This Is What 6 Faces Look Like After Being Photoshopped By South Korean Plastic Surgeons
TL;DR: our jaws.

South Korea is the world leader in cosmetic surgeries. South Korea has had the most cosmetics operations among its population compared to any other country since 2009. And last year, nearly 50,000 overseas visitors travelled to the country for cosmetic surgery. That's a 17 percent increase from the previous year!
Turns out, with that many foreigners traveling to South Korea to go under the knife, there are services that help them do it. One of those is My Seoul Secret, which works as a liaison for westerners trying to navigate the world of South Korean plastic surgery. And not only do they help you once you get to Seoul, they do consultations. So, in order to get a better idea of exactly what it’s like going under the knife there, and why so many people are flocking to the country, six brave members of the BuzzFeed London office sent photographs of themselves over for assessment. Here’s what two practicing surgeons said they would do to our faces.
Tolani


Views on plastic surgery:
"So I'm really not into plastic surgery — even if I had all the money in the world I just don't think it's something I would do, mainly because the thought of someone cutting me open scares the life out of me, and also because I like my face. I mean, yeah, I could have clearer skin, but that can easily be 'fixed' with makeup."
"She has attractive eyes, but she could see a noticeable enhancement in her facial balance and harmony. Her hairline can be brought down through a hair transplant to make the upper third of her face more proportionate to the lower two thirds.
"A rhinoplasty to lengthen her nose and bring in her alar wings [the sides of the nose] can also improve the aesthetics of her mid-face. Careful concern should be placed to keep her natural ethnic beauty markers. Lower blepharoplasty [eyelid surgery] or fillers can help to treat her tear trough depression, and a brow lift can treat the puffiness of the upper eyelid.
"Facial contouring treatments and orthognathic [jaw] procedures such as anterior segmental osteotomy (ASO) of the mandible along with orthodontics may be an option. This can improve her facial skeletal balance and proportions."
Recommended treatments:
• Acne scar treatment (laser treatment is possible, but peels are safer)
• ASO orthognathic jaw surgery (protruded mouth surgery)
• Jaw reduction and facial contouring
• Jawline or submental facial liposuction
• Rhinoplasty (lateral osteotomy for narrowing the bridge, tip with septal cartilage, alar reduction), short nose correction
• Lower blepharoplasty, under-eye fat graft
• Brow lift
Tolani's reaction:
"They're giving me a hair transplant? I wear a weave so maybe...yeah. I feel like a lot of what they say I would probably do with makeup. They want to give me a jaw reduction? Look how thin they've made my nose...I like my nose. To be honest the skin thing I'd probably do with makeup, the under-eye thing with highlighter. But what they said about the jaw I'm not into...but maybe I am.
"Honestly, I don't care. I'm not concerned with it. I'm totally fine with it. I thought they might do a lot more to it. I think the only thing is the nose — it looks like they've contoured it. It looks like a me that eats better, that works out a lot more, that makes an effort with my face. I am into the under-eye and clearer skin, but I could do it with makeup."
Laura


Views on plastic surgery:
"I think plastic surgery is good in small doses — it's kind of ridiculous when you see someone who's had it done frequently and badly, but I do think there are some circumstances where people do it as a way to help their self-esteem, and as a confidence builder.
"I've always wanted to have my nose done, and it's something that's bothered me for a long time. I wouldn't want anything crazy, just a small thing to fix something that's always bugged me."
"She has very nice eyes and a petite face. However, her appearance can be enhanced with rhinoplasty to lift her tip, reduce her columellar or nostril show from the side-profile view. She has hollow tear troughs, which can be corrected through fillers or lower-eyelid blepharoplasty (recommended when she ages more), but the discoloration might only be improved through makeup or ongoing skin treatments (depends on the cause of discoloration). A fat graft to the forehead can create a more rounder shape, and cheek implant or fat graft can create a more dimensional face."
Recommended treatments:
• Laser skin toning
• Rhinoplasty and tip correction
• Forehead fat graft
• Hairline correction and scalp pigmentation tattoo
• Filler treatment for tear troughs
• Mid-face cheek augmentation (implant or fat graft)
• Lip augmentation via fillers
Laura's reaction:
"They've done exactly what I would do — my nose. I hate my nose. I feel like they've made my lips bigger, which is strange. I think they've done a great job on my nose and if I could go and get it done I would.
"If I'm honest I really like this. I never have photos on profile because I hate my nose. I've always wanted the tip a bit thinner. And looking at this it feels like a much better version of me and I want it done. I don't think I'd bother with the lips and fat grafts, but I've looked into tip correction before. I don't feel bad; I know this is something I've always wanted and now seeing this, I know what it could look like. Shit, she's got a good nose."
Ryan


