When people watch Korean dramas and Kpop videos, you may become immersed in a world of beauty and glamor. Much like Hollywood and Bollywood and, you know, entertainment around the world.

The reality though, is that like everywhere else, when you have millions of people in a country, they don’t all look like celebrities. We’re talking about a country here. Don’t get me wrong, they do put a huge emphasis on beauty and physical appeal. Part of the reason why it’s such a gigantic industry is because there are a lot of people who want it.

You know what I do see here, is lots of men and women who know how to conceal skin problems. Especially with the use and prevalence of BB cream, CC cream and air cushion. It’s easy to obtain and really, there’s almost no excuse for the average Joe (or in this case Betty) to look anything less than their best.

I did go to a dermatologist here once, and all I had to do was tell them that I wanted a facial, and I got the full treatment. Likewise, getting plastic surgery is also very easy to do, if you can afford it that is. It’s cheaper than it is throughout most of the rest of the world, and there are literally streets of doctors ready to perform surgery and take your money.

I tried to get laser hair removal done a couple of years ago and all I had to do was tell the receptionist that I wanted it done, where I wanted it and pay the corresponding fee. It was rather affordable, but after several treatments I wimped out, because it hurt.

I will say that I’ve had many instances when teaching, that students would look one way from far away, and when I got up closer I could tell that makeup skills had come into play and done their part.

As for how Koreans view other Koreans in public who have less than fair skin condition, that’s a more difficult question to answer. How they view each other is a question for the Korean general public, not us. Most people here ignore each other when in public so their view or perspective on such an issue is not always clear. In fact, if you were to question people individually, I bet answers would be decidedly liberal and fair, with people saying they don’t mind others who might not have perfect skin at all. But as a society in Korea, I believe this sort of thing is judged slightly more harshly than it should be. But alas the world has never been a perfect place.

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