Koreans and Japanese are closely related people racially and culturally but of course there are differences. No one looks at me, or checks me out; I am kind of like an invisible person walking down the street. Its the reason why you had a better experience in Japan. But when it comes to beauty, there is a big difference between the Japanese beauty standards vs. Korean beauty standards. Japanese men and women take hygiene and cleanliness seriously, making a habit to cleanse their bodies in the morning at night. Honestly all East Asians (Korean, Japanese, Chinese) prefer light skin. Since living in Korea, I honest to God have forgotten that men exist. It can definitely mess with your self-esteem, and I was beginning to think that I am not attractive. One of the things that you learn fairly quickly when you arrive in Korea is that, as a culture, they value unity. Koreans are more homogeneous in physical appearance, pale skin. Spot the difference: Korean vs Japanese beauty trends. There seems to be less pressure on the women in Tokyo to look a certain way. The other distinction between Japanese beauty versus Korean beauty is the skin. And most of the time, it is for procedures to give people with Asian bone structures more westernized jawlines. The two countries have intertwined histories with each other. Seal everything with moisturiser. That’s the mantra of Japanese skin care. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Introduction South Korean beauty standards are different and uniform than western beauty standards. Japan and South Korea are neighbors with only a few hundred kilometers between its closest points. Korean people really value a skin-first philosophy, that is figuring out the root of the condition instead of covering it up with makeup. To recap, Japanese beauty focuses on natural beauty and skin care that leads more towards a flawless face. When walking down the streets of Seoul, you will always notice that there is a beauty store literally on every corner. Take, for instance, Japanese and Korean beauty standards. Yes, they can be chauvinist or sexist, but they exist. Scroll down to content. No one cared that my friends and I were foreign, and we didn’t seem to be inconveniences to anyone. Beauty standards and trends differ from culture to culture, so something that's fashionable and pretty to one woman can be completely can be bizarre, sometimes even ugly, to another half the world away. © Copyright 2009-2020 Pink Pangea, All Rights Reserved. Have you traveled to Japan or South Korea? They have been very sweet to me while I have been here. I think because Tokyo is an older and more well established city, foreigners may feel more comfortable there. Your email address will not be published. While it’s illegal in most countries to refuse a person work because of their gender, age, or anything that affects their ability to work, in South Korea, a practice called oemo jisang juui is a regular practice in most workplaces. Coming from America, that was so strange to me since we are always trying to stand out and be different and unique. Almost a third of South Korean women ages 19 to 29 years old have undergone plastic surgery. Korean eye creams that beauty connoisseurs swear by are AHC, Mizon, and the Nature Republic, to name a few. But with the invention of Hollywood’s white propaganda machine it only preserved this light skin preference. Most (about 98 percent) of Korean guys I met in the past were only wanting and allowed to be with Korean women and said they were not allowed or interested to date foreign women. While most of Korean beauty expectations fall on women, men are also subjected to beauty standards. Men and women had the freedom to dress as they please. Japan had the feel of a much older city, and with that feeling, comes more individuality. The list of Korean beauty standards is similar to Japanese standards in the sense that it favors slim women with flawless skin, but it also includes standards for the jaw, lips, eyebrows, and eyes. Sign up for a FREE online writing workshop here. Email us at editor@pinkpangea.com for information about sharing your experience and advice with the Pink Pangea community. When it comes to skincare, K-Beauty and J-Beauty do not mess around and they seem to always know how to remain one step ahead of the game. Pioneering new standards of beauty "Now, many women are choosing the 'escape the corset' movement to practice feminism in their daily lives," she added. What’s Japanese Beauty? Left: Japanese gyaru makeup. One of the biggest misconception westerners have about the east is that all our cultures are similar. 1. The men in Tokyo are so different. I feel very sorry for any Korean person who has been influenced by Caucasian standards of beauty to do something which might easily cause them to die earlier from OSA. COPYRIGHT © 2019. They have varying skin tones, different body types, tattoos, facial hair and punk hairstyles and just a bit more swag than Korean men. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Japanese beauty standards lean more towards simple and natural beauty. In some cases, jobs with better benefits are reserved for more beautiful people that some applicants resort to dermatology or plastic surgery as an investment for their job. Don’t get me wrong — the people in Korea are very friendly. Let me tell you. Upon interviewing Grace Cho regarding her opinions and thoughts about South Korea’s cultural beauty standards, I was able to include a massive amount of insight into this article. by Sarah Han Japanese have bit more variety in appearance most being pale skin but some even look tan like Southeast Asians. So for you ignorant ones this preference for light skin has nothing to do with white (or I like to call pink) Europeans even ever showed up. Curiosity, Ignorance and Racism in South Korea, Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Visit South Korea, Living in Japan: In Conversation with Ariel Annon, Top 5 Japanese Etiquette Blunders You Must Never Commit, Japan Travel Tips: Ariel’s Take on Health, Safety and Romance, 6 Things that Surprised Me about Life in Japan, South Korea Travel Tips: Rebecca’s Take on Health, Safety and Romance, One-Week “Staycation”: My Best Vacation in Korea, Korean Lifestyle: Getting Personal with Coworkers, The Troubling State of Korean Beauty Standards, Travel Romania: A Conversation with Abi Goodman, Eating Well & Loving Our Bodies: In Conversation with Yoga Teacher Talia Sutra. 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