Korea really does focus on beauty. To the point that it can make almost everyone insecure. Which in my opinion, sucks. I'm surprised that I really don't hear about Korean men or women getting eating disorders due to the pressure society gives. To those who are afraid of living in Korea cause of your weight, don't let that get to you. Cause if you do, it will crush your self esteem and eventually you MIGHT think the case is worse than it really is. Not everyone will be affected by this i'm sure. But just eat healthily and stay active. I know what it's like to feel like the people around you are going to judge you by your appearance. Because of that mental state, I eventually had an eating disorder. Please don't torture yourself for other's perspective of you. The only person that should judge you, is you. Make yourself a better person for you only. Not because of someone else. Have confidence and just smile. Trust me, that goes a long way.
Image shaming is all over. Even the best looking people in the U.S. have their image edited with photo editing software, sometimes with disastrous results such as missing body parts, unnatural limb movement and bent backgrounds. Magazines would rather show Angelina Jolie having just one arm than not altering her picture at all. In some countries, such as those in South America, you can't even enter beauty contests without body altered surgery. Also U.S. movie stars, magazine models and pop singers are about the same size as South Korean stars. Tom Cruise wears lifts because he is shorter than Martina. CL is about 162.6 cm tall while Kim Kardashian is about 2.5 cm shorter than CL and Lady Gaga is about 7.6 cm shorter than CL. Beyonce is the same height as Martina.
You don't hear about people's eating disorder because it'll being disgrace to your close ones. For example my mum once told me that if I ever got raped I should never tell the police or any of my friends as it will bring disgrace and dishonour to your family because it is the wrong way of losing your virginity ie not before marriage
It's like a commercial advertisement. "HEY! Are you a fat foreigner? How about an fat and ugly foreigner? WELL I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU! Try the new *inserts your own brand name in here* to feel and look great!" XD
It's like i'm afraid to go over to Korea now honestly. I'm considered obese here and it would probably be worse over there. I don't want my weight to define me when I go to visit a place where nobody even knows me. Kinda saddening..
Tay, I struggled with this when I first moved here. I'm 6ft and definitely overweight, so no matter what, I'm not going to fit in. However, I do not let this bother me. I am me, and nothing is going to change this. Honestly, Korea can be a huge growth experience, or it can be a rude awakening. Your attitude will define your success.
I haven't been a hardcore KPOP fan so I still think a lot of the women in KPOP groups look very similar. Plus they dance fast so I only see big eyes with contacts, v shape chins, light skin, light brown hair, and similar body shapes. I feel bad because it is like I'm not seeing each individual's uniqueness.
They are like sports teams. People are replaced all the time. it's about the team and not the individuals. Even Western acts such as AC/DC, KISS and Lynyrd Skynyrd have replaced many members.
MADEbySOUL Most pop acts don't last that long and when they do, people that heard them for the first time don't know what the older act looked like. Just like AC/DC, many K-pop acts have their own sound they play over and over again and that's what the fans are really interested in. When Queen eventually replaced Freddy Mercury, the act kept that sound that made the act Queen. The act Beatlemania kept that sound The Beatles did and Beatlemania was fairly well received even though it contained zero members of the original Beatles.
I'm a Kpop fan so I see every Asian differently but I can see how some people like to stereotype. Sometimes it's like a joke though, which is okay, but when people like say "All Asians are alike" or "Japanese? Chinese? Korean? Who can tell!" like even I get really offended
Ehem. *steps up on soap box* I realize this comment is coming a little late, but, as much as it bugs me, it is not surprising this happens. I am a psych major in school and there is something called the 'own race bias', which means that you have trouble recognizing and telling the differences between people of other races. It is also a bit related to exposure. I have a Japanese-American professor who grew up here in the U.S. and she can't tell Asians apart because she wasn't exposed to many Asians growing up. It is frustrating to those who can tell the differences, but it is an understandable psychological phenomenon. *steps off soap box* Sorry for the long rant. ^^
im a korean, but even i have to admit that i have trouble with distinguishing between like chinese, korean, and japanese people. most of the time i get it right but not all the time... but u really cant help it because they do really look similar. what i do get annoyed about though, is when they assume that all asians are the same. not just in appearence but in language and culture. in my old school my classmates used to try to make me translate any language that seemed asian. they were like "japanese and korean is the same, so u can read it right?"
