LA: I feel we’re throwing across the time period Ok-Magnificence lots and it is one thing I am tremendous accustomed to, partly as a result of I like my merchandise, partly as a result of I work in magazines. Um, however for individuals who possibly do not truly actually know what the time period covers, um, are you able to demystify it somewhat bit?

EH: For me, I describe Ok-Magnificence as something that features merchandise from Korea, uh, cosmetics, skincare, remedies, instruments, and procedures. So, [laughs] Korea is without doubt one of the main exporters of cosmetics on the earth, behind simply the US and France. So, it is the world’s third-largest exporter of cosmetics. Probably the most subtle surgical procedures and innovation in procedures, um, for pores and skin and for physique are occurring in South Korea, which is without doubt one of the most superior and complicated beauty surgical procedure markets on the earth. And so Korean surgical procedure additionally falls in Ok-Magnificence in my definition.

What was totally different about Korea was how specific the lookism was. It is known as lookism there. It is appearance-based discrimination. So, passport images come Photoshopped by default while you go and get your picture taken. They robotically Photoshop them. Head pictures are required on resumes, for presidency jobs, for accounting jobs. For non-modeling jobs, head pictures will typically come on resume. Koreans will seek advice from their bodily selves with the time period specs, specs that we use to explain computer systems or devices like, “Oh, I am gonna enhance my specs. What are your specs?”

So there was numerous simply analysis, numerous ratios and contours of the right ratios in your face, the right strains that your silhouette ought to appear to be, the right strains and ratios in your… the thickness of your calf. After which when medical doctors and business sort of established these requirements, they might then promote you the surgical procedure or the process or the injectable or the therapy to repair it, to get to the perfect.

LA: It isn’t simply residents of Korea committing to those kinds of procedures. Vacationers are additionally coming from all all over the world for procuring and medical tourism, typically even beginning the method earlier than they’ve left the airport.

EH: You may get off the airplane at Incheon Airport and go to their medical tourism middle, which is true on the airport, and get a pores and skin evaluation. So that you’re getting a pores and skin evaluation in a kind of big, like, multi-thousand-dollar machines, which they’re like, “Ooh, you need to in all probability repair this.” You recognize, like, “Oh, I can actually these UV, that UV injury on this explicit a part of your cheek.”

LA: That’s wild. I can also’t consider something worse than getting off a flight from, like, New York to Seoul after which… [laughs]

EH: After which getting your s-

LA: Like, stuff of nightmares.

EH: [laughs] So, there are these brokers. There’s a complete community of brokers who provide concierge companies to these exterior of Korea, to, to foreigners to return into Korea to get a collection of remedies. There’s concierge brokers that present translation companies. Should you do select a, a surgical procedure, they, they’ll sort of be at your facet and be the primary individuals that you simply see while you come out of anesthesia. And all of those brokers are paid for by the medical doctors, so that you pay nothing for all of this additional translation and concierge assist. And, and I write within the e-book, you already know, while you’re not paying for the product, you is likely to be the product. That is one thing that’s actually consider to try to lure individuals in to Korea.