Isn't it amazing how some things are so incredibly important, yet other people have no idea? Someone can be very proud of a something and yet others never even see it. Something very important in the Asian world that is rarely understood in the West is the idea of double eyelids, or 쌍꺼풀. The basic idea is do you want eyes that resemble slits (especially when smiling) or do you want big beautiful Western-style/almond shaped eyes?
I know I am going to sound plenty racist, but when students are comparing the eyes of a friend to the slots on soda machines and pulling coins out of their pockets for a visual aid; I'm actually being very honest.
A friend confided in me that they don't like to smile in pictures because it makes her eyes look closed. Could that be why no one smiles in older photographs from Asia?
Asians can see very easily the line on the upper eyelid (hence a double eyelid) or lack there of. For all the Western readers I've included a nice drawing as to point out where that elusive second line is. Here is a great side-by-side comparison from a plastic surgery site. I have heard that this is the most common (and rather cheap) form of plastic surgery in Korea.
Doing a search on Korea's biggest search engine for 쌍꺼풀, I found a number of great things I wanted to share;
How about a makeup tip to accentuate that upper eyelid?
Banner which says "Plastic Surgery Professional Dr. Kuk WonSok's Beautiful Story." Yes, he will make your eyes look big and beautiful, as is the prevalent thought in East-Asia.
I found a number of people showing off their beautiful eyes or those of their child.
A number of products from Japan and Korea (literally "eye tape") which will temperately give you the look of having double eyelids without paying for the surgery.
This particular product, sold via eBay, came with a full set of directions. You first put an adhesive on your upper eyelid and then with the special tool, create the desired look.
To quote a plastic surgeon from Southern California:
Irrespective of ethnicity, an upper eyelid is typically considered more attractive by most people if it lacks excessive skin and fat, possesses a reasonably defined crease (which makes the eye appear bigger--a universal signal of youth and attention), and displays at least some platform of exposed skin between the crease and the eyelashes (which, in ladies, allows for a more effective application of makeup).
A well-contoured lower eyelid free of bulging fat projects an image of youth, energy, and rest.
Now it's easy to tell the difference, right?
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3 comments:
hi rick!!! havent talked to you forever!
well this post was the interesting view for eyelid. Korean people seem to be obsessed about getting double eyelids....even in here.
I do have to admit that it looks prettier and in fact it makes their eyes bigger. I guess western people dont see the whole lot of difference but we do(O_O)
I dont oppose it or anything and i think if they are happy about what they paid for that difference i dont think it matters. It's just that there's too many people looking similar!
Also I wouldnt wanna get it done personally...i hate surgery!!
Anyways, I had fun reading your blog. I'll come more and leave comments here and there from now on.
Have a good day:D
-Young Bin
As a non-Asian woman, I feel strange and sad about this but it is ultimately the woman's (or man's) decision to do this. I am, however opposed to minor getting the surgery done. I hope that all of this plastic surgery is just a passing phase because it causes people to lose their individuality! Yikes!
Great blog, by the way.
Well, even with eyelid surgery or eyetape, Asian eyes still look Asian. Half of my family have double eyelid - exactly like those who did plastic surgery but they still look Asian. Mono-lided Asians do plastic surgery to look like double-eye-lided Asians but NOT to look like White people. White people are just trying to praise themselves about that. They just want to pride themselves on something they would like to be true. (ouch, sorry for my English...)
It's a good thing to say what you think even if it's considered as racist by the society. But if you are a good person, when you are thinking like a racist, you are sure getting wrong. You should find another way to think: it'll be closer to the truth. And the truth, here, is : NO, (most of) Asians do NOT want to look like White people ! They just want bigger eyes because it makes us generally a lot prettier and that's all!
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