I can totally relate even though im not even asian! Whenever I meet someone who is asian I always like to know what race they are exactly and some of them get surprised because they always get the "oh your probably Chinese or korean!" Like no douche bag there is a difference! just in EVERY Race ok and getting to know all those races and all those cultures makes this world a little less smaller.
misha l Hahah yeah I agree with you. I have a lot of friends from other cultures, so I am more sensitive to things like that than most other Americans. We are a very egocentric culture. For instance, when I go to the bars with my Asian friends, sometimes my friends will just borrow another Asian student's ID if they are underage. None of them have ever been caught, even if they don't really look alike. I think they mostly just look to see that they are Asian and so they all get by. But if a white person were to do that, I think they would get caught much more easily.
As a person born in the big melting pot that is the US (and the rest of North America for that matter) I can't for the love of GOD begin to comprehend the stereotypes and views that homogenous societies have on different cultures and races; no offence, I just don't get it. I live in a neighborhood with Hispanics, Indians, Arabs, Asians, and an assortment of white people all within a quarter mile radius.
lol my college professor always said that America thinks it is a melting pot, when in reality its more like a salad. We touch, but we hardly mix (I am aware that this is a very generalizing statement)
Maddie - That is also where the argument of Globalization Vs. Culture comes in, which Is a completely different can of worms. Essentially mixing too much gets rid of culture altogether.
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How much time and energy can someone be worth if they focus on your physical appearance rather on your interests, ideas, beliefs, attitudes, values, motivations, activities, and passions?
+BenjaminFranklin99 It's a cultural difference. Americans have this weird idea of tolerance unless it offends them. Our movies reflect it. Also note that being overweight is in unhealthy. We do the same thing with different topics.
+NotMostGirls I don't think Koreans have anywhere close to the health problems Americans have on a general basis. That could be because of many different variables, but being overweight is hands down the most preventable risk to our health in America besides smoking, something Korea is trying to fix about their country currently. It's hard for Americans to talk about a taboo topic with transparency without being accused of being a bully. It's not easy to be fit in our society. I mostly blame the food industry, our schools and mostly our culture.
Logan Mordh The issue I have is with the cultural intolerance to overweight people which is rife throughout the world. I am overweight but not through choice. I have several conditions which cause weight gain and prevent weight loss, as well as a debilitating DNA mutation which renders me unable to walk properly at best and move properly at worst, so my mobility is limited and exercise can be impossible, and it can also cause me more health problems. I know that many people ultimately choose to be overweight in the Western world as it is the easy choice; you're right that it can be difficult to be fit, even for those physically capable of working out. The food industry is definitely accountable for that; many people are busy and convenience food tends to be processed, and the more healthy food is often more expensive. The problem is that all fat people are tarred with the same brush and labelled lazy and greedy, when in reality there are a whole host of physical and emotional reasons and factors which make overweight people overweight. Overeating is one cause but then overeating can be as much an eating disorder as starving and purging. The difference is that sufferers of anorexia and bulimia are generally treated with more respect and sympathy than fat people.
Yes I'm a bit fat LOL, but I've lost 80 pounds in the last year. Still have 40 to go for my target goal. By the time I get to Korea though, i'll be in tip top shape
omg i was simply scrolling down the comments as the vid is buffering and WHAT?! omg losing 80 pounds or for me about 36kg is SO MUCH CONGRATS!! so much effort and dedication to lose that much! dont lose hope!!
