Critique of globalization and aesthetic surgery in south korea

Gender, Globalization and Aesthetic Surgery in South Korea
In their article, Ruth Holiday and Jo Elfving Hwang take a look at the increase in South Koreans alleged obsession with aesthetic surgery. The authors contend that the increased demand for cosmetic surgery in the country is a significant social issue that has left both policy makers and academics perplexed. Existent research literature on cosmetic surgery in the country attributes the phenomena to two explanations. First, the increasing demand is as a result of undesired effect of western cultural influence. Second, cosmetic surgery as a feminized issue which evidences women’s continued subjection to patriarchy. Holiday and Hwang’s research article aims to dispute this simplistic explanation of the phenomena.
Through their article, Holiday and Hwang’s central argument is that foregrounding cosmetic surgery as either culturally imperialist or feminine is a vital weakness of the existent literature and provides only partial accounts of national cosmetic practices (Holiday & Hwang 2). The author’s clearly state their central argument by disputing the existing explanation to the phenomena. The author’s intend at providing a more profound explanation to the simplistic view of why there is rising need for aesthetic surgery in Korea.
To support their argument, the authors employ a variety of existing secondary sources national cosmetic practices in the country. The authors use data from cosmetic surgery websites, newspaper and magazine articles, and statistics from conversation and personal experiences about cosmetic surgery in the country. The authors admit to the fact of little existent source of data in regards to the practice in the country. The authors’ use of this array of secondary sources helps to provide a base for their argument and conclusion.
Among the strengths of the authors’ argument is their ability to use a variety of sources in supporting their claim. The authors use different types of secondary sources that help to provide a wide base for their argument. The authors also incorporate a number of new concepts in looking at the cosmetic surgery in Korea. They discuss on already reported concepts such as western cultural influence and feminization of the process (Holiday & Hwang 6). The authors also bring forward concepts such as the impact of the country’s colonization on the practice, traditional beliefs, and gendering of cosmetic surgery in Korea. This helps to bring a multi-perspective look at the process and need for cosmetic surgery in Korea. A weakness of the article which also gets highlighted by the authors is their use of unverified data in writing their article. As much as the authors present their case strongly, it is difficult to believe their final conclusion as a result of their use of unverified data.
I am persuaded with the authors’ argument that that foregrounding cosmetic surgery as either culturally imperialist or feminine is a vital weakness of the existent literature and provides only partial accounts of national cosmetic practices. National cosmetic practices in Korea as shown in the article have evolved from a simplistic view of it being cultural imperialist and feminine phenomena. The authors show that the practice represents an intersection of multiple discourses such as national identity, religion, beauty standards, social status, caring for self, and the pursuit of success.
Works Cited