😍😍
No the is large evidence that being good looking is meant to be the default of all humans. So you are wrong
I am beginning to see a stereotype look in Korea and it becomes common, your time of your true looks is going to be trendy, just watch what I said.
How do they afford this? Are many Koreans in debt?
South Korea has topped the global household debt-to-GDP ratio list for four consecutive years in some analyses.
Household debt hit an all-time high of 101.9% of GDP in September 2021 and remains over 100%. South Korea has the world's highest per-capita spending on luxury goods and cosmetic procedures
And many parents live in poverty to save enough money for their unattractive kids to get surgery. It's really a sad situation.
A lot of them will resort to OF or sugarbaby
Most people who undergoes plastic surgery in SK are foreigner tourists. most Koreans are more focused in makeup rather than plastic surgery.
@TheIntellect8 making stuff up LOL
I am a guy, but I have to say, you look handsome.
Jadi inget spongebob.. dia pengen berotot kaya larry
여기 댓글에는 한국에 관한 전혀 말도 안되는 얘기들만 있네
인터넷에서 주워들은 멍청한 얘기들이 얼마나 사실로 위장하는지 잘 보여준다
보통 이런영상은 특정대상을 혐오하기위해 모이는 저능아들이많음 그러니 허위, 날조도 먹히는거지
Not many people will take this seriously and just brush it off cuz people have a leaning and get swooned by south korean culture its a fad in short
Dnw molecule
"This is the same as if you want to straighten your teeth with braces. Just fixing a problem." No. It's not. Korea is too far. "Be beautiful according to our standard idea of you might not get the job/date/etc." No thanks.
I feel exhausted just listening to this. It makes me very sad to see this.
JIN JIN JIN
4:10 if he is most handsome men then i can't find different between men and women. outside of east asia or people follow k pop, people probably think he is gay. i can find different between people in squard game but findig different between actress and actor from china and south Korea is very hard foe me. for my perspective they all look same.
Koreans are not really into Lookmaxxing, It is more of a western beauty standard, which is far from Eastern beauty standard.
What do you mean? This whole video is about how they are constantly trying to look their best, aka lookmaxxing
@nicoledoubleyou every culture has its own subjective in what looks is desired, looksmaxxing community usually mock korean beauty standard. because looksmaxxing community emphasizes sharp features.
@Տungit's still the same thing. Adhering to your own local standards of beauty is still looks maxing.
Then lookism is a better term
hello fellow bts fans lol 😭🤣
That's the irony bro they all are made up of plastic 😂😂😂
Hii😂
9:26 wouldnt u expect the surgeons to look snatched too tho
hahaha exactly. recently a Japanese idol went to Skorea for some beauty treatment and made a video about it. the male doctor treating him doesn't even look 1/100 anywhere as good as this male idol. how is he and his treatments credible?!!😂
@Ruriko.Ycuz you can't do plastic surgery on yourself? Obviously
They offer surgery packages for college students done by some doctors ('coz the video said 1 : 25k ratio)??? I wonder if all of their faces look the same of done by the same doctor but with different hair styles in the university you wouldn't know who's who, who's the professor and who's the student. 🤔❓
But the plastic surgeons are still very much original looking just doing it for the clients . 😅🤣😂😘👍llei
Yea international clients.
@max_7344 They hate their looks too much I guessed ? 🤔🤨😅llei
Why is JIN here
THAT’S MY THOUGHT TOO, why is Jin used as the thumbnail?
He was used as an example of what some SK men aspire to look like.