I noted this on my trip to japan too actually. I have a curvy body type, but I'm in no way "fat". I wore skirts next to friends I had made and instantly noticed my legs were much thicker. Not just that, but my bones were actually thicker too.
For everyone who's worried, I was chubby and i lived in Korea for a year and a half. It's not as bad as you think. I agree with EVERYTHING that was said in the video, everything is very true. But Koreans are diverse and have diverse taste, i had korean boyfriends and still have tons of korean friends and did not get many comments, well intended or not. Of course Korea made me feel bad about my body, of course i felt self conscious and insecure. Korea made me diet. I lost so much weight. I'm happy i lost weight but not why i did, i just wanted to feel like i belonged. I love Korea but the obsession with beauty there and the VERYYY strict beauty standards (there is only ONE beauty standard, ONE ideal woman) are REALLY stressful, even when it's not expressed openly. You can see people around you and what's considered beautiful. Just saying, you should go and experience it for yourself, it's not that bad though, it won't eat you alive or make your stay uncomfortable.
Yeahhhh I'd really like to go to Korea sometime, but I'm definitely a bit worried how I'd be perceived. I lost a lot of weight and I'll never skinny. Here people always say I'm "#bodygoals" but I know that would be translated into fat.
i had the same problem when i first got introduced to kpop; i myself am white as wonderbread but i grew up in a neighborhood with one of the highest south korean populations in america, and i never had ANY trouble telling people appart; that's just stupid. which was why i was suprised with my difficulty when i first got into kpop; i'm better at it now but at first i was confused. i think that has to do with the whole ~ideal body/face~ thing in media these days, and south korea spends more money on plastic surgury than any nation. they look similar because they're /trying/ to look similar.
I can tell you this..when they say "Your cousin look like Obama" or "You look like Brad Pitt", they don't really mean that. When they see a non-Korean person, they just think of the most prominent figure that pops up in their head. When I was in Korea when I was young, my English teacher was a white woman. I told her she looked like a Brittany Spears because that was the most prominent and close figure I could think of because I did not have any other blonde white woman image in me. So when they say things like that, they just say it even though you don't even look like the person they are referring to. They CAN tell the difference; you just look more similar to that figure than they do (because you belong to the same racial group, etc.)
I am from North Carolina (USA). People commented on my weight all the time (as a child I was overweight and I was teased mercilessly for it by adults and children, even after I lost the weight and became healthy people continued to comment positive and negative). I was also regularly asked how much I weighed and about my breast size (which is definitely not their business). When my husband visited from Sweden people were constantly telling him he was too skinny and when he put on weight people let him know that too. When my daughter was born people commented constantly on her size (they even suggested she go on a diet at a few months old because her thighs were chubby). Children are routinely referred to as chubby even if they are healthy sizes, women as well. I now live in Sweden and while I miss many things the constant critiques on my body is not one of them. I haven't been to Korea but I don't think it is an issue just in Asian countries.
I'm 1st generation living in Vancouver for 16 years. I don't know how you do it, but you guys have a better clearer objective understanding of both the Korean and Western culture. I'm learning so much, KUDOS.
I legitimately think like this too- like even before I learnt about Korean/Japanese culture (and read LOTS of Manga DAILY) I ALWAYS had an issue with weight and my height, my fashion sense and food...its odd (Im a 5'9 and blk)
I think this is common in a lot of Asian countries (Japan, Korea, parts of China) where the general population tends to be shorter and smaller in size. I live in Canada, but my family is from Hong Kong and I am pretty standard height for a HK person (about 5'2) and about 110 lbs. In Canada, I'm considered pretty tiny - not necessarily super thin but on the lower end of average? But once I go to HK, my relatives will constantly tell me I am fat and need to lose weight. I love going to HK, but I realize I start to try losing weight before I go now haha.
