Korean beauty standard

June 29, 2025

Recently, I watched a video from a Korean mentioning Korean beauty standards, and it made me want to share my opinion.

Before I went to Korea for my studies, I did some research about the country. The topic of beauty standards came up a lot. I heard that appearance is very important in Korea, and that there can be pressure to look a certain way, including how people dress.

From my experience as a foreigner living and studying in Korea, I found this to be mostly true. Koreans, both men and women, do pay a lot of attention to their appearance and outfits. Most girls are very skilled at makeup from a young age and carry themselves with confidence. Clothing is quite trendy and affordable, so it's easy to put together a stylish look at a reasonable price.

Street fashion in Korea is also very trendy, and many people wear similar styles. In my observation, most Koreans prefer basic pieces in gentle or neutral colors. It's rare to see someone wearing bright or bold colors in the crowd. Because of that, the overall fashion scene feels quite uniform. Maybe that's one reason beauty and style standards feel more fixed. In movies, fashion is often shown as more diverse and colorful but in daily life, that level of variety is not too common.

Among the younger generation, the style is also very similar. It feels like there's a strong shared sense of what's considered "beautiful" or "fashionable". As an Asian, I find that I fit in well with Korean fashion. I like how it's both comfortable and stylish.

In my opinion, although there is an invisible standard in Korean society, it's not as strict as many people think. You can still freely express your style, even without makeup. Sometimes, the pressure comes more from within, based on how you compare yourself to others or how much you want to fit in.

In the end, it's mostly about you, whether you want to follow the crowd, or live as your true self. The standard exists, but how much it affects you often depends on your mindset.

Maybe it's true that opportunities and respect often come more easily to those who are considered beautiful. But I choose to see it differently, more as adaptability and self-care.