In this blog post, we’ll explore the background behind the prevalence of plastic surgery in Korea, as well as its cultural and evolutionary causes.

Traditional Aesthetics and the Modern Ideal

Single eyelids, delicate eyes, a small but cute nose, and a round, egg-shaped face resemble the faces of beauties painted by artists during the Joseon Dynasty. Conversely, double eyelids, cartoonishly large eyes, a sharp nose tip, and somewhat unnatural facial features are often seen in illustrations satirizing modern excessive plastic surgery.
One analysis points out that South Korea’s rate of plastic surgery relative to its population is among the highest in the world. As the link between physical appearance and social rewards grows stronger, so does the tendency to rely on plastic surgery as a means of improving one’s looks. Even if the obsession with physical appearance cannot be completely separated from human nature, the excessive proliferation of plastic surgery is not something to be proud of.

How the “supernormal stimulus” works

Animal behaviorist Niko Tinbergen explained the phenomenon where an exaggerated imitation exerts greater appeal than the real thing as a “supernormal stimulus.” An example of this is the finding from experiments that cuckoo’s-wings, which raise cuckoo eggs, are more likely to sit on cuckoo eggs—which are larger and more conspicuous than their own—than on their own eggs.
This concept is also easily observed in human society. Children prefer candy to fruit, and many people are drawn to TV dramas that are far more dramatic than reality or to exaggerated sexual imagery—all of these are forms of supernormal stimuli. Human biology is the product of a long evolutionary process and does not fully align with today’s stimulating environment. Consequently, cravings for fatty or sweet foods remain strong, and these cravings are further amplified by modern artificial stimuli.
As medical technology has advanced, making it possible to alter one’s face and body, plastic surgery has evolved beyond mere medical treatment to become a means of gaining a competitive edge. If beauty is a trait that confers an advantage in mating and social competition, then enlarging the eyes, raising the nose, and slimming the face can be seen as an attempt to outpace competitors through hypernormal stimulation.

Changes in Standards Driven by Memes and Cultural Transmission

The concept of “memes,” proposed by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, posits that cultural elements replicate and spread much like genes. Media and trends create memes that establish certain facial features as ideals, and these memes, in turn, alter people’s tastes and behaviors.
This is why the beauty standards of one era do not remain equally appealing in the next. The reason the rugged, chiseled male ideal of the 1980s and 1990s differs from today’s popular actors is that memes change with each era. In other words, the direction of supernormal stimuli depends not only on genes but also on cultural factors.
Another important point is that the “real thing” differs from the “average” that people perceive. When multiple faces are overlaid and composited online, facial symmetry is enhanced and extreme features are softened, creating a visually pleasing “midpoint.” However, since the average we actually use as a standard is shaped by the faces we frequently see around us and the images we are exposed to in the media, the perceived average can be higher than the actual statistical average. In Korea, the fact that this perceived average is set relatively high is another factor driving up beauty standards.

The Cycle of Comparison and the Reinforcement of Appearance Power

People constantly compare themselves to those around them. The objects of comparison may be actual people in their surroundings or images reflected on television and social media. When people around them pay more attention to their appearance and raise the bar for what is considered attractive, that standard becomes the new reality and, in turn, the basis for further comparison. This cycle encourages plastic surgery, leading to yet another rise in standards.
When physical appearance is linked to real-world rewards, its power becomes immense. Research showing that attractive politicians win more votes and that good-looking criminals receive more lenient sentences demonstrates this. In South Korea, the extent to which appearance is linked to economic and social rewards is so significant that a new term, “wan-eol” (meaning “perfectly formed face”), has even emerged. A social structure accustomed to competition—such as in college admissions and job hunting—also turns appearance into yet another arena of competition.
This cycle is accelerated by advanced plastic surgery technology and increased accessibility. Unless there is widespread reflection on the fact that the side effects of plastic surgery now outweigh its benefits, this spiral will not easily stop and will maintain the prevailing atmosphere of widespread plastic surgery.

Is there an end in sight?

Given the nature of hyper-stimulation, there are limits to this process of proliferation. Stimulation is most effective when it is “moderately” exaggerated; if it becomes excessive, it is perceived as an outlier and actually loses its appeal. For example, excessively large breasts are not attractive to most people, and even great height, once it exceeds a certain threshold, is simply perceived as “a very tall person.”
Therefore, the spread of plastic surgery may also come to a halt at a reasonable point within the interaction between Genes and Memes. If social reflection or awareness of side effects spreads, the process could be mitigated, and certain memes may cease to function as sources of appeal. The image of the “Gangnam Beauty” portrayed in popular culture may be a vision of this diffusion process taken to the extreme, but frankly, it does not strike many people as attractive.
Ultimately, the crucial question is what line we will draw between technological possibility and cultural desire. Plastic surgery itself is not evil, but unless we reflect on the driving forces and consequences of its spread, the label of a “Plastic Surgery Republic” will not be easily erased.