Land of Vanity

Korea is the land of beauty and vanity.  Women walking around with an eye patch covering one eye is the norm.  Women and men alike carrying the latest designer or faux designer purse or satchel.  Most of the commercials on Korea TV are of beauty or fashion products.


Joseph and I have been told and also witnessed this for ourselves that a lot of women really want "Western eyes."  They do not want the eyes they were born with, hence the eye patches.  It is a common present for high school students and recent college graduates to have this simple eye correction surgery.  In addition, contact lenses making women's eyes resemble the dewy fawn look are increasingly popular from news anchors to your local gimbap shop patrons. 

Have Joseph and I joined this movement of beauty and vanity?  We have not, but we are considering several options when the time is right.

Why not wait until we are back home?  Well this is something South Korea does very well.  They have it down to an exact science from start time to heal time (on any procedure).  Everything is done faster and arguably better.  Did I mention most of these procedures from hair removal to surgeries are done at a mere fraction  of the U.S. prices?  For example, a procedure to remove all of the hair from your legs (male or female) is on average, about $200-$300 USD from start to finish.  In the United States this procedure would have varying costs from male to female as well as be on average, $400 USD per person per area. 

South Korea is not a third world country.  Any procedure from dental work, acupuncture, surgery and/or hair removal are all taking place in top notch facilities with well trained doctors and staff doing their best.  A chemical peel is done so quickly and effectively that the patients are back at work the next day.  As one doctor put it, "Koreans work hard [6 and even 7 days each week] and play even harder.  Anything done has to be done better and faster so they aren't out of work."   English speaking facilities is a definite challenge, but you shop around to find the place that works for you. 

Works for us!