K-pop is a massive $10 billion industry, and its performers are expected to be absolutely flawless.
Aspiring K-pop idols often endure years of intense training at demanding Korean entertainment companies. This training covers a wide range of skills, including singing, dancing, foreign languages, and even things like posing for photos.
Although having talent is helpful for K-pop stars hoping to reach the top of the charts, looks are even more important.
In South Korea, certain physical traits – like double eyelids, a high nose bridge, fair skin, a V-shaped jawline, and a small face – are highly admired. Many Korean celebrities go to great lengths to achieve these looks.
As a huge K-pop fan, it’s honestly no secret that plastic surgery is really common in South Korea – they actually have the highest rates globally, with about 20% of women choosing to have procedures. So, it doesn’t shock me that a lot of the idols we see are, well, polished and perfected – it’s just part of the culture there, it seems.
The country is now a popular destination for medical tourists, attracting people from places like Thailand, China, and the United States who seek surgeries to look like their favorite Korean celebrities.
South Korea has become a world leader in cosmetic surgery, and its innovative techniques are now inspiring surgeons in Western countries, many of whom are traveling there to learn from the experts.
In 2024, Alex Pike, a registered nurse and cosmetic injector from Melbourne, Australia, went to Seoul, South Korea, to learn the latest techniques in laser treatments and salmon DNA therapy. She trained directly with the skincare company Rejuran, known for its innovative products.
Pike spoke to the Daily Mail about meeting with prominent surgeons, including Dr. Hyun Jun Park, who is well-known for operating on several K-pop stars and has gained a significant international fanbase.
Korea differs from many other countries in its approach to beauty, with aesthetic treatments being widely accepted and free from social judgment, according to her.
People are openly embracing cosmetic procedures, even showing off temporary signs like small bumps from Rejuran treatments or fresh bandages after surgery. This acceptance is making cosmetic self-care much more normal and commonplace.
Pike also praised Korean surgeons for their ‘technical precision’ and ‘constant innovation’.
The Daily Mail takes a look at some of K-pop’s most incredible transformations below.
One of K-pop’s most extreme makeovers belongs to Jessica ‘Jessi’ Ho.
Unlike many Korean celebrities who keep cosmetic procedures private, rapper Jessi, who was born in New York, has been openly honest about hers.
The 37-year-old has openly discussed having several cosmetic procedures, including breast implants, a nose job, and eyelid surgery, as well as using Botox and fillers.
The singer, known for her song ‘Gucci,’ revealed in an interview for the Apple TV+ documentary ‘K-pop Idols’ that she became more focused on her looks after having her first rhinoplasty.
She explained that she only began to feel insecure about her appearance after undergoing surgery. Before the surgery, she hadn’t focused on perceived flaws, but afterward, she started obsessing over them and couldn’t stop.
‘First time I had the lip injections, I liked. It was a good size. And then I started overdoing it.
It’s perfectly okay to want to improve yourself, but it’s a different story when someone pressures you into it. It’s important to know where your personal boundaries are. Honestly, it can be tough because once you start getting cosmetic procedures, it’s easy to start noticing more and more things you want to fix, and it’s hard to stop.
Jung Chaeyeon, a K-pop star, has openly discussed getting a nose job and losing around 40 pounds to pursue her dream of becoming an idol.
The singer, who is now 28 years old, had a nose job before she started her career with the girl group DIA in 2015, when she was only 17.
The group didn’t achieve much chart success, but Chaeyeon quickly gained recognition for her looks and transitioned into a successful acting career.
Her attractiveness helped her land profitable partnerships with well-known brands, including Jill Stuart, Burger King, New Balance, Cartier, and Miu Miu.
I remember Chaeyeon talking about her transformation on the Korean show Video Star a few years back. The hosts playfully ambushed her with a childhood photo – she was adorable, but definitely a little chubbier! – and then they were all curious about exactly how she’d changed her look over the years. It was a fun, lighthearted segment where she opened up about her journey.
Looking back at a middle school photo, Chaeyeon shared that she used to weigh 64 kilograms (143 pounds), but now weighs 48 kilograms (106 pounds).
Similar to Chaeyeon, JooE from MOMOLAND had a nose job before the group officially started performing.
The 26-year-old performer revealed she had a nose job in ninth grade, where the surgeon used cartilage from her ear to reshape her nose.
Although she’s only publicly acknowledged getting a nose job, she looks very different now than she did at the start of her career, and many fans believe she’s had additional cosmetic procedures.
Ever since MOMOLAND became famous with their 2018 song “Bboom Bboom,” JooE has faced a lot of criticism about her appearance online. Korean internet users often make negative comments about how she looks and have even claimed she heavily edits her photos on social media.
JooE recently addressed past criticism, explaining that it initially bothered her when people said her photos didn’t accurately reflect how she looks in person. However, she also believes the attention helped bring more recognition to MOMOLAND.
She added, ‘Those around me worried more than I did, actually.
