The Latest Korean Beauty Trend

Maytinee Kramer / Contributing

Here in America, women and even men strive to be fit, toned and healthy. Having that “bikini body” is in and more people are hitting the gym than ever. In South Korea, thin legs, a slender waist and pale skin have long dominated the ideal beauty standard, but now, more and more Korean women are moving away from the pure and innocent image.

Today, Korean women are seeking more of a “healthy and sexy” image like many Americans. Fitness centers have witnessed a sharp increase and practically everyone in Seoul has the “fitness syndrome.”

South Korea has been all about alphabetizing or grouping (mostly female) bodies into shapes based on letters. For many years now, women aimed at achieving an “S-Line,” which refers to the curve of a woman’s breast to her buttocks when viewed from the side. The “X-line” was also popular, which refers to long legs and arms that were connected by a narrow waist. The face of a woman also had to have slim cheeks and a pointed chin that followed the “V-line.” Even cleavage was described using a W-, Y- or V-line.

Men, though somewhat spared the indignity of having their bodies defined by a letter, also have certain body types they need to strive for. The ideal standards for men were to have an “M-line” for six-pack abs, or the widely famous “chocolate abs” which is when a man has a chiseled abdomen similar to the subdivided parts of a chocolate bar.

All these alphabet-lines must be confusing to foreigners and it doesn’t end there – a new beauty standard taking over the Korean market. The current trend for women to take pictures from the side to show off their defined “apple hips.” An “apple hip” is essentially when the shape of a woman’s hips  down to her buttocks emulate the shape of an apple.

Many people might be quick to think that these catchy designations are nothing but mere marketing gimmicks encouraging Korean women to harshly evaluate their body and strive for changes either through a healthy lifestyle or more popularly, plastic surgery.

While there may be some truth to this, it is important and interesting to note that the Koreans are very creative with their way in communicating complex relationships of shape and balance. They are also more descriptive and in better taste than many American slang counterparts.

With more of a preference for working towards a healthy and sexy image rather than a thin and slender look, handfuls of active women with toned bodies have been receiving positive attention. The “apple hip” has even taken over the entertainment industry with many female idols such as SISTAR and Girls’ Day striving for a healthy and sexy image. One such group, Hello Venus, even released a single titled “Wiggle Wiggle” which talks about shaking one’s sexy butt and in one of the song’s verses, a member sings “I know you looking at my apple hip.”

Though South Korea is creative with their ideal beauty standards, it’s important to remember that everyone has their own individual body and the best way to achieve any ideal body type is one that you are comfortable and healthy in. Korean women are not exempt and it’s great to see them strive for a healthier image, but it’s not healthy to obsess over appearances and certain physiques.