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Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital
An audacious journalistic exploration of the present and future of beauty through the lens of South Korea's booming "K-beauty" industry and the culture it promotes, by Elise Hu, NPR host-at-large and the host of TED Talks Daily
K-beauty has captured imaginations worldwide by promising a kind of mesmerizing perfection. Its skincare and makeup products—creams packaged to look like milkshakes or pandas, and snail mucus face masks, to name a few—work together to fascinate us, champion consumerism, and invite us to indulge. In the four years Elise Hu spent in Seoul as NPR’s bureau chief, the global K-beauty industry quadrupled. Today it's worth $10 billion and is only getting bigger as it rides the Hallyu wave around the globe.
But although self-care consumerism may be fun, darker questions lurk beneath the surface of this story. When technology makes it easy to quantify and optimize ourselves—from banishing blemishes, to whittling our waistlines, even to shaving down our jaws—where do we draw the line? What are the dangers for a society where a flawless face and body are promoted and possible? What are the real financial, physical, and emotional costs of beauty work in a culture that valorizes endless self-improvement and codes it as empowerment?
With rich historical context and deep reporting, including hours of interviews with South Korean women, Hu presents a complex, provocative look at the ways hustle culture has reached into the sinews of our bodies. She raises complicated questions about gender disparity; consumerism; the beauty imperative of an appearance obsessed society; and the undeniable political, economic, and social capital of good looks worldwide. And she points the way toward an alternative vision, one that's more affirming and inclusive than a beauty culture led by industry.
K-beauty has captured imaginations worldwide by promising a kind of mesmerizing perfection. Its skincare and makeup products—creams packaged to look like milkshakes or pandas, and snail mucus face masks, to name a few—work together to fascinate us, champion consumerism, and invite us to indulge. In the four years Elise Hu spent in Seoul as NPR’s bureau chief, the global K-beauty industry quadrupled. Today it's worth $10 billion and is only getting bigger as it rides the Hallyu wave around the globe.
But although self-care consumerism may be fun, darker questions lurk beneath the surface of this story. When technology makes it easy to quantify and optimize ourselves—from banishing blemishes, to whittling our waistlines, even to shaving down our jaws—where do we draw the line? What are the dangers for a society where a flawless face and body are promoted and possible? What are the real financial, physical, and emotional costs of beauty work in a culture that valorizes endless self-improvement and codes it as empowerment?
With rich historical context and deep reporting, including hours of interviews with South Korean women, Hu presents a complex, provocative look at the ways hustle culture has reached into the sinews of our bodies. She raises complicated questions about gender disparity; consumerism; the beauty imperative of an appearance obsessed society; and the undeniable political, economic, and social capital of good looks worldwide. And she points the way toward an alternative vision, one that's more affirming and inclusive than a beauty culture led by industry.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published May 23, 2023
About the author
Elise Hu
1 book94 followersElise is the host of TED Talks Daily, a correspondent for VICE News Tonight and a host-at large at NPR, where she spent nearly a decade as a reporter. She has reported stories from more than a dozen countries as an international correspondent, and opened NPR’s first-ever Seoul bureau, in 2015.
Join the Flawless insider email list at flawlessthebook.substack.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 291 reviews
November 28, 2023
AAPI Month
I'm an Asian American that grew up in the South during the height of poolside lounging and tanning beds. While I rarely participated in the latter, I definitely used to do plenty of the former. This logic does not hold true in Asia.
I didn't grow up submersed in Asian culture. If anything, I rebelled against it. I made my first Asian (from Asia) friend my senior year of college. She opened my eyes to an entirely new world. I started hanging out with more Asians. I began listening to k-pop. I watched my first k-drama.
It certainly wasn't my last k-drama. I've gone back and forth with how comfortable I am in my own skin, and it wasn't until very recently that I began to fully embrace being comfortable with myself. I suppose it helps that k-beauty products are everywhere. With the recent popularity of Pachinko, which I've gotten several people to read and watch, comes a new audience for these stories.
With stories come beauty standards. I don't fit the West's ideals. I don't fit the East's. But I do look a little more like the actors I see in k-dramas than in Gossip Girl or The O.C.
Ah, yes, beauty standards. What is beauty? Why do so many South Korean actors and idols look alike? By the way, I mean this in the least racist way. It's known that once a look is popularized, many people go under the knife to achieve it. And unlike in the States, they're very vocal about it. I don't know why American actors feel like they have to lie to the public. Maybe because we're more about being "natural." Not too natural, though. It's a conundrum.
If you don't prescribe to these beauty standards in South Korea, many things happen. No one will hire you. (Most jobs require a photo. Don't. I know.) No one will marry you. (Most men want women that are between 5'4" and 5'6" and weigh less than 110 lbs. Again, don't. I know.) And we complain about American dating standards. Every country has its own thing.
Those that rebel against the norm do not make it very far in society. Yes, it's hard to be a woman. But it's even harder to be a transgender woman when there are zero rights in place in South Korea. Not that there are many in place in the rest of the world. But some places are inherently safer than others.
I always wondered why the suicide rate was so high amongst South Koreans. I tend to forget that it's a collectivist society. It's hard for me to grasp, as I grew up in a very individualized one. I'll hazard a guess and say that maybe instead of dealing with consequences, many will choose the "easy" way out. I'm using the word easy very facetiously. I'm always deeply saddened when people feel they don't have an out. And this is also very heavily connected to mental health, which has a very large social stigma in Asian countries.
I'm ranting and raving, but do know that I loved this. I won't say it opened my eyes to many things, because I feel somewhat familiar with the culture, but there are many things to learn here.
Book pairings: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 & Natural Beauty
I'm an Asian American that grew up in the South during the height of poolside lounging and tanning beds. While I rarely participated in the latter, I definitely used to do plenty of the former. This logic does not hold true in Asia.
I didn't grow up submersed in Asian culture. If anything, I rebelled against it. I made my first Asian (from Asia) friend my senior year of college. She opened my eyes to an entirely new world. I started hanging out with more Asians. I began listening to k-pop. I watched my first k-drama.
It certainly wasn't my last k-drama. I've gone back and forth with how comfortable I am in my own skin, and it wasn't until very recently that I began to fully embrace being comfortable with myself. I suppose it helps that k-beauty products are everywhere. With the recent popularity of Pachinko, which I've gotten several people to read and watch, comes a new audience for these stories.
With stories come beauty standards. I don't fit the West's ideals. I don't fit the East's. But I do look a little more like the actors I see in k-dramas than in Gossip Girl or The O.C.
Ah, yes, beauty standards. What is beauty? Why do so many South Korean actors and idols look alike? By the way, I mean this in the least racist way. It's known that once a look is popularized, many people go under the knife to achieve it. And unlike in the States, they're very vocal about it. I don't know why American actors feel like they have to lie to the public. Maybe because we're more about being "natural." Not too natural, though. It's a conundrum.
If you don't prescribe to these beauty standards in South Korea, many things happen. No one will hire you. (Most jobs require a photo. Don't. I know.) No one will marry you. (Most men want women that are between 5'4" and 5'6" and weigh less than 110 lbs. Again, don't. I know.) And we complain about American dating standards. Every country has its own thing.
Those that rebel against the norm do not make it very far in society. Yes, it's hard to be a woman. But it's even harder to be a transgender woman when there are zero rights in place in South Korea. Not that there are many in place in the rest of the world. But some places are inherently safer than others.
