At Apgujeong Station on Seoul Subway Line 3. Despite autumn's arrival and average daily temperatures of just 14.5°C, many women in their twenties and thirties stride confidently through the streets wearing sunglasses and masks. This area forms the heart of Seoul's "beauty district," connecting Gangnam-gu's Sinsa-dong, Apgujeong-dong, and Cheongdam-dong.One-quarter (253 out of 881) of private hospitals directly operated by or staffed with domestic plastic surgery specialists are concentrated here. In the past, people would conceal plastic surgery even from close friends and family. Now, however, women frequenting the "beauty belt" openly strut into cafes or shops with faces still swollen from recent procedures.
With the rapid advancement of mass media, appearance-obsessed perspectives have flooded society, fueling explosive growth in cosmetic surgery markets worldwide. To gauge how deeply cosmetic procedures have permeated daily life in Korea, six doctors from a local cosmetic surgery association conducted a street survey.The survey focused on a 3-meter radius, observing 300 women passing through this area in the order they appeared and recording the number who might have undergone eye or nose surgery. Locations included the food court of Department Store A in Seoul's Gangnam District (predominantly middle-class housewives), the food section of Discount Mall B in Seoul's Eunpyeong District (mixed demographics), and the main entrance of a prestigious university library frequented by people in their twenties.To ensure accuracy, a specialist physician conducted the initial survey. Subsequently, other physicians worked in pairs to conduct a second survey at the same locations. Over two months, two surveys were conducted at each of the three locations. Among the 1,800 individuals observed, 836 had undergone cosmetic surgery. This equates to 4 out of every 10 people (46%) having had cosmetic procedures.The interview team, accompanied by cosmetic surgery experts, visited the food court of Department Store A in Gangnam District, Seoul; the large supermarket B in Eunpyeong District, Seoul; and the entrance of a prestigious university library. The survey aimed to conduct a broad and accurate investigation targeting women aged 20 to 50 from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, with a total of 1,800 subjects observed.
Department Store vs. Supermarket: What's the Difference?
Survey results showed little disparity in cosmetic surgery rates between Gangnam District's Department Store A (309 out of 600 respondents, 51.5%) and Eunpyeong District's Supermarket B (291 out of 600 respondents, 48.5%). However, closer examination of the data reveals distinct patterns.At Department Store A, more individuals underwent both eye and nose procedures (130 people) than those who had only eye surgery (104 people) or only nose surgery (75 people). Conversely, at Supermarket B, those who had only eye surgery (200 people) accounted for two-thirds of the total.A plastic surgeon noted, "Cosmetic surgery is more common in areas with a higher concentration of affluent residents." The first and second surveys at Department Store A showed significant discrepancies, whereas the results from Supermarket B remained consistent across both surveys. A surgeon who participated in both locations explained, "At Department Store A, it was difficult to determine who had undergone surgery, but at Supermarket B, it was relatively easier to identify."The plastic surgeon responsible for the second survey at Department Store A explained, "Residents in this area are affluent and can afford procedures at technologically advanced, high-cost hospitals, leaving minimal visible traces. For the second survey, if either of the two doctors felt uncertain about a case, it was excluded entirely, resulting in a significantly lower number of participants compared to the first survey."Dr. Hong Jung-geun, who conducted the second survey at the large supermarket, added, "Regarding rhinoplasty, the current trend favors natural-looking results that appear undetectable. Consequently, many individuals are revising their previously overly elevated noses." Separately, plastic surgeon Bae Jun-seong examined facial contouring procedures while surveying eyes and noses.Facial contouring surgery costs between 4 million and 10 million won depending on the area. Since this procedure leaves less visible traces compared to eye or nose surgeries, it was excluded from the survey. The plastic surgeon noted: "Observations revealed that among the 300 participants in the first survey at Department Store A, 27 had undergone facial contouring surgery, while only one person had this procedure at Supermarket B."
4 out of 10 Female College Students Have Undergone Cosmetic Surgery
After observing 300 female college students passing by the entrance of a prestigious university library, a plastic surgeon remarked, "It appears that 114 individuals have undergone cosmetic surgery." Among them, 70 had eye procedures, 11 had nose procedures, and 33 had undergone both eye and nose surgeries.Later, a plastic surgeon from a Korean cosmetic hospital conducted a second survey using the same method. After the survey, they stated: "Out of 300 people, 122 may have undergone cosmetic surgery: 87 for eyes, 21 for nose, and 14 for both eyes and nose." The results of the first and second surveys showed no significant deviation.The combined findings concluded that 4 out of 10 university students (236 out of 600) had undergone cosmetic surgery. This confirmed the widespread prevalence of cosmetic procedures among young adults.
A plastic surgeon noted: "Many students undergo double eyelid surgery before entering university, then get rhinoplasty or epicanthoplasty during vacations. Recently, more college students are opting for facial contouring or liposuction."