A vast number of Koreans go under the knife to improve their appearance, a report in the Financial Times reveals.
A recent survey reportedly found that 62 per cent of women in their 20s in greater Seoul had undergone some kind of physical enhancement, with many receiving cosmetic surgery as a gift when they graduate from high school or prior to entering college.
Lee Jin-soo, chief surgeon at the Faceline clinic, told the FT: "As society develops, I think people are becoming more sensitive about how they look.
"They think that plastic surgery is one of the easiest ways to improve their personal relations and to do better, to achieve more in society."
The sentiment may seem extreme, but is reflected by the findings of a survey by JobKorea, which found that 80 per cent of recruitment executives believe appearance to be important in an interview.
As a result, the cosmetic surgery market in Korea is booming, and the nation is positioning itself as a medical tourism destination.
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