I always wondered why the suicide rate was so high amongst South Koreans. I tend to forget that it's a collectivist society. It's hard for me to grasp, as I grew up in a very individualized one. I'll hazard a guess and say that maybe instead of dealing with consequences, many will choose the "easy" way out. I'm using the word easy very facetiously. I'm always deeply saddened when people feel they don't have an out. And this is also very heavily connected to mental health, which has a very large social stigma in Asian countries.
I'm ranting and raving, but do know that I loved this. I won't say it opened my eyes to many things, because I feel somewhat familiar with the culture, but there are many things to learn here.
Book pairings: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 & Natural Beauty
January 12, 2024
A great book about the K-Beauty industry. Elise Hu’s writing is wonderful in that it feels both conversational and easy-to-read while also capturing nuance and complexity. She describes aspects of the K-Beauty industry such as skin care routines and makeup products as well as plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. She researches and reports on the darker sides of the industry, such as the sexist expectations placed upon women’s body image and how people feel compelled to get surgery to perform better on the job market. At the same time, Hu doesn’t stereotype or orientalize Korean culture; she draws both upon history (e.g., class dynamics) to discuss issues such as why colorism persists and upon interviews with Korean people who engage with K-Beauty.
I appreciated too her writing about South Korean who are defying sexist and gendered expectations. Hu does a nice job of including some well-placed self-disclosure and it was nice getting to know her as a human too, in addition to her reporting. I liked her takeaways about learning to expand what we consider beautiful and to divest from viewing beauty as important in the first place (e.g., practicing body neutrality instead).
On a personal and somewhat related side note, yesterday I got into Seattle to visit one of my best friends. Before getting dinner with her, I squeezed in a quick workout. When I stepped on the treadmill, it automatically displayed my weight which I was like what?? I purposefully haven’t weighed myself in years. The number it showed was probably the highest I’ve ever weighed. Thankfully though, I really didn’t care about the number. I had an eating disorder in my earlier teen years, and for the past several years I’ve really stopped valuing appearance, weight, all of that. My lack of a reaction to my weight I think has reflected this work. I’m at a place in my life where I feel so fulfilled with my close friendships, work, hobbies, etc. and I have everything that matters. As Hu writes about toward the end of the book, weight and appearance aren’t central at all to me. Just wanted to share this tidbit as I’ve written about this on my blog in years past and figured I’d include it here instead of writing a full blog post about it (though maybe later I will)!
I appreciated too her writing about South Korean who are defying sexist and gendered expectations. Hu does a nice job of including some well-placed self-disclosure and it was nice getting to know her as a human too, in addition to her reporting. I liked her takeaways about learning to expand what we consider beautiful and to divest from viewing beauty as important in the first place (e.g., practicing body neutrality instead).
On a personal and somewhat related side note, yesterday I got into Seattle to visit one of my best friends. Before getting dinner with her, I squeezed in a quick workout. When I stepped on the treadmill, it automatically displayed my weight which I was like what?? I purposefully haven’t weighed myself in years. The number it showed was probably the highest I’ve ever weighed. Thankfully though, I really didn’t care about the number. I had an eating disorder in my earlier teen years, and for the past several years I’ve really stopped valuing appearance, weight, all of that. My lack of a reaction to my weight I think has reflected this work. I’m at a place in my life where I feel so fulfilled with my close friendships, work, hobbies, etc. and I have everything that matters. As Hu writes about toward the end of the book, weight and appearance aren’t central at all to me. Just wanted to share this tidbit as I’ve written about this on my blog in years past and figured I’d include it here instead of writing a full blog post about it (though maybe later I will)!
June 17, 2024
We’re obsessed with the pursuit of youthful beauty, and no country on Earth may exemplify that more than South Korea. Flawless is a critique of the successful Korean-beauty (K-beauty) industry in South Korea and of the socialization that maintains it. What makes this book a little different as an investigative nonfiction is that American journalist Elise Hu didn’t investigate from a distance. In 2015 she temporarily moved to Seoul with her family, so she was in the thick of it.
In South Korea Hu quickly discovered there was no way to avoid the country’s obsession with beauty, and Flawless has some memoir-ish traits as she wrote candidly about all she experienced as a culture-shocked American. Readers discover along with her; feel surprised along with her; and, when she tries a beauty procedure or trend, try it along with her. With an outsider’s eyes, she viewed Seoul as “a city that felt like a living monument to conspicuous consumption, with upscale malls, blinding lights, and blinding wealth.” Punishing female-beauty standards are often characteristic of places like this. In scrutinizing such standards and K-beauty’s tantalizing promises, Hu launched into a wider analysis of general things, such as “lookism” and surveillance (both by the government and, thanks to social media, by the self).
Before starting Flawless, I knew that K-beauty is the best in the world—its skincare products, from cleansers to BB creams to sunblocks are made of magical ingredients—but I didn’t know it’s hallowed in South Korea. As skincare is concerned, the coveted South Korean ideal is “glass skin,” which is clear, glowing, pale skin free of visible makeup. “Brightening” products are popular. Blemish-free (including freckle-free) fair skin is prized enough that “proper cleansing” involves as many as seven steps. Daily sunblock is a must; many beach-goers are fully covered; and parasols are a frequent sight on sunny days. The government has even installed sun shades on some street corners to protect pedestrians waiting to cross. Unsurprisingly, skin-cancer rates in South Korea are some of the lowest globally.
If makeup and skincare alone aren’t enough, there’s plastic surgery, something not only accepted in the country but encouraged. Seoul’s glut of plastic surgeons makes Hollywood look like a plastic-surgery desert. They get continuing education in the latest techniques, and, because they perform surgery so often, are highly experienced. South Korea also boasts a booming medical-tourism industry.
The government couldn’t be more pleased with all this. The sun shades on street corners aren’t because it cares about keeping citizens healthy; the government cares about K-beauty because of the central role it plays in “hallyu,” a term that pertains to South Korea’s cultural economy. Hallyu is a powerful force in burnishing the country’s international image, and to help readers appreciate that, Hu provided a short history lesson. In it, she outlined how South Korea experienced a momentous socio-political shift in the 1980s to become a powerhouse country, so it’s no surprise that there’s tremendous incentive to keep these industries alive and well. Deeply ingrained cultural values also help.
It goes without saying that South Korea’s obsession with appearance means the culture espouses rigid gender roles. Considerable social pressure and sexist advertising maintain the female-beauty standards that exist for the male gaze. In this way, women are kept in their place as living dolls, hyper-aware that their value as human beings isn’t inherent but conditional. Men do get advertised to (in the areas of skincare and hair, mainly) but hardly to the degree women and girls do, and messaging directed at men in a patriarchy is significantly different.
Where Hu could have done more was in probing each phenomenon she highlighted. The book has a gawking quality instead, and, to be frank, makes South Koreans sound terribly vain, judgmental, and cold. Seoul sounds horrible. I kept waiting for some balance, for the part where Hu talked about South Koreans pushing back. She eventually did, with discussion of a movement called “Escape the Corset,” but it’s a cursory addition. And it's not comforting: The takeaway from this movement is that the country is very much not ready for it. In a collectivist society like South Korea, those brave enough to shun K-beauty standards break a social contract, and they’re punished in the form of regular dirty looks, critical comments, and even physical assault. If anything, this part underscores women’s lack of agency and true choice in the matter. In the last chapter, Hu also profiled three elderly Korean women now living in America and not caring about South Korean beauty standards, both because they are older (i.e., invisible) and because they no longer live in South Korea. It’s a good chapter, but it’s more a simple focus on three nice ladies at peace with their looks and living a fulfilling life.
