No More Taboo: Discursive tactics for navigating the taboo of cosmetic surgery

Abstract

Traditionally, in many places around the world, cosmetic surgery is is framed as artificial, man-made, and socially unacceptable. The Korean Wave produces K-pop, K-beauty, and K-fashion, the Korean Wave “Hallyu” has spread rapidly across the globe bringing with it new values about the acceptability of cosmetic surgery and what is considered beautiful and desirable. As a result, cosmetic surgery is now a major export for Korea. This study examines how the Korean aesthetic medical industry and how medical tourists from Hong Kong and Mainland China consume Korean culture and promotional material related to aesthetic medical procedures and in some cases overcome deeply held taboos about cosmetic surgery prevalent in Chinese culture. We find that while Hallyu and the prevalence of social media has indeed influenced consumers standards of beauty, both promoters and consumers of Korean aesthetic medicine must actively work to build the discursive resources to overcome both taboos and perceived risks of undertaking such procedures. Some of the risks and taboos that users actively address include the potential medical risk of cosmetic surgery itself, the social acceptance risk (being judged by friends, family, and the community), and existential risk - admitting that one is ugly or unworthy or that one’s identity may change or completely cease to exist after such a procedure.