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The Slim Syndrome: Thinness, a Synonym for Beauty?

What constitutes beauty
As the society leans towards promoting the importance of one's image & appearance, thinness has become the standard for female beauty. Arirang Today's Park Hee-ju joins us now in the studio to tell us more. Hello.

[Reporter : ] Hi guys. Remember last week I talked about New Year's Resolutions and that most people picked "get into shape", or "diet" as the most desirable goal they want to achieve
Long and thin arms and legs and not a hint of body fat

it is the ideal body that many dream to have. Right now, a slim body is the ultimate standard of beauty in Korea.

[Interview : ] "The ultra thin body type, which is highly idealized and admired, has become the trendy body type".

[Interview : ] "I keep thinking to myself, "I should not gain weight".

[Interview : ] "Even now, if I notice that I am getting fat or that I am even slightly getting bigger, I try my best to get fit again immediately".

Many young women aspiring to become models have gathered at a model academy in Seoul. With the goal of walking down the runway at glamorous fashion shows, they are busy practicing their walks. Each has her own style, but they all share one thing: a very thin body.

[Interview : Lim Yu-jeong, Model] "My height is 175cm and I weigh 48kg".

[Interview : Lee Cho-rong, Model] "My height is 177cm and I weigh 50kg".


[Interview : ] "Don't you think you are too thin[Interview : ] "No, not at all".


[Interview : ] "You look really thin. Don't you agree[Interview : Jo Yeon-su, Model] "No, I don't. I need to lose more weight".

It may seem as though they were all born with slim bodies but they say that it takes painstaking efforts to have and maintain a slim body like theirs.

[Interview : Jo Yeon-su, Model] "When I can't help but eat something I really want, I wonder why I have to stop myself from eating what I like".

[Interview : Kim So-yeong, Instructor] "Models need to stay fit, and if they feel like they had gained weight, they have to focus in going back into shape particularly around the legs and thighs. As a result, going on a diet is a common solution, and this leads models to suffer from stress more than other people".

In order to let the garments shine on the runway, fashion models must maintain a thin body.

The same applies to others whose bodies are professional assets, like figure skater Kim Yu-na..

and ballerinas. For them, a slim body is not an option, but a requirement for success.

[Interview : Producer Park Hee-ju]

Models always have to stay in shape because of their professional requirements. However, there is an increasing number of people without those requirements that go on a diet, solely driven by their desire to improve their physical appearance.

Nowadays, however, a slim body is an aspiration for many people, regardless of their professions. The trend is evident in this clothing store, where everything seems to be size "small".

[Interview : Choi Su-gyeong, Manager] "We usually have the smaller sizes on display since many customers tend to look for them. There are many customers with a slim body".

Larger sizes are almost impossible to find.
[Interview : ] "Do you have large-sized clothes[Interview : Jang Seon-young, Owner] "No, we don't. We only have small and medium sizes".

There are definitely not enough sizes to accommodate different body types.

[Interview : ] "Most clothes only come in smaller sizes so they don't fit people with bigger bodies. And since I want to wear pretty clothes, I try to lose weight".

[Interview : ] "The media portrays thinness as the standard for a beautiful body, which makes people aspire to it".

The media plays a significant role in promoting the slim syndrome.

Both on TV and the big screen, slim celebrities are always on the spotlight.

Studies have shown that there has been an increase in the number of underweight women in their 20s and 30s over the recent years. Perhaps this is a reflection of the media's influence.

Korea's slim syndrome What are some of its underlying causes and implications
[Interview : Lee Na-young, Professor of Sociology Jungang University] "The ideal body type keeps changing over time. As of now, a thin body is the preferred beauty standard over a more curvy or round figure. Today, many people equate being curvy with being unhealthy, making it undesirable and aesthetically unpleasing".

The desire to be thin is a personal preference.

After all, there is nothing problematic about moderate weight loss accompanied by regular exercise that does not cause health issues.

However, extreme cases may result in eating disorders, which can be quite worrisome.

Recently, the death of an anorexic model has made headlines. In many countries, eating disorders have become a serious social issue.

Eating disorders due to extreme diets are rapidly becoming a serious issue in Korea as well.

[Interview : ] "There was a time when I starved myself and lost a significant amount of weight. I knew it was unhealthy, but I still wanted to maintain the body shape at the time. After eating something, I would feel worried so I went through a cycle of eating and vomiting".

The causes of eating disorders are mainly psychological, including anger, frustration and stress.

[Interview : Choi Byeong-su, Oriental medical doctor] "Many people relieve their stress through eating, but at the same time, their obsession with thinness makes them feel insecure, causing them to vomit and starve. Such eating disorders seem to be very common conditions".

However, there are those who are pro-ana, who believe that suffering from an eating disorder is not such a big deal, as long as they are thin. These individuals value their thin bodies as their most important asset.

[Interview : Kim Yu-li, Professor of Neuropsychiatry Inje University Paik Hospital] "Instead of focusing on physical appearance, people should find a more comprehensive, broader meaning in life to help them improve their self-esteem. It is also helpful to set realistic goals in life".

Thin or not thin It is hard to say that there is one ideal body type that is more beautiful than another. What's important is being comfortable in one's own skin and loving oneself to maintain a healthy aspiration for beauty.

[Interview : ] "I eat well and I work out. I'm healthy"

[Interview : ] "Numbers are not that important. A toned up body is more ideal".

Korea is a society that actively promotes thinness. There seems to be no doubt that the slim syndrome will continue into 2011.

People usually think they are bigger than they actually are, and they keep telling themselves to lose weight, don't they[Reporter : ] Yes. A research shows that out of 32% of people who think they are fat, only 21% turned out to be obese.

And it seems like eating disorders caused by extreme diet regimes are more commonly seen in females than males.

[Reporter : ] That's right. The ratio of women to men getting eating disorders is 10 to 1.
Men are less likely to feel obliged to lose weight just because they want to enhance their look. Women are more prone to release their stress through eating than men, but they are also more obsessed with dieting. When these two very conflicting ideas combine, then eating disorders occur most likely to women.

Alright, Hee-ju. Thank you for that report.

[Reporter : ] See you next week.

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