Additionally, Hu didn’t thoroughly question how plastic surgery in South Korea Westernizes Koreans’ facial features. She rejected internalized anti-Asian bigotry as the root cause. Double-eyelid surgery is the most common plastic surgery in South Korea and seems like an obvious example of this Westernization. But plastic surgeons she interviewed claim those who get double-eyelid surgery do so not to adhere to Western beauty standards but rather to look like those Koreans who were born with a double eyelid. Hu didn’t see how this then raises the question of why they want to look like those who have the double eyelid in the first place. Why doesn’t the procedure ever go in the opposite direction—double eyelid to monolid? Answering that question would reveal a subconscious preference for Western features.
What’s most missing, though, is a dive into why female-beauty standards exist. Exposing the rotten core of K-beauty risks veering into anti-Asian sentiment if there’s no zooming out to expose the greater problem. Hu squandered her chance to shift from sharing her shock and awe to talking about the general link between sexism and beauty standards. South Korea is this problem on steroids, but female-beautification-as-sexism is a worldwide, and ancient, problem that tends to get ignored. She only hinted at the sexism link, and even then, only a little bit. Renee Engeln—whom Hu actually quoted at one point—did this much better in her must-read Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women.
Flawless may not be flawless, but it is fascinating. Hu explained everything about K-beauty, and it seems this industry could only have sprung from a country like South Korea. A socio-political shift combined with rigid gendering and sexism are ideal conditions. K-beauty isn’t really about well-made products. It’s a loaded thing. When South Korean women smooth on brightening serums or inject the latest fillers to banish wrinkles, they’re upholding something that holds them back. Female beautification has always been weighty as women’s rights are concerned, but it’s only in looking at an exaggerated example that we can see the problem. Hopefully Hu’s exposé will empower women. Hopefully more South Korean women specifically will join the Escape the Corset movement or at least make changes that are quieter, but that, in a country with extreme standards, would be radical nonetheless.
NOTE: I received this as a complimentary finished copy from Goodreads in May 2023.
In South Korea Hu quickly discovered there was no way to avoid the country’s obsession with beauty, and Flawless has some memoir-ish traits as she wrote candidly about all she experienced as a culture-shocked American. Readers discover along with her; feel surprised along with her; and, when she tries a beauty procedure or trend, try it along with her. With an outsider’s eyes, she viewed Seoul as “a city that felt like a living monument to conspicuous consumption, with upscale malls, blinding lights, and blinding wealth.” Punishing female-beauty standards are often characteristic of places like this. In scrutinizing such standards and K-beauty’s tantalizing promises, Hu launched into a wider analysis of general things, such as “lookism” and surveillance (both by the government and, thanks to social media, by the self).
Before starting Flawless, I knew that K-beauty is the best in the world—its skincare products, from cleansers to BB creams to sunblocks are made of magical ingredients—but I didn’t know it’s hallowed in South Korea. As skincare is concerned, the coveted South Korean ideal is “glass skin,” which is clear, glowing, pale skin free of visible makeup. “Brightening” products are popular. Blemish-free (including freckle-free) fair skin is prized enough that “proper cleansing” involves as many as seven steps. Daily sunblock is a must; many beach-goers are fully covered; and parasols are a frequent sight on sunny days. The government has even installed sun shades on some street corners to protect pedestrians waiting to cross. Unsurprisingly, skin-cancer rates in South Korea are some of the lowest globally.
If makeup and skincare alone aren’t enough, there’s plastic surgery, something not only accepted in the country but encouraged. Seoul’s glut of plastic surgeons makes Hollywood look like a plastic-surgery desert. They get continuing education in the latest techniques, and, because they perform surgery so often, are highly experienced. South Korea also boasts a booming medical-tourism industry.
The government couldn’t be more pleased with all this. The sun shades on street corners aren’t because it cares about keeping citizens healthy; the government cares about K-beauty because of the central role it plays in “hallyu,” a term that pertains to South Korea’s cultural economy. Hallyu is a powerful force in burnishing the country’s international image, and to help readers appreciate that, Hu provided a short history lesson. In it, she outlined how South Korea experienced a momentous socio-political shift in the 1980s to become a powerhouse country, so it’s no surprise that there’s tremendous incentive to keep these industries alive and well. Deeply ingrained cultural values also help.
It goes without saying that South Korea’s obsession with appearance means the culture espouses rigid gender roles. Considerable social pressure and sexist advertising maintain the female-beauty standards that exist for the male gaze. In this way, women are kept in their place as living dolls, hyper-aware that their value as human beings isn’t inherent but conditional. Men do get advertised to (in the areas of skincare and hair, mainly) but hardly to the degree women and girls do, and messaging directed at men in a patriarchy is significantly different.
Where Hu could have done more was in probing each phenomenon she highlighted. The book has a gawking quality instead, and, to be frank, makes South Koreans sound terribly vain, judgmental, and cold. Seoul sounds horrible. I kept waiting for some balance, for the part where Hu talked about South Koreans pushing back. She eventually did, with discussion of a movement called “Escape the Corset,” but it’s a cursory addition. And it's not comforting: The takeaway from this movement is that the country is very much not ready for it. In a collectivist society like South Korea, those brave enough to shun K-beauty standards break a social contract, and they’re punished in the form of regular dirty looks, critical comments, and even physical assault. If anything, this part underscores women’s lack of agency and true choice in the matter. In the last chapter, Hu also profiled three elderly Korean women now living in America and not caring about South Korean beauty standards, both because they are older (i.e., invisible) and because they no longer live in South Korea. It’s a good chapter, but it’s more a simple focus on three nice ladies at peace with their looks and living a fulfilling life.
Additionally, Hu didn’t thoroughly question how plastic surgery in South Korea Westernizes Koreans’ facial features. She rejected internalized anti-Asian bigotry as the root cause. Double-eyelid surgery is the most common plastic surgery in South Korea and seems like an obvious example of this Westernization. But plastic surgeons she interviewed claim those who get double-eyelid surgery do so not to adhere to Western beauty standards but rather to look like those Koreans who were born with a double eyelid. Hu didn’t see how this then raises the question of why they want to look like those who have the double eyelid in the first place. Why doesn’t the procedure ever go in the opposite direction—double eyelid to monolid? Answering that question would reveal a subconscious preference for Western features.
What’s most missing, though, is a dive into why female-beauty standards exist. Exposing the rotten core of K-beauty risks veering into anti-Asian sentiment if there’s no zooming out to expose the greater problem. Hu squandered her chance to shift from sharing her shock and awe to talking about the general link between sexism and beauty standards. South Korea is this problem on steroids, but female-beautification-as-sexism is a worldwide, and ancient, problem that tends to get ignored. She only hinted at the sexism link, and even then, only a little bit. Renee Engeln—whom Hu actually quoted at one point—did this much better in her must-read Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women.
