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Self improvement and self deterioration are seemingly opposite concepts, but in reality, many blur the line between the two. As social media, society, and people around me continue to influence and change parts of me, it becomes increasingly difficult to resist nitpicking my flaws, and my desire to conform to standards. Specifically, my identity as a Korean-American leaves me in a place where I have difficult and contradicting ideals to reach towards. In the western world, Korean beauty products and standards as well as the ideal of “glass skin” has become widespread.
The innovative philosophies behind Korean skincare have popularized these products while platforms such as TikTok and shopping websites have made Korean beauty products greatly accessible to consumers all over the world. When one spends time online, it is almost inevitable to see influencers attempting to sell products that guarantee clear, smooth, and glowing skin. However, before the wave of K-beauty that swept the world, paleness and possessing white skin had captured the minds of Koreans for thousands of years, dating back to AD 37-668; having pale and glossy skin signaled being of high social standing. These ideals carry on even today, as many strongly emphasize the use of SPF as well as the common practice of using products that whiten/brighten one’s skin. With Korean society having such a great focus on one’s skin and appearance, it is almost impossible to, even as an American, ignore these effects my heritage leaves me.
Teenagers realistically have acne prone skin and imperfections, but many do not accept these parts of themselves. Celebrities and content creators show teens ideals that cause teens to be insecure about their features, leading to broken senses of self and wishing for changes to their appearance. Though the initial goal for online personalities is to encourage taking better care of one’s skin and appearance, the outcome is often the opposite. Teens tend to end up wanting to change parts of themselves, attempting to achieve an unachievable standard.
As a Korean American, I still feel the effects of my cultural background, whether the influence is good or bad. The exposure to Korea’s beauty standards and their obsession with youth and beauty has affected me greatly growing up; I looked for the features that define beauty within myself, wanting to conform to the people I saw on TV or on my phone. However, I eventually realized that conformity led to a fragmented sense of self. The world today encourages the erasure of individuality, which Korean beauty standards ultimately causes. The truth is that beauty is subjective, which people often disregard. Regardless of one’s cultural identity, conformity and the desire for beauty prevails among many teenagers today. However, realizing the effects of standards like these is the first step to breaking the toxicity rampant in today’s society.
Teenagers should be encouraged to welcome their distinctions; by doing so, another step forward is taken towards a world that embraces the differences within everyone.
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Sources:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/0abe/0c3d0c3518ba50a5b45f5bee6acef9e7a0cf.pdf
https://journal.untar.ac.id/index.php/ijassh/article/view/29388
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