Everyone exchanged their fair share of laughs when Psy released the popular “Gangnam Style” in 2012. However, few people are aware that Gangnam style implies quite a literal meaning, as the Gangnam-gu district emerges as South Korea’s proclaimed beauty belt. The name Gangnam-gu translates to ‘plastic surgery streets,’ which is justified in its housing of over 400 beauty clinics. South Korea is creating an identity for itself in the cosmetic world and is fully equipped with cutting-edge medical facilities that offer new, ground-breaking beauty procedures.
Recovering from a reputation burdened by political conflict with its northern counterpart, South Korea has made leaps and bounds in the technology market. This drive has leaked into the medical field and citizens are willingly embracing the change. 1 in 5 South Korean women have admitted to going under the knife. Just in Seoul alone, 20 percent of females between the ages of 19 and 49 have had plastic surgery done. The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons has performed more treatments per person in South Korea than in any other country. This pursuit of beauty has boosted the country’s economy and image, making it arguably the new plastic surgery capital of the world.
Gangnam is often compared to swanky cities such as Beverly Hills because of its heavy concentration in wealth, fashion, cuisine, beauty and tourism. This South Korean beauty belt is armed in new cosmetic techniques that many have yet to hear about, with particular specialization in popular double-lid procedures. Gangnam also is known for its many high-end hair and makeup salons. A single haircut can cost up to $225 and a day of pampering can even out to about $900.
With all this in mind, be sure to add South Korea to your beauty radar. The country is currently producing many new procedures that the rest of the world is sure to embrace – and who doesn’t love an awesome new cosmetic technique?