Flawless may not be flawless, but it is fascinating. Hu explained everything about K-beauty, and it seems this industry could only have sprung from a country like South Korea. A socio-political shift combined with rigid gendering and sexism are ideal conditions. K-beauty isn’t really about well-made products. It’s a loaded thing. When South Korean women smooth on brightening serums or inject the latest fillers to banish wrinkles, they’re upholding something that holds them back. Female beautification has always been weighty as women’s rights are concerned, but it’s only in looking at an exaggerated example that we can see the problem. Hopefully Hu’s exposé will empower women. Hopefully more South Korean women specifically will join the Escape the Corset movement or at least make changes that are quieter, but that, in a country with extreme standards, would be radical nonetheless.
NOTE: I received this as a complimentary finished copy from Goodreads in May 2023.
August 24, 2023
I like how Elise Hu ponders the thin line between enjoying beauty products, spas, as well as exploring aesthetics, and lookism as sexism, as a means to control and ultimately oppress women, because the thing is: How do you know where your personal desire to express yourself through your appearance ends and where internalized misogyny starts? It's, unfortunately, extremely difficult, because what society has taught us women all our lives is now rooted deeply in the subconscious and messes with our self-perception on multiple levels.
Hu, an American journalist with Chinese and Taiwanese roots, was a correspondent in Seoul, and in the book, she explains how the K-beauty industry has become a worldwide trendsetter, and not without mentioning the innovative potential of the ingredients as well as the brilliant marketing. But she is also knowledgeable about Korean society and the importance it puts on looks, how normalized judgement on physical appearances are - which, with globalized digital culture that increasingly focuses on image(s) and face altering software, she deems to be a trend that will soon haunt the whole world, including the normalization of more and more aggressive treatments.
I listened to the text as an audio book, and it's very well crafted journalism, mixing facts and stats and history with personal stories of Korean citizens and the author, who came into this culture and was soon absorbed by the beauty industry, both because it's innovative and exciting AND because it's dangerous and sexist (which, one could argue, generally goes for beauty standards in all countries, this one is just more extreme a.k.a. potentially our future).
A great book, coming at its topic from various angles and adding all the nuance the industry and the women who consume its products (me being one of them) deserves.
Hu, an American journalist with Chinese and Taiwanese roots, was a correspondent in Seoul, and in the book, she explains how the K-beauty industry has become a worldwide trendsetter, and not without mentioning the innovative potential of the ingredients as well as the brilliant marketing. But she is also knowledgeable about Korean society and the importance it puts on looks, how normalized judgement on physical appearances are - which, with globalized digital culture that increasingly focuses on image(s) and face altering software, she deems to be a trend that will soon haunt the whole world, including the normalization of more and more aggressive treatments.
I listened to the text as an audio book, and it's very well crafted journalism, mixing facts and stats and history with personal stories of Korean citizens and the author, who came into this culture and was soon absorbed by the beauty industry, both because it's innovative and exciting AND because it's dangerous and sexist (which, one could argue, generally goes for beauty standards in all countries, this one is just more extreme a.k.a. potentially our future).
A great book, coming at its topic from various angles and adding all the nuance the industry and the women who consume its products (me being one of them) deserves.
March 5, 2023
Do you remember a few years ago when Korean beauty routines became all the rage? BB cream, cushion foundations, sheet masks, oil cleanser, essences, ampoules and toner - at one point or another, I’ve tried all of these products. Many of them still remain in my routine, so as one who has been wholly influenced, I was excited to read Flawless for an analysis of Korean beauty culture.
The export of Korean culture, which is called hallyu, can be hard to quantify when compared to traditional exports like cell phones and cars. And one of the most influential of these cultural exports has to do Korean beauty standards. In this book, Hu provides a comprehensive look at the very dark underbelly of the Korean beauty industry. And it’s not pretty.
One of the biggest themes in this book is how beauty culture is so engrained in Korean society that it has become an expectation and baseline, rather than a personal choice. Prettiness is equated to morality, and beauty can be an indicator of value, wellness and work ethic. In a society where all jobs require photos as part of the application process, it becomes an absolute necessity for one to keep up with, and maintain, beauty standards. Companies (ranging from lip balm manufacturers to plastic surgery centers) have really zoomed in on this, further convincing society that the beauty standards that these products and services provide are what the consumer always wanted for themselves, all along.
And while beauty is an expectation for both men and women, it is the latter, per usual, that bears the brunt of this expectation. In a society where feminism “is considered such a taboo term that a majority of men in their twenties say they would break up with their partners if they described themselves as feminist”, where women’s rights are some of the worst in the industrialized world, and where women earn $0.68 to the men’s dollar, it is women who have the most pressure to conform, pay for, spend time on, and keep up with beauty standards. It was particularly sad to read that 43% of children now wear some sort of makeup to elementary school.
There’s a lot more stuffed into Flawless regarding capitalism, consumerism, technology, self-help, Korean culture, and Hu’s own personal experiences living in Seoul. I'd recommend this sobering read to anybody that enjoys hallyu, and is interested in the intersection of feminism and neoliberalism.
A fiction book I’d pair would this would be Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, which was deeply controversial when it was released in South Korea, and is meant to depict an average woman’s in Korean society, as misogyny creeps into every aspect of her life.
I got a free e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and Penguin Books. Flawless releases May 23, 2023!
The export of Korean culture, which is called hallyu, can be hard to quantify when compared to traditional exports like cell phones and cars. And one of the most influential of these cultural exports has to do Korean beauty standards. In this book, Hu provides a comprehensive look at the very dark underbelly of the Korean beauty industry. And it’s not pretty.
One of the biggest themes in this book is how beauty culture is so engrained in Korean society that it has become an expectation and baseline, rather than a personal choice. Prettiness is equated to morality, and beauty can be an indicator of value, wellness and work ethic. In a society where all jobs require photos as part of the application process, it becomes an absolute necessity for one to keep up with, and maintain, beauty standards. Companies (ranging from lip balm manufacturers to plastic surgery centers) have really zoomed in on this, further convincing society that the beauty standards that these products and services provide are what the consumer always wanted for themselves, all along.
And while beauty is an expectation for both men and women, it is the latter, per usual, that bears the brunt of this expectation. In a society where feminism “is considered such a taboo term that a majority of men in their twenties say they would break up with their partners if they described themselves as feminist”, where women’s rights are some of the worst in the industrialized world, and where women earn $0.68 to the men’s dollar, it is women who have the most pressure to conform, pay for, spend time on, and keep up with beauty standards. It was particularly sad to read that 43% of children now wear some sort of makeup to elementary school.
There’s a lot more stuffed into Flawless regarding capitalism, consumerism, technology, self-help, Korean culture, and Hu’s own personal experiences living in Seoul. I'd recommend this sobering read to anybody that enjoys hallyu, and is interested in the intersection of feminism and neoliberalism.
A fiction book I’d pair would this would be Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, which was deeply controversial when it was released in South Korea, and is meant to depict an average woman’s in Korean society, as misogyny creeps into every aspect of her life.
I got a free e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and Penguin Books. Flawless releases May 23, 2023!
January 1, 2024
به نظر میرسد صنعت زیبایی در آمریکا بر نوعی نیهیلیسم مصرفگرایانه بنا شده: ما جنسیتتان را هم عوض میکنیم، پوست و مو و ظاهر که سهل است. از سوی دیگر، در صنعت زیبایی کرهی جنوبی زیبایی عینی هنوز ارج و قرب دارد و لذا محصولات آرایشی و بهداشتی براساس نظامی سلسلهمراتبی از زیبایی تولید و عرضه میشوند
August 5, 2023
This was a fascinating take on Korean beauty norms and the rigid standards they set for women there. Increasingly for men as well, but more variation is accepted for males. For women, there is only one ideal, although it keeps changing so that keeping up with the trend is taxing. It’s also expensive, many women spend 500$ a month on beauty products.