Views on plastic surgery:
"On one hand, I think that anything that makes people feel better about themselves is good. And when you consider the role plastic surgeries play in the trans community or how they help people with physical deformities, I think it's pretty cool. On the other hand, I think the line between easing body dysmorphia and exacerbating it is very fine and you really need a responsible surgeon.
"Would I ever get plastic surgery myself? I'm not totally sure. There's plenty of stuff I hate about the way I look, but I know I'm too indecisive to ever get a tattoo and plastic surgery to me just feels like an even greater undertaking."
Ryan's reaction:
"Yeah that does look a lot better — I broke my nose in 2009 at Warped Tour, and this is how it used to look. I don't like how they've made my head small. If I can guess why I've had so little changed — I guess a lot of their standards are based on Western ideals, and I'm an over-6-foot white man so...
"I've noticed the chin thing. But it's a weird thing to look at. I would like a much better nose. My dad makes fun of the nostrils...so yeah, they've nailed everything I think about my face."
Rachael


Views on plastic surgery:
"I had cosmetic surgery on my ears as a kid after developing keloids from piercing. Prior to surgery I spent years with my face covered up and scared of judgment, so since then I've always seen cosmetic surgery as something that can really benefit and change lives.
"As I've grown a bit older and developed body-image issues, I can't pretend like there haven't been times I've looked at aspects I don't like and thought 'there's a quick fix for this.'
"Saying that, my body has survived 23 years of me, and removing a lot of that in a two-hour invasive surgical procedure seems quite extreme."
Rachael's reaction:
"Oh wow — that is a very strong jaw reduction right there. They've changed my nose — my nose is my favourite part of my face, so screw you. Looking at this, it seems like they've really tried to change my face, and I like my chubby face and small nose. It's not my face, it's not me. I can see what they're trying to achieve, it's pretty, but it's not my face. It hasn't changed my mind about anything."
Francis


Views on cosmetic surgery:
"At 29, I'd never describe myself as 'old,' but it's a weird age where you suddenly realise no one's ever going to call you a whippersnapper ever again, that your metabolism has drastically slowed, and you don't like all the cool things the young people like anymore. With all this happening, it does make you think things along the lines of, My jawline used to be a lot stronger, maybe if they pulled some skin back it would look more defined again, or Maybe someone could do something to the bit under my eyes to sort these bags out.
"As things stand, I'm pretty certain I wouldn't actually resort to surgery — possibly in part due to the different expectations placed on men and women by society — but I'm definitely more likely to be receptive to the idea than I was five years ago."
Francis's reaction:
"Whoa, I've got a thin face here. They don't like my strong jaw — I kinda look like an elf. That's bizarre. The side of my face is smoother, I guess. And the bags under my eyes aren't so pronounced, which is fair as I'm constantly tired and if I got more than seven hours' sleep a night that would be sorted.
"I don't need to hear I can be more youthful when I'm almost 30.
"I think my jaw has never been this narrow; I don't think they could shave my jaw down to this and have it still function. It's interesting, but not me."
Maggy


Views on cosmetic surgery:
"I've always felt with plastic surgery that it depends on the person and their situation. Sometimes it seems empowering and other times it feel self-destructive.
"At the moment I feel pretty indifferent about my own face — it's just a face. I love defining features on other people. I like acne scars and bony noses and random patches of facial hair. My own face is just kind of plain, but that doesn't mean I'd carve a knife into it to make it more special.
"When I was born I had a birthmark that spread out from under my upper lip to my cheek. The doctors removed it when I was an infant, so they couldn't ask me if it worried me or if it made me feel self-conscious. I often think about that. If I still had it now instead of the little scar that's neatly tucked away, would I have had it removed? I like to think I wouldn't, but then I guess you never know."
Maggy's reaction:
"I look like my sister here! I have a naturally drooping mouth and they've made me smile here, so that's nice. They've left my eyebrows alone, which is weird as I think I have shit eyebrows, and generally made my skin look nicer.
"I feel relieved I don't need surgery. This photo seems like me if I didn't drink so much, which is nice. This is good, but I still wouldn't get surgery or move to South Korea anytime soon as they don't seem to think I'm very attractive over there. I'd rather drink."
You can watch a video version of this piece below.
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Many thanks to Dr. Choi of TL Plastic Surgery, Dr. Ko of Naturalism Plastic Surgery, and My Seoul Secret for their time and help with this article.