Yea it's a pretty common Asian thing. I'm Vietnamese 5'2 and about 103...and when I was working with some Vietnamese people they were all like, "OMG you are so tall?" and I'm like "no...I'm not..." and then they asked how much I weighed and said "Well you're taller but you're fatter than I was too so oh well!" like rude much? but you know the whole elders thing so I just politely nodded.
I grew up in an asian area in the states and i noticed how petite most girls were. Being around them made me stand out a lot not only because i'm nonasian but i'm also bigger&taller. It always baffled me when some of the girls would say that they're fat because they're thin to me....
My sister introduced me to your show Eat your kimchi. I really love your videos. I would love to go to Korea and try some of their food. After watching how to make ramen I went to my local Asian market to get some of those Odeng in the freezer section. :) I love going to this store. I do feel like Godzilla though.
Korean is really strict to fatness..... Many people especially women have self pressure to be thin. It is ethnically difficult to have 'volume'. Our boobs do not become big... Korean girls compliment each other on their appearance to express the delight of seeing each other after so long. Korean boys never understand that way of expression though. However, it is impolite to talk someone fat or to advice someone's appearance. If someone talk to you 'you are fat', he/she is a rude person.
My parents are immigrants so I'm used to relatives being blunt on topics like weight, looks, etc. But I have noticed that my asian friends really worry about their weight even though they aren't fat AT ALL. I guess they have a different perception of what fat is.
I'd be scared to go to Korea, honestly. By European standards, I have a healthy weight, but I could stand to lose a few pounds purely for aesthetic reasons. In Korea, I would be considered overweight by 35+ pounds. Going to Korea would be like visiting high school all over again. I'm not ugly, though. So at least there's that.
MsWannabeGamer koreans will glance at you and whisper to their friends like "damn. she looks really fat! are all western ppl looks like pigs? so pathetic! go home yankee. you made me sick!" .........i'm joking. nobody really care how you look :) they are too busy to look at you.
That's super true about being exposed to different cultures and seeing subtle differences. I'll show my friends pictures of Exo and they'll say they all look the same. I want to punch them, *very* hard, but I need to understand that I've been exposed to muuuuch more asian culture than them. I can see subtle differences, because I see them constantly. My friends on the other hand don't, but I still get mad.
What? Omg they do not look the same! :( chanyeol is bae! Idk, when I first started watching kdrama and pop I did not think they looked the same. In the other hand, a Hispanic girl coming from a black getto. I went to a high school with a lot of white people and they all looked the same to me... Weird
jessica Yas! When got into the whole k-scene I never thought they looked alike, but today I was talking to a friend and the other girl that was hugging my friend looked the same as my friend's girlfriend. I immediately started cooing and saying things. Later when she told me that, that girl wasn't her girlfriend I had a mental breakdown. . .//embarrassed//
+Nerdy Birdy lol! It's so weird. I guess it's true that we all see people differently. That's why someone who looks ugly to me might look stunning to someone els
+Nerdy Birdy It's funny cause I'm Korean, I lived my entire life in Korea, but never really listen to kpop. Whenever my sister shows me a picture of a boy group, I think they all look the same! Don't get mad plz xD
***** I know generally different areas have different culture like Thailand, vs s. korea. But I mean in general. Like being exposed to more asian culture, like how they all bow, and respect their elders, and usually all have honornyms.
keyword: exposure. It is easier for the brain to perceive differences in faces if it has been exposed in the earlier childhood, like language, the younger the brain is exposed to different languages the easier it gets to learn it cause of how the neurons build connections in the early years of life
OH! It's not just in Korea, but Asia in general. My English teacher said he went to study in Japan and a lot of his Japanese friends do that too. In Indonesia it's the same thing, like sometimes people like to comment that I got thinner/chubbier or "HAVE YOU GOT A BOYFRIEND?" shutupigotnotkmeforsomethingasuselessasbfs B3 But yeah, I... Don't quite understand the use of it but I guess it's just an expression of concern. Maybe it's just because I'm used to it.