I don’t spend that much in a year. I will often go for men’s moisturizer, because it’s half the price of the women’s equivalent for the same brand. Last time I bought an eyeliner the poor woman behind the counter wanted to sell me some anti-aging cream. “It’s all snake oil”, I said, and left.
The reason to read this book is that Korea is probably about a decade ahead of the west in terms of beauty regime. Plus the government invests heavily in the spread of Korean culture, just take “squid game” and their pop groups as examples.
I was shocked to read in a paper a couple of years ago that 2 in 5 women in my income segment in Norway have had a surgical cosmetic procedure. In Korea, cosmetic procedures are ubiquitous. The industry is huge and the surgeons do up to ten surgeries a day. Not just on Koreans, they cater to foreigners as well.
There is a need to conform, to look good for others. Non-conformity is not condoned. Since everyone is getting the same procedures, everyone is beginning to look alike. As what is beautiful narrows, what is considered ugly broadens.
The author is an Asian-American journalist who lived a few years in Korea. Her personal experience of the pressures and discovering the local customs is fascinating and adds a broad layer of interest to the topics she portrays. Definitely recommended! If we know what’s coming, we can perhaps prevent and curtail it before it’s invaded all of our lives.
I don’t spend that much in a year. I will often go for men’s moisturizer, because it’s half the price of the women’s equivalent for the same brand. Last time I bought an eyeliner the poor woman behind the counter wanted to sell me some anti-aging cream. “It’s all snake oil”, I said, and left.
The reason to read this book is that Korea is probably about a decade ahead of the west in terms of beauty regime. Plus the government invests heavily in the spread of Korean culture, just take “squid game” and their pop groups as examples.
I was shocked to read in a paper a couple of years ago that 2 in 5 women in my income segment in Norway have had a surgical cosmetic procedure. In Korea, cosmetic procedures are ubiquitous. The industry is huge and the surgeons do up to ten surgeries a day. Not just on Koreans, they cater to foreigners as well.
There is a need to conform, to look good for others. Non-conformity is not condoned. Since everyone is getting the same procedures, everyone is beginning to look alike. As what is beautiful narrows, what is considered ugly broadens.
The author is an Asian-American journalist who lived a few years in Korea. Her personal experience of the pressures and discovering the local customs is fascinating and adds a broad layer of interest to the topics she portrays. Definitely recommended! If we know what’s coming, we can perhaps prevent and curtail it before it’s invaded all of our lives.
February 6, 2024
I liked a lot of this book but also had a lot of questions about who was telling this story. I wasn't particularly interested in Korean beauty standards but I think Hu helped me to really engage with the topic. I struggled more with her being an outsider to this place and doing a cultural study. Overall it is interesting.
May 22, 2023
Going into this book as a reader, I thought I knew a lot about K-beauty. But Elise Hu's wonderful debut book is quite a surprise. Deeply reported, smart, witty and personal, Hu shines as a seasoned journalist and storyteller in the pages of this book. I learned quite a lot through her thorough research, and the personal details of her life as a reporter in Korea were illuminating as they related to the subject matter of this book. I'm so glad this book is coming out into the world!
May 16, 2023
Elise Hu has written an eye-opener for the Westerners of the world. I had no idea there was a thing called “K-beauty”, and I certainly had no idea how competitive and manipulative beauty can be in South Korea. The amount of plastic surgery, up to and including your “woohoo”, the multitude of steps for the perfect skin, the strictness of weight, skin tone, and perceived beauty would make Korea a horrible place for anyone with less than stellar self-esteem. Elise explains how the industry led an entire nation to this point, and what could be done to alter that concept.
This is a richly researched, well-worded study on an epidemic of sorts that is flourishing under our very nose and could quickly spread to other cultures—a wake-up call for men and women alike.
Thanks to Penguin Group-Dutton for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is May 23, 2023.
This is a richly researched, well-worded study on an epidemic of sorts that is flourishing under our very nose and could quickly spread to other cultures—a wake-up call for men and women alike.
Thanks to Penguin Group-Dutton for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is May 23, 2023.
August 15, 2023
I wasn't sure whether this would be boring, to be honest, but the author goes far beyond an examination of K Beauty and delves into the pressures women deal with, the obsession with youth and our appearance that is encouraged by the profit hungry beauty and wellness machine. There was a lot to think about in this book and I know it will be on my mind for a while to come. Recommended!
April 24, 2023
Thank you to Edelweiss and Dutton publishing for the eARC of this book!
Honestly, as someone who does not read a lot of nonfiction for "fun" but does for work, I was blown away by this book and how quickly it sucked me in. I lived in Seoul the year before the author moved there - in the height of the selfie stick phase - so I had a lot of expectations in relation to what topics would come up. In my opinion, Hu hit every aspect that I thought was necessary for the book and then some. She goes deep into each topic and includes historical and cultural reasonings behind the K-beauty scene. Everything is clearly well researched, and it reads so well. Hu is clearly a great reporter and I will honestly begin looking for her work through NPR!
Korea is such a unique country with such a complicated history, and I (as a non-Korean) think she did a great job of critiquing the K-beauty industry/culture without disregarding Korean culture as a whole. Obviously opinions can vary, and I am not Korean, so there is the possibility that there were issues with her book that I did not pick up on. But as a non-Korean woman who was also swept up into the beauty scene while there, I felt like she did a great job. I would highly recommend this book.
Honestly, as someone who does not read a lot of nonfiction for "fun" but does for work, I was blown away by this book and how quickly it sucked me in. I lived in Seoul the year before the author moved there - in the height of the selfie stick phase - so I had a lot of expectations in relation to what topics would come up. In my opinion, Hu hit every aspect that I thought was necessary for the book and then some. She goes deep into each topic and includes historical and cultural reasonings behind the K-beauty scene. Everything is clearly well researched, and it reads so well. Hu is clearly a great reporter and I will honestly begin looking for her work through NPR!
Korea is such a unique country with such a complicated history, and I (as a non-Korean) think she did a great job of critiquing the K-beauty industry/culture without disregarding Korean culture as a whole. Obviously opinions can vary, and I am not Korean, so there is the possibility that there were issues with her book that I did not pick up on. But as a non-Korean woman who was also swept up into the beauty scene while there, I felt like she did a great job. I would highly recommend this book.
May 24, 2023
As a skin care junkie who has adhered to the Korean 12-step regimen for years, I assumed I’d finish this book with a deep appreciation of the R&D put in by K-Beauty manufacturers to keep my skin glowing and pores tight. What I did not expect was the self-reflection that came with understanding South Korea as a bellwether for beauty standards around the world and what impact it’s already had on my own self-esteem (beyond the existing US cultural/general patriarchal expectations), not to mention where we might be headed if the nonpareil standards of K-Pop stars becomes our new norm. Would also never have thought there was a connection between Confucius and my sheet masks, but it speaks to the depth of research Hu did to put together a thoughtful, multi-faceted book about a seemingly superficial topic such as beauty. Highly recommend.
