In some circles South Korea has earned the dubious title of “plastic surgery republic” because of the booming popularity of procedures.
With 650,000 cosmetic procedures carried out in 2011, South Korea ranks highest in the world for plastic surgery in terms of its population size. Cosmetic surgery is increasingly common among students looking for an advantage in the competitive job market.
At $4.5 billion in 2011, South Korea’s cosmetic surgery industry represents over a fifth of the global total of $20 billion. It has also made South Korea a plastic surgery tourist destination.
Nearly 40% of Chinese tourists to South Korea report having cosmetic surgery during their stays.