purplespacejam Orang Indonesia beneran, kok. XD Yeah, it is considered teasing but other times like in Chinese New Year's gatherings, relatives become nosy and ask those things. It's getting tedious to cater to those questions after a while. =_=
i suppose that in korea, i'll be considered a pig. :D i'm 155cm & 44kg and in my country people always compliment me about how thin i am and i've even had comments that i should gain weight. i'm actually not fat but i think that i need to lose some fat at my legs. here in europe the ideal weight is your height minus 110 while from profiles of korean artists i've noticed that in korea it's like your height minus 120. also, i think that in korea it's like a goal for most girls to be skinny while here in the western world we accept different body types more openly - like, there are people who work to be thin and others who would like to have more fat.
BeyondWordz i suspects that asians have lighter bones than us because sometimes they, for example say that a girl is 170 cm & 50 kg but she doesn't look super skinny or anything like this.
mimziexxboneta The average female idol has a BMI of 16-17. Of the top female groups (SNSD, Sistar, 4Minute, APink, etc) I have stats for, only Tiffany and Hyoyeon (SNSD) have a BMI above 18. Unfortunately, BMI charts do not differentiate between male/female or big/small boned. Koreans/Asians tend to be thinner, smaller boned, smaller butt, higher metabolism, etc. 38-24-37 is a bit "curvy", IMO. IMO, curvy = fat. NS Yoon-G looks really skinny (170cm, 46kg) but she can pack away the food (She cohosted Kpop Tasty Road with Eli). Hara (Kara) is skinny too (164cm, 43kg) and she can also pack away food. Both of them have BMI just below 16 (and they are in no way anorexic, just naturally thin).
Guys!!!! Ur so funny!! I just bumped into urs videos and I spent like an hour or more checking them . I live in Taiwan and I'm also foreigner. So thanks for ur videos!
Makes sense. Before I was into K-pop it was extremely difficult for me to tell apart the members of Shinee and Snsd since they all looked really similar but a couple months later I was like wow, it's actually easy to tell them apart
wow I like this video, I am Korean and I live in America now, I learn lots of things that American don't understand about Korean. wow ! good luck! I am so happy you guys live in Korea!
HELL FUCKING YES I CAN TOTALLY RELATE TO SIMON OMG Not to sound butthurt or anything (because I'm not!), I get rather confused when a lot of people (especially Asian men) glorify female K-Pop idols, insisting that they have the ideal female body type. Where I come from, the bodies of these idols are deemed too thin (to the point where some people I know would term them "sickly" and "unattractive"), and the body type that is considered ideal is one that has some meat to it (ie. zaftig and voluptuous). I guess it all boils down to the perceptions of pulchritude of different cultures. I'm an androgynous femme gay guy living in an Asian community, and because K-Pop is a huge deal here I find myself being shoehorned into this ideal because it almost seems to me that in my community, you're only a drool-worthy Asian man, worthy of a relationship, if you look like a Greek god, or if you're as "pretty" as the female K-Pop idols.
I really love you both! your video's are so funny and informative! It's fun to hear your experiences. I also practice my English even I listening to your video's. that's great.
Thanks for the videos guys since where i live there are not many people (only about 4 in fact) that like foreign music and cultures. This makes me feel like i can connect with other cultures and people that like them as well :) thanks
i agree on some of the points made in this video, like lack of exposure to different cultures would form stereotypes. It would be so interesting if Koreans living in North America talked about the same topic.
when someone post a really long comment, some poster reply with "too long, didn't read". though martina & simon do put a little spin on abbreviation (like in fap fap)
They like the "junk in the trunk" because it's sexy. The thing about America is many different body shapes and sizes are often considered sexy. I like that and that people are just built different. Like for instance my old roommate was like 5'2 and wore a 00 size jeans and had a small little pudge on her belly but I am 5'1 and when I was thin before I gained the weight I wore a size 9 in jeans and my stomach was flat. I'm just a big boned girl. But in America the beauty of it is when you put the media aside people here just all have different tastes some prefer bone thin people while some others prefer morbidly obese people and most I'd say probably prefer somewhere between the two or just don't have a preference.