December 9, 2023
“Women’s bodies are objects and subjects; conduits for consumption and worksites all at once.” 💋💄
It is scary, how the Korean society expects women to look a certain way in order to have more opportunities to succeed. Advertisements for cosmetics are everywhere, nudging people to chase after an impossible beauty ideal. 👸🏻
In Flawless, Elise Hu interrogates the problematic status quo of beauty culture and highlights the unseen inequities behind it. Apart from just delving into the state of the multi-billion dollar beauty industry, Hu also examines the history of beauty culture in Korea, the jaw-dropping technological advancements in cosmetic surgeries and the deeper problems of gender inequality. The book ends with a hopeful direction towards how we can embrace our flawed and unique selves. 👨🏻⚕️
Highly fascinating and informative, this is a book I urge everyone to read, especially if you are consumers of beauty products! 🪞
4.75/5
It is scary, how the Korean society expects women to look a certain way in order to have more opportunities to succeed. Advertisements for cosmetics are everywhere, nudging people to chase after an impossible beauty ideal. 👸🏻
In Flawless, Elise Hu interrogates the problematic status quo of beauty culture and highlights the unseen inequities behind it. Apart from just delving into the state of the multi-billion dollar beauty industry, Hu also examines the history of beauty culture in Korea, the jaw-dropping technological advancements in cosmetic surgeries and the deeper problems of gender inequality. The book ends with a hopeful direction towards how we can embrace our flawed and unique selves. 👨🏻⚕️
Highly fascinating and informative, this is a book I urge everyone to read, especially if you are consumers of beauty products! 🪞
4.75/5
August 7, 2023
i absolutely loved this book. i've been trying to read more nonfiction books lately and I'm so glad to have read this one. if you know me you know I'm all about that Korean skincare and whatnot. i literally love kbeauty so much. my entire skincare routine consists of Korean brands such as innisfree, laneige, man:yo, mediheal, cosrx, etc. I'm really glad i read this book so that i could gain a deeper insight on the beauty industry in korea, along with beauty standards and everything about Korean culture. it is so fascinating to me—and i think elise hu did an amazing job with this—to see how every single aspect of Korean culture is rooted in korea's beauty standards. this book demonstrates how Korean history, philosophy, culture, feminism, gender inequality, society, and psychology is all linked together under one denominator, which is beauty. an absolutely fascinating read, and Hu is such a talented author. her writing style was really easy to follow, and it was really engaging too. i loved hearing her own personal stories from her time in korea and how she was also affected by the Korean beauty standards. my favorite part about this book was learning about body image within korea in the chapter "free size isn't free." absolutely wonderful chapter. as someone who is heavily interested in kbeauty, k-culture, and everything, reading this book was like taking a step back and realizing what it is I'm actually being influenced by. i probably spend more than $200 a year on skincare alone (i really wish that was an exaggeration LOL), all so that i can reach an end goal of "becoming the best version of myself" (a quote from the book). this book was such an eye opener. granted, it also did say a lot of things i already knew about the beauty industry LOL like i already know how tough and impossible the Korean beauty standards are and everything but reading about it and seeing evidence and reading firsthand accounts from people is much more interesting. i genuinely loved this book and i loved reading everything inside of it. what an amazing nonfiction book. thank you elise hu. i definitely enjoyed it. please if you love skincare and kbeauty too you should read it. its truly fascinating. ok bye!!!!!!!
July 9, 2023
Rating: 4.5
South Korea's name has become synonymous with Kpop & K-beauty industries which have made their imprint on the global scale through social media in the last few decades. The strong influence of the 'Hallyu wave' meant that the beauty industry (cosmetic products & surgery) is one of Korea's most profitable export industries that economically outpaced its manufacturing and shipbuilding industries. In other words, it's a huge money-making business that is enthusiastically backed by the country's policies, ministries & governmental subsidies.
Through investigative journalism means, Hu goes into a deep dive into how these industries came about and dominated South Korea's cultural landscape. The currency crisis in the late 1990s, Hu argued, brought about the need for a bailout from the IMF, wherein the government then decided on a soft power strategy to regain its economy and focus on a highly visual entertainment culture. The success of Kpop & Kdrama in transcending the borders inevitably branched out into the K-beauty industry that we know today. A visit to South Korea's popular tourist hotspots would quickly reveal the myriad of beauty stores littering the streets, and it isn't unusual to see young girls and boys coming out of a clinic with their faces plastered over after cosmetic surgery. Parents would actually 'gift' these cosmetic surgery procedures to their children as a graduation present; such is the extent of the industry's normalization of the high beauty standards their citizens are expected to adhere to. In some industries, job seekers would even need to provide their height, weight & photo in their resume, which goes to show just how seriously they take their appearance.
All this comes at a high cost, especially when it comes to the strain it puts Korean women (and men) under -- if you don't conform to society's expectations, there will likely be some backlash or consequences for not fitting in. Such consequences can mean lesser job opportunities, comments about your looks & appearance, less chance of finding life partners, and so on. In recent times, Korean women have begun to fight back against the impossible patriarchal expectations put upon them in a movement called "Escape the Corset", and it's also heartening to read about how some of these women are fighting back. Still, it's an awful uphill battle as men began to push back in response to the women's movements -- things are unlikely to change soon, but at the very least there is hope that the fight will continue until something gives.
This is such an amazing book that covers so many other topics related to Korea's beauty industry, and Hu has done an excellent job in compiling all sorts of texts and resources that backed up her observations regarding the industry's failings. I'd highly recommend this read for anyone who's interested in such topics, especially if you're steeped in the K-culture circles.
Thank you to Times Reads for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
South Korea's name has become synonymous with Kpop & K-beauty industries which have made their imprint on the global scale through social media in the last few decades. The strong influence of the 'Hallyu wave' meant that the beauty industry (cosmetic products & surgery) is one of Korea's most profitable export industries that economically outpaced its manufacturing and shipbuilding industries. In other words, it's a huge money-making business that is enthusiastically backed by the country's policies, ministries & governmental subsidies.
Through investigative journalism means, Hu goes into a deep dive into how these industries came about and dominated South Korea's cultural landscape. The currency crisis in the late 1990s, Hu argued, brought about the need for a bailout from the IMF, wherein the government then decided on a soft power strategy to regain its economy and focus on a highly visual entertainment culture. The success of Kpop & Kdrama in transcending the borders inevitably branched out into the K-beauty industry that we know today. A visit to South Korea's popular tourist hotspots would quickly reveal the myriad of beauty stores littering the streets, and it isn't unusual to see young girls and boys coming out of a clinic with their faces plastered over after cosmetic surgery. Parents would actually 'gift' these cosmetic surgery procedures to their children as a graduation present; such is the extent of the industry's normalization of the high beauty standards their citizens are expected to adhere to. In some industries, job seekers would even need to provide their height, weight & photo in their resume, which goes to show just how seriously they take their appearance.
All this comes at a high cost, especially when it comes to the strain it puts Korean women (and men) under -- if you don't conform to society's expectations, there will likely be some backlash or consequences for not fitting in. Such consequences can mean lesser job opportunities, comments about your looks & appearance, less chance of finding life partners, and so on. In recent times, Korean women have begun to fight back against the impossible patriarchal expectations put upon them in a movement called "Escape the Corset", and it's also heartening to read about how some of these women are fighting back. Still, it's an awful uphill battle as men began to push back in response to the women's movements -- things are unlikely to change soon, but at the very least there is hope that the fight will continue until something gives.
