South Korean entertainment had narrow beauty standards. This is why many K-Drama stars and K-Pop idols tried so hard to fit in to be able to achieve ultimate fame and success in the industry.
But, times have seemingly changed as many celebrities in South Korea no longer exert extreme efforts and resources to pass these "norms." This comes after several highly successful idols and actors continue to defy the strict standards in terms of their visuals.
Koreaboo released a list of some of the South Korean personalities, especially in the world of music, who has defied the high beauty standards, time and time again. These idols mainly smashed the ideal fair and pale-toned skin norm with their darker skin tones.
Tzuyu of TWICE is on top of the list of K-Pop idols who defies the Korean beauty standard because of her natural tan. Despite not having fair and porcelain-like skin, the public still sees her as one of the "most gorgeous" members.
Similar to the "LIKEY" singer, RM of BTS, also, has a natural tan. Many even, reportedly, wondered whether the group's leader was "biracial."
The publication said, though, that he is 100 percent South Korean. Nevertheless, he has embraced his skin color, and has now become one of the most successful idols in the history of K-Pop.
A separate report from Koreaboo shared another list of K-Pop idols who, despite not fitting into the Korean beauty standards, has become widely celebrated across the globe. Some of these artists are CLC's Seunghee and MAMAMOO's Hwasa.
As explained, these K-Pop stars have a "curvy" figure, which is, reportedly, "often discouraged" by agencies and netizens. In South Korea, it is more desirable to have a slim figure rather than an hourglass.
Apart from having a slim figure and fair skin, the beauty standard in South Korea entails a long list of "must-haves." Many netizens previously discussed the matter on Quora, detailing the exact visual norms in the country.
The respondents said that the list is "too ideal," and locals agree to this. Moreover, they shared that the standards for men are not as many as those for women but, they have similar characteristics.
Generally, it is ideal for both men and women to be over 180 cm tall. It is, also, "desirable" to have big eyes, a small button nose, and medium-sized lips.
Pinkvilla released a list of the K-Pop idols who ideally fit the high beauty standards in Korea. These include Jin of BTS, Jisoo of BLACKPINK, Jaehyun of NCT, and Irene of Red Velvet.
