Korea is an incredible place to live and I say that with complete sincerity — but every now and then something crosses my desk that makes me put down my coffee and say what on earth is happening here.
I’ll preface this by saying that this blog is mostly my opinion…..
Korea really is a great place to live and work and while by most accounts, people seem pretty with it…every now and then I am reminded that the views of Korean society and mine clash a bit. For instance, this article that Nicole came across that details the latest head scratcher for me….stretching facilities to aid in growth for children so they can escape the ridicule of being short. Yes, being a shorter male, I see this as particularly screwed up. Here’s the article link….South Korea Stretches Standards for Success.
The article gives some details about how the new technique is supposedly able to enhance height growth which will in turn lead to a life of success. I’ve seen first hand as well in my classrooms that the children feel this way. I had one student ask me if I felt like a loser because I was under 6 ft to which I simply responded no, but was not impressed with the lines he was thinking along.
Before I go on a tangent I’ll just bring up another fact about the Korean society with regards to this growth business. The Korean kids happen to be some of the more frail people I have seen which in many ways is an attribute of their poor sleep habits which happen to be one of the major factors in growing. The overworked, under-rested Korean kids don’t stand a chance to grow but now there is this new idea that stretching them can fix all that? I also see this as just another gateway into a world of thought that will spawn even more options down the line to support the “enhancement” of your life through scientific means, rather than the embrace of your own natural attributes.
That’s my take on the stretching bizz, just thought I’d share…. 😉
-adam
Q: Why is height such a big deal in South Korean culture? A: Height is closely associated with success, attractiveness and social status in Korean culture to a degree that genuinely surprises most Westerners. Taller individuals are perceived as more likely to succeed professionally and romantically and this belief is reinforced from a young age in schools, media and advertising. It is one of several physical appearance standards that Korean society applies with an intensity that can feel overwhelming to outsiders.
Q: What are height stretching facilities in South Korea? A: Height stretching clinics use a combination of physical manipulation, stretching techniques and sometimes hormonal treatments to try to enhance growth in children and teenagers. The industry has grown significantly in Korea driven by parental anxiety about their children’s prospects and a cultural belief that height directly correlates with life success and social acceptance.
Q: How does Korea’s achievement culture affect children’s physical health? A: The pressure on Korean children extends beyond academics into their physical development. Chronic sleep deprivation from long school days and evening hagwon sessions is one of the primary factors limiting natural growth in children. The irony of seeking artificial height enhancement while the lifestyle causing stunted growth remains unchanged is not lost on us as teachers who see these exhausted kids every single day.
Q: Is appearance culture in South Korea different from Western countries? A: Significantly so — South Korea has one of the highest rates of cosmetic surgery in the world and physical appearance is discussed openly and directly in ways that would be considered inappropriate in most Western contexts. Height, skin tone, facial features and body shape are all subject to a level of social scrutiny that reflects deeply embedded cultural standards around beauty and success.
Q: What do foreign teachers notice most about Korean students? A: The exhaustion is the first thing — these kids work incredibly hard and sleep far too little. The second is the social pressure they carry around appearance, academic performance and social standing from a remarkably young age. As foreign teachers we try to create space where students feel valued for who they are rather than how they measure up — literally and figuratively.
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