This is such an amazing book that covers so many other topics related to Korea's beauty industry, and Hu has done an excellent job in compiling all sorts of texts and resources that backed up her observations regarding the industry's failings. I'd highly recommend this read for anyone who's interested in such topics, especially if you're steeped in the K-culture circles.
Thank you to Times Reads for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
January 30, 2024
I think this book would be great for someone less familiar Korean pop culture and beauty standards. I did enjoy this book and its topic is extremely important. That said, I found this too easy to put down and by the 10th chapter I was desperate for it to finish. It could just be my own issues though as I was already versed in what she had to say.
November 27, 2023
This was such a great read for me! Hu wrote eloquently, illustrated intangible concepts with everyday examples, and sectioned topics efficiently while keeping them very much connected and cohesive. I also liked how she alternated between information-dense chapters with parts that narrate her personal experiences. As someone who consume a lot of Korean cultural products/media, I found this to be very insightful and informative. As a journalistic report, I think it’s a wonderfully-done one and I appreciate Hu’s voice chiming in every now and then to share her perspectives from a moral standpoint.
July 21, 2023
Things I found interesting/compelling in this book:
1. I thought her assertion that S Korea is the future of Western beauty trends because it's pioneering skincare/medspa treatments & attitudes towards self "correction".
2. The economic argument in S Korea for doing appearance work is super stark/obvious. Interesting example of individually rational decisions leading to an un-rational outcome (e.g. if all female presenting folks engage in appearance work, then the standard of beauty gets pushed out to further unattainable reaches. However, each individual benefits economically from achieving the current standard of beauty, so it is rational to pursue it.)
3. Her conclusion of doing self-care appearance work as a celebration of the body instead of in pursuit of a beauty ideal.
4. Body neutrality v. body positivity (from Google to paraphrase one of the ideas she puts forth for combatting beauty standards): body positivity encourages you to feel beautiful and love your body at any size, while body neutrality focuses more on how your daily habits make you feel rather than on how you look.
5. The idea that the male gaze has been replaced by the algorithmic gaze. *shudder*
1. I thought her assertion that S Korea is the future of Western beauty trends because it's pioneering skincare/medspa treatments & attitudes towards self "correction".
2. The economic argument in S Korea for doing appearance work is super stark/obvious. Interesting example of individually rational decisions leading to an un-rational outcome (e.g. if all female presenting folks engage in appearance work, then the standard of beauty gets pushed out to further unattainable reaches. However, each individual benefits economically from achieving the current standard of beauty, so it is rational to pursue it.)
3. Her conclusion of doing self-care appearance work as a celebration of the body instead of in pursuit of a beauty ideal.
4. Body neutrality v. body positivity (from Google to paraphrase one of the ideas she puts forth for combatting beauty standards): body positivity encourages you to feel beautiful and love your body at any size, while body neutrality focuses more on how your daily habits make you feel rather than on how you look.
5. The idea that the male gaze has been replaced by the algorithmic gaze. *shudder*
August 4, 2023
This book is everything that I hoped Emily Ratajowski's "My Body" would be. Hu rigorously examines South Korean culture, tracing the origins of modern beauty norms through history, economics, technology, and pop culture. Her research is supported by her own anecdotal experiences from when she lived in the region as well as interviews with hundreds of South Koreans.
What I found most impressive about this book was that Hu goes beyond neoliberal choice feminism in her analysis. She isn't afraid to call out the very real market forces and social pressures that drive women's "free choice" in altering their appearances. But at the same time, she accounts for nuance, writing that performing beauty can be an opportunity to transcend class norms and express one's gender identity. And at the end of the book, she points to a path forward by discussing body neutrality and a more expansive vision of beauty.
This book has definitely caused me to examine my relationship with beauty rituals and be more critical of the standards we're bombarded with from a young age. Would recommend to anyone, especially young women like myself.
What I found most impressive about this book was that Hu goes beyond neoliberal choice feminism in her analysis. She isn't afraid to call out the very real market forces and social pressures that drive women's "free choice" in altering their appearances. But at the same time, she accounts for nuance, writing that performing beauty can be an opportunity to transcend class norms and express one's gender identity. And at the end of the book, she points to a path forward by discussing body neutrality and a more expansive vision of beauty.
This book has definitely caused me to examine my relationship with beauty rituals and be more critical of the standards we're bombarded with from a young age. Would recommend to anyone, especially young women like myself.
December 30, 2023
What if we didn't use our bodies as a barometer of worth ?
Watching K-drama for years of course I notice how beauty become an important commodity in South Korea. But still this book can't fail to make me gasp.
I think our love for beauty and self care is natural and it's a good thing. But for a such a good thing we still need boundary. In this point I become understand how modesty in Islam save muslim women trapped in this toxic circumtances. Because the thirst of seeking beauty perfection have no boundary. And the end, we just wasting our time, energy and money.. We are to consummed by taking care of our appearance beauty and forget about the most essential of being "beautiful human"..
And still, many people can't resist. In South Korean case, the social cost is way to high.. It's so sad to think that people being isolated just because they doesn't meet the beauty standard.
And the capitalist industry make it worse.
Social media era have made a phenomena the author called "technological gaze", that means an algorithmically determined set of ideal traits for our facial and body parts that social platforms feed us through the content we scroll.
"Mass media promoting ideal of (impossible) women's bodies and in turn this encourages women to fight againts their own bodies. The real winner of this war are not men, nor women, but rather beauty, cosmetic surgery, advertising, and mass media industry."
-Bae Guk Nam
Watching K-drama for years of course I notice how beauty become an important commodity in South Korea. But still this book can't fail to make me gasp.
I think our love for beauty and self care is natural and it's a good thing. But for a such a good thing we still need boundary. In this point I become understand how modesty in Islam save muslim women trapped in this toxic circumtances. Because the thirst of seeking beauty perfection have no boundary. And the end, we just wasting our time, energy and money.. We are to consummed by taking care of our appearance beauty and forget about the most essential of being "beautiful human"..
And still, many people can't resist. In South Korean case, the social cost is way to high.. It's so sad to think that people being isolated just because they doesn't meet the beauty standard.
And the capitalist industry make it worse.
Social media era have made a phenomena the author called "technological gaze", that means an algorithmically determined set of ideal traits for our facial and body parts that social platforms feed us through the content we scroll.
"Mass media promoting ideal of (impossible) women's bodies and in turn this encourages women to fight againts their own bodies. The real winner of this war are not men, nor women, but rather beauty, cosmetic surgery, advertising, and mass media industry."
-Bae Guk Nam
July 13, 2023
“Ultimately, research shows the quest for perfection can be both addictive and self-destructive setting people on the path to depression, anxiety, and life paralysis when they become afraid to put anything out in the world that could be seen as imperfect.”
Loved this book! I learned so much about K beauty, the nexus of neoliberal constraints on feminism, and the future of plastic surgery that’s happening in Korea already.
Loved this book! I learned so much about K beauty, the nexus of neoliberal constraints on feminism, and the future of plastic surgery that’s happening in Korea already.
May 4, 2024
I enjoyed this book, but particularly LOVED the last few chapters on body weight, aging, and other frameworks for viewing our bodies that help us see them more rightly and lovingly (body neutrality, sensualism (re: embodiment), etc). This book is incredibly timely for me as an individual, but also for this particular cultural moment. A must read (or listen) for anyone!
