The sadder ones are the members of the industry bootcamps. The girls that couldn't get starved down enough (or too much) are kicked out and the boys are often just ditched out to either go back to school/ civil service exams or just go right to their mandatory military service. Those camps are brutal and often are middle aged men creating irl sex dolls. They get plastic surgery, always eyelids first.
Power level here
I'm a white person that is in a relationship with a Korean and the culture shock with how appearance heavy it is there is almost uncanny valley. Skin bleaching is common there and its pretty common for mothers to smother their daughters in sunscreen/ skim bleaching cream (that's usually bs or damaging).
In recent years (especially with surgery tourism) an actual body positivity movement has been starting. It's not the landwhales/ deathfats that are all over tumblr but figures starting to speak out more about natural beauty.
Natural size models have gained popularity, especially due to how awful diet culture is there. Crash diets that promote 700-1000cal daily intakes are big and promoted in idol bootcamps. The ideal body type in kpop media is considered to be extremely underweight and eating disorders are common and even encouraged to keep them thin. Once they become skellys, they are no longer considered pretty snd kicked out to go starve themselves in their parent's home.
Arya is a very popular natural size model that promotes healthy lifestyles and often talks about how women should be able to be comfortable with their bodies changing at different times in their life. She's only 5'1 and is open about her weight being in the healthy category rather than underweight. Arya also talks about how when she originally signed on as a model, the agency wanted to promote her as "plus size" at 125 lbs
The "plus size" Arya (Natural size)
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