Men are becoming increasingly interested in their appearance. Some men consider applying a BB cream as a necessity. As men’s make-up is becoming common, the number of men undergoing plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures is on the rise. Kwang-hee Hwang, a famous male idol singer, has become famous because of his tacit admission of having undergone cosmetic surgery several times. It is a key indicator that men's cosmetic surgery is accepted more favorably than before. It is true, however, that men’s plastic surgery for beauty seems to many awkward yet. ST interviewed two men who underwent plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures regarding this topic.
A (age: 22; had a nose job)
ST: The decision to undergo plastic surgery seems harder for men than for women. Why did you decide to undergo plastic surgery?
A: I had an inferiority complex about my nose even as a child. I didn’t decide to undergo plastic surgery early on. I just wanted my nose to become higher. When I became a university student, I earned money through a part-time job. I usually spent this money on entertainment. One day, I thought that it would be better to spend my money for my dream than to spend it on unnecessary things. That’s why I made a decision to undergo plastic surgery.
ST: Are you satisfied with your current appearance?
A: Yes, I’m gratified with my nose.
ST: What did people say when they learned that you were planning to have a nose job, or when you already had it?
A: Some people who were interested in plastic surgery asked me for information, such as the name of the hospital where I underwent the procedure, and the cost of the surgery. Others were very curious, touching my fixed nose.
ST: What do you think of men’s cosmetic surgery?
A: I think it’s okay for men to undergo plastic surgery if they want to. In general, men are less interested in beauty than women are. This shouldn’t be a reason, however, for men not to undergo plastic surgery if they want to.
ST: If you had enough money to undergo plastic surgery again, would you choose to undergo it one more time?
A: I will not undergo the surgery again because I already feel satisfied. I do not want to fill my face with artificial things like silicon.
B (age: 25; had a filler injection to his jaw)
ST: The decision to undergo a cosmetic procedure seems harder for men than for women. Why did you decide to undergo a cosmetic procedure?
B: My ex-girlfriend was an office worker, and I dated her for a long time. While I was dating her, she never posted my picture on her Facebook account and KakaoTalk profile because her co-workers teased her, she told me, due to my student status. The day after we broke up because of her cheating, I saw the picture of her new boyfriend on her Facebook account. It was then that I
realized that what she was really ashamed of about me was not my student status but my appearance. This affair came as a shock to me and made me decide to undergo the procedure.
ST: Are you satisfied with your current appearance?
B: Frankly speaking, I’m not so satisfied with the result of the procedure. My appearance has not changed much. I think that losing weight by exercising is more helpful for having good looks than having oneself injected with the filler.
ST: What did people say when they learned that you were planning to undergo a cosmetic procedure, or when you already underwent it?
B: Most of my friends said “No.” They told me, “You’re already very attractive. It would be better for you to spend your money on self-improvement.” I was too stubborn to accept their advice, so I finally underwent the procedure. Looking back, however, I now realize that their advice was right.
ST: What do you think of men’s cosmetic surgery?
B: I used to think that capacities are more important than appearance for men, but I heard that cosmetic surgery is to some degree necessary to find a job. In truth, the number of my acquaintances who already underwent the surgery is increasing. As such, for men, taking care of one’s appearance will make one competitive.
ST: If you had enough money to undergo plastic surgery again, would you choose to undergo it one more time?
B: NEVER. There are diverse ways of improving one’s appearance. People also tend to recognize working out as better than artificial means of gaining good looks. I think that the good appearance achieved through one’s efforts is more valuable than that achieved through cosmetic surgery.
Both interviewees opted to undergo plastic surgery to make themselves look better. They took the position that plastic surgery for men is not more awkward than that for women. A is satisfied with the result of the procedure while B is not. According to the interview with B, men’s plastic surgery is not limited to beautification purposes. Many men consider undergoing plastic surgery not to make themselves look better but also to find a job. As such, the purpose of men’s plastic surgery has become varied. In the near future, people may see men’s faces in subway advertisements for plastic surgery hospitals.
