A former Kpop idol got the advice to whiten her skin and try various tricks to fit Korea’s beauty standards
In the Kpop world, it’s not just about talent. Idols are always expected to be a feast for the eyes. Weight, body shape, you name it – the pressure from both their companies and the public keeps piling up on these young stars.
Unlike the West, which celebrates diverse beauty, Korea tends to stick to a one-size-fits-all model with skinny figures, small faces, V-shaped jaws, fair skin, straight brows, and more…
Anthony Padilla, an American YouTuber with over 7.58 million subscribers, recently decided to spill the tea with some former Kpop idols to uncover the not-so-glamorous side of Kpop.
The struggle is real, especially when it comes to meeting those ideal beauty standards fans crave.
Christine, also known as Tina, formerly a Blady member, spilled the beans on the extreme measures Korean entertainment companies take to fit their female idols into these predefined molds.
According to Tina, padding is a go-to trick for idols during MV shoots. And Christine’s crew was no exception. Companies might even suggest padding in certain areas to create curves while keeping things slim elsewhere.
Beyond laser hair removal and the usual cosmetic surgery, Christine talked about intense skin demands. In Korea, fair and flawless skin is the holy grail of beauty. Unfortunately for Christine, the company wasn’t vibing with her natural skin tone. So, they nudged her towards skin bleaching and various other tactics to make her look more pale.
“I remember one time they were really pushing for me to lighten my skin. They suggested skin bleaching, changing foundation to a lighter shade, or going for a vitamin C infusion,” she said.
Christine went for a brighter foundation. But the result was not what she hoped for. Uneven skin tones on her face and other parts left her feeling out of place and shunned within the group for being darker than the rest, even though she was Korean.
Another unrelated factor to appearance and beauty is blood type. Christine explains that, similar to zodiac signs in Western culture, in Korea, blood type is kind of a big deal.
“Blady was supposed to stand for girls with blood type B. I remember they asked me my blood type, and I said A. After that, they warned me not to reveal my real blood type because it didn’t fit the image we were building. I guess girls with blood type B are seen as having a touch of sophistication and confidence,” said Christina.
Source: KB
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