Korean Men in Grip of Plastic Surgery Craze

Han was considered a bit of a heartthrob. This is Han right after chin surgery.At the university, Han was considered a bit of a heartthrob for his good looks, but early this month he nonetheless spent W4 million (US$4,000) on a softer chin. He is one of an increasing number of Korean men who are succumbing to the plastic surgery craze that has gripped the country. The clinic asked him if he wanted the looks of celebrities like Jang Dong-kun or Lee Joon-ki, the star of the blockbuster ¡°The King and the Clown,¡± but Han insisted on a chin of his own design. Now embarked on the beautification project, he is considering more sculptural improvements once he has recovered from the operation. A growing number of male customers are knocking on the doors of clinics, mostly to make their angular faces smoother and narrower. At Dong Yang Plastic Surgery in Seoul's affluent Gangnam district, men now make up 40 percent of customers up from less than 10 percent in 2004. The release of the "The King and the Clown¡± with its celebration of androgynous beauty led to a steady trickle of at least one or two inquiries every day. The clinic's chief says the surge coincided with the rising fame of handsome actors such as Gang Dong-won, Won Bin and Jang Dong-kun.

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