This job definitely takes a toll on me, but I knew that going in. I chose this career because I believe I can handle the challenges.
Honestly, it’s just so messed up, but not shocking. Knowing how crazy competitive K-pop is, I’ve always suspected the entertainment companies push these poor trainees to get plastic surgery. It’s awful, but it explains so much about the industry, you know?
Serri is now 35 years old, but she started her career at age 19 in the girl group Dal Shabet, which first became popular in 2011.
In 2018, after the group stopped performing, Serri revealed that her previous record label had pressured her to get breast implants.
Okay, so I was watching this video, and she revealed something crazy! Apparently, before she even started her career, her old agency actually told her she needed to get a boob job! Can you believe it? It’s just… shocking to hear, and I’m so glad she finally shared it. It makes me admire her even more, honestly.
I wasn’t keen on the idea at first. I remember thinking, since I was young and felt I looked alright, why would I even need it?
People suggested I get a breast augmentation to improve my chances in the entertainment industry, believing it would open doors and generally help my career.
Serri had a second nose job because her naturally narrow nose led to comparisons with Michael Jackson.
She revealed she had gotten a nose job because she’d always been unhappy with her nose, and had been teased about it in the past.
It’s not just female K-pop stars who get plastic surgery; many male idols also have cosmetic procedures.
ZE:A’s Hwang Kwanghee is well-known for undergoing extensive plastic surgery. He had several procedures done to change his appearance while he was still a teenager.
His work has included a nose job, double eyelid surgery, and both a forehead and chin augmentation.
Unlike many K-pop idols who don’t discuss it, Kwanghee openly shared all the details of his plastic surgery soon after his group, ZE:A, started in 2010.
He shared that his mother was the one who pushed him to pursue his goals and build a career in entertainment.
He revealed on the KBS show ‘Love on the Air’ that he’d always dreamed of becoming a celebrity, but didn’t think he was attractive enough to succeed.
When I first started out, everyone else was sent to commercial shoots, but I wasn’t. My mom actually told me that if I wanted to succeed as an idol, I needed to have plastic surgery, and she ended up paying for it.
ZE:A’s music didn’t achieve widespread success, but Kwanghee became the most popular member thanks to his honest and open personality. This popularity even resulted in a significant sponsorship deal with a plastic surgery clinic.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve observed that many K-pop stars have openly embraced cosmetic procedures, and for the most part, it’s helped them achieve their desired look. However, there are instances where it seems like those enhancements have gone a bit too far, and the results aren’t as natural or flattering.
Park Bom, a member of the popular K-pop group 2NE1, became well-known in 2009, and is now often cited as an example of a K-pop star whose appearance has changed dramatically over time.
People have speculated for years that the singer had cosmetic surgery, and she recently confirmed it in a strange and lengthy social media post.
According to a report from Chosun, Bom revealed she paid for cosmetic procedures herself while at YG Entertainment because she didn’t want to appear ordinary on stage.
She had always insisted she hadn’t had cosmetic surgery, and once claimed her dramatically different look was simply due to weight gain.
Miami plastic surgeon Dr. Rian Maercks notes that beauty trends from around the world, especially South Korea, are beginning to impact what people in the U.S. want in cosmetic surgery.
As a lifestyle expert, I’m seeing a huge shift in the world of aesthetics. It’s truly become globalized! Doctors and surgeons everywhere are definitely feeling the pressure – and the excitement – of increased patient demand. People all over the world are prioritizing self-care and seeking cosmetic procedures, and that’s impacting practices everywhere.
He advises people considering the procedure to avoid being influenced by trendy online images and to be cautious of overly promotional advertising.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve noticed something interesting about modern marketing. It’s become incredibly easy for any clinic, no matter where they are, to showcase results that appear amazing. It’s all about how things are presented now, and it can sometimes be a little misleading.
Online ‘before and after’ photos can be misleading. Things like lighting, camera angles, makeup, and advanced editing – including AI – can significantly change how results appear. Because of this, people considering procedures should be careful about relying on these images as accurate representations of what to expect.
Dr. Maercks notes a continuous stream of new cosmetic procedures and products – things like threads, scarless lifts, and bundled treatments – but believes a lot of it is simply marketing disguised as genuine advancement.
People are increasingly requesting very defined facial structures – including high cheekbones, a sharp jawline, and a slimmer face – and are even opting for procedures like buccal fat removal, sometimes even if they aren’t ideal candidates, according to a recent observation.
He explained that these methods can sometimes create an artificial appearance, making it seem like someone has had work done instead of simply enhancing their natural features, and this becomes more noticeable as they get older.
It’s helpful to focus on overall facial harmony and how features like the midface, jawline, chin, and nose work together. However, it’s important to avoid treating this as a strict formula or following trends – the best approach is always personalized and based on each person’s unique structure.
Dr. Maercks believes in creating lasting beauty through classic techniques, not fleeting trends. He aims for subtle, natural-looking improvements that leave people feeling refreshed and balanced, rather than obvious or dated results.
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2026-02-18 16:13