<< The audiobook was good >>
<< The audiobook was good >>
February 7, 2024
I’m so surprised !! This was so good!! Why is no one talking about this?? I’ve literally never heard of this book until I googled 2023 novels and this came up and I gave it a try and it was so well done??
January 25, 2023
Combining reporting, lived experience, theory and a good dose of humor, Elise Hu's book is, well, flawless! If you're looking for a deeply engaging book about the past, present and future of Korean beauty's global impact on culture, and the relationship between beauty culture and tech, this book is for you! I appreciate how Hu covers everything from political economic history to theories around media and beauty in a really accessible read. 100000% recommend.
June 27, 2023
So enormously fascinating and well-researched!! Even though I was familiar with a lot of the trends presented, I definitely gained a new informed perspective from the way the author wrote and presented her research. Sections about the way technology and the beauty industry interact and toxically reinforce each other were particularly impactful to me.
December 18, 2023
This was such a fascinating book! There was a lot of cultural context, but in a re-examined format moving away from westernized stereotyping and assumptions. I think this is such an under-represented perspective when approaching East Asian cultures in non-fiction and it was interesting how Elise Hu broke down her arguments; there was so much nuance to each of her points! I also loved the blend of personal experience and academic research that created the narrative of this book. This narrative choice made it easy to connect with the book and more approachable for a wider audience rather than taking a strictly academic approach. However, there was clearly a LOT of research that went into this. Yet, this book never felt like it was info-dumping chunks of information. It was very well-balanced and this can also be said for themes this book explores. There was a lot of overlap between the themes explored in each section, however, it never felt repetitive or boring. Instead, Elise Hu offered another unique angle or perspective and was able to tie these points together cohesively. Overall, this was a very interesting and informative book with a unique perspective on beauty standards and gender roles.
March 7, 2024
A cool dive from an Asian-American's perspective on Korean beauty's wide reach into feminism, consumerism, and the neoliberal belief it sells of bettering yourself by buying and consuming more.
In a culture where appearances can be the deciding factor on a job application or a promotion, social acceptance hinges on the glowy-ness of your skin, and going out unkempt is seen as disrespectful to others- Is it truly empowering to adhere to these standards to say, get a leg up in a promotion? Because when everyone else is vying to satisfy the same standards, being at the top is a precarious title to hold.
Does it come at the cost of everyone else, putting in an immense amount of upkeep to look just as good, as well? It really becomes clear that satisfying beauty standards is a zero-sum game- no one ever fully satisfies these standards, and everyone submits to the intense emotional and physical labor of keeping up with looking "good enough". Keeping up with beauty standards as a form of self care and connection is empowering- but to involve ego and self-worth in appearances sucks the power away- suddenly you aren't good enough if you don't look the way everyone wants you to.
I really loved this book and how conversational and intersectional the discussion on beauty standards was. It's super eye-opening to see how feminism, consumerism, and gender roles all prop up hyper narrow Korean beauty standards, and also brings up the question of how to free ourselves from these standards when it seems like Korean pop culture (music, fashion, cinema, and all of the appearances that come with these) is increasingly influencing American culture too.
Another part I liked was the discussion of gender constructs of more expansive, softer masculinity that Korean culture has exported into the West- and how beauty standards have encouraged men to take care of themselves, be in touch with their emotions, use makeup and take care of their skin.
In a culture where appearances can be the deciding factor on a job application or a promotion, social acceptance hinges on the glowy-ness of your skin, and going out unkempt is seen as disrespectful to others- Is it truly empowering to adhere to these standards to say, get a leg up in a promotion? Because when everyone else is vying to satisfy the same standards, being at the top is a precarious title to hold.
Does it come at the cost of everyone else, putting in an immense amount of upkeep to look just as good, as well? It really becomes clear that satisfying beauty standards is a zero-sum game- no one ever fully satisfies these standards, and everyone submits to the intense emotional and physical labor of keeping up with looking "good enough". Keeping up with beauty standards as a form of self care and connection is empowering- but to involve ego and self-worth in appearances sucks the power away- suddenly you aren't good enough if you don't look the way everyone wants you to.
I really loved this book and how conversational and intersectional the discussion on beauty standards was. It's super eye-opening to see how feminism, consumerism, and gender roles all prop up hyper narrow Korean beauty standards, and also brings up the question of how to free ourselves from these standards when it seems like Korean pop culture (music, fashion, cinema, and all of the appearances that come with these) is increasingly influencing American culture too.
Another part I liked was the discussion of gender constructs of more expansive, softer masculinity that Korean culture has exported into the West- and how beauty standards have encouraged men to take care of themselves, be in touch with their emotions, use makeup and take care of their skin.
September 6, 2023
Hu states that her goal with "Flawless" is to examine the extremely profitable Korean beauty industry and ask "what kind of relationship with ourselves - with one another - are we ultimately pursuing? How do we reconcile the idea of self-care through consumer spending?"
These are interesting goals but I don't know how much Hu truly interrogates these questions. There is a lack of depth and probing into the ideas. The most incisive and interesting parts of this book are quotes from other authors. "Flawless" maintains a journalistic removal from its subjects and without an interesting point of view the book struggles to justify its length. It feels like reading a very long magazine feature.
I was looking for something more from this. There is a spark or unique way of thinking that is just missing here. I think if you are familiar with Korean beauty culture and have done some critical thinking about the beauty industry already, this will feel like a sort of base level recap of that.
I also have some nitpicky critiques with the structure. Most of Hu's critiques come in the conclusion of the book which means many warped ideas about appearances are presented without comment. I was also put off by having all of the Korean terms romanized instead of written in hangul. The terms are basically unsearchable/unreadable as a jumble of English letters and it makes the inclusion of one Korean word in hangul seem bizarre.
These are interesting goals but I don't know how much Hu truly interrogates these questions. There is a lack of depth and probing into the ideas. The most incisive and interesting parts of this book are quotes from other authors. "Flawless" maintains a journalistic removal from its subjects and without an interesting point of view the book struggles to justify its length. It feels like reading a very long magazine feature.
I was looking for something more from this. There is a spark or unique way of thinking that is just missing here. I think if you are familiar with Korean beauty culture and have done some critical thinking about the beauty industry already, this will feel like a sort of base level recap of that.
I also have some nitpicky critiques with the structure. Most of Hu's critiques come in the conclusion of the book which means many warped ideas about appearances are presented without comment. I was also put off by having all of the Korean terms romanized instead of written in hangul. The terms are basically unsearchable/unreadable as a jumble of English letters and it makes the inclusion of one Korean word in hangul seem bizarre.
June 28, 2023
Well written and entertaining, had a lot of potential, but definitely a bit lacking. For anyone that is already interested in Korean culture and media, there isn't much new information presented here, other than a few stats and historical points that might not be well known. The book stays very much on the surface. I really wish there had been a deeper exploration of historical factors, race issues, Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism/Patriarchal views and how that affects every aspect of a Korean woman's life and beauty expectations. There also wasn't really any discussion about ways in which Korean women develop their minds and souls, beyond mentioning a few "rebel influencers" who work outside of beauty norms. The whole narrative was also a bit self indulgent -- more of a memoir/travel essays rather than a serious nonfiction book, with some humble bragging from the author thrown in. I also found it really disappointing that the author, who spend several years in South Korea, didn't bother to learn any of the language beyond a few words (which she mentions multiple times throughout the book, with no explanation, and which is evidenced by her mispronouncing of basically all Korean words while she read the audiobook).
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