It is true Koreans don't tolerate fat people. I am 6 ft tall with almost 200 pounds male I never thought I was fat until all these girls were saying I'm too fat. Then again, when you go to Korea, You will eventually lose weight because you will be walking a lot even with public transportation and all. Just living and working in Korea made me lose like 30 pounds. Like these girls are down to date other racial but not if they are fat. LOL. But there are lotta fat Koreans too, and many girls who prefer chubby man. So don't worry if you are fat, there are also many people that finds fat people attractive... but not as many..
How tall are you Martina?? And Simon...you look more handsome and sexier than Brad Pitt or David Beckham.... ;) I´t fat in Finland....so I´m pretty sure that I would fat in Korea too...lol
I completely agree and understand about the inability to notice differences. Watching kpop, it was very hard to distinguish between groups and members. I remember seeing the SHINee "Replay" MV and thought I would NEVER tell them apart unless they had different hairstyles. Now I can see differences in probably all groups. It's crazy to think that that happens to other cultures who think all white or black people look like anyone else the same color. #themoreyouknow
If you have curves, they don't go away when you lose weight. Your body will just get smaller overall. Curves are mostly due to bone/skeletal structure and secondarily to fat distribution. Hence, you can be small framed and/or skinny AND curvy :)
so true...if you look closely at most reality shows like running man, i often hear the word i'm heavy,i've gain so much weight,i dont think u can carry me when the fact that obviously you can see that they are as thin as a twig...i'm a fan of kpopp stars but after watching this and specially hearing martina says that snsd members are much shorther and their heels that makes them tall,i change my perspective view mediately.
omg I'm one of those straight lines xD. No matter what I eat, I can't get fatter! People may say: oh, u are so lucky! and all that...but then you also hear: Are you eating? you're so skinny! or You look anorexic! -_- . That makes you feel so bad! and being tall (people in my country aren't very tall) makes it even worse! Plus being said you're a baby-face. No matter if you're fat or skinny, you'll be said something, better be happy with your appearances and dont mind other people's opinions.
***** what the hell that was mean and plus I wouldn't say they will be scared if they stare that means their envious like I would love to have her height man I'm obsessed with height
u are so lucky i want to be that tall, I heard that tall women are more likely to be considered super models, I am so scared to go to korea and japan cuz i think i will be called really fat. Like really fat.
what I found hard to deal with, when I lived in Korea, was that it was hard to buy clothes in my size. At that time I was a medium/large back in North America and had no problem shopping for clothes. In Korea, it seemed like everything was a "one size fits all" that didn't apply to me. I even had a sales clerk ask me to leave because I was "too fat".
People always tell me that I am chubby but honestly I don't care that much even though I would love to be thinner, because my BMI is fine and that's all that matters to me. Keep in mind I am very tall for a young person and that makes me a lot heavier so whenever someone says that they need to diet or something I just tell them that they are healthy and they don't need to lose anything, I blame the media for giving the world a certain body shape that is considered beautiful. You are beautiful just the way you are, please don't listen to the media.
As a plus-size gal, I used to get all sorts of "helpful advice" from my coworkers and total strangers when I lived in Seoul. It peeved me out so much that I actually started to embrace my weight rather than be ashamed of it. Before Korea I would never show my upper arms, wear tank tops, or halter dresses. Finally, I just decided I was me and Korea could like it or lump it. However, I had other plus-size friends who really felt hurt by the comments on their size and left the ROK unhappy with it.
I just love your videos! Hell yeah, Simon's looks like Beckham! Even though I'm ethnically Asian, I have a rather curvy body where my top and bottom have more stuff. (trying to be accurate) I'm not sure how that would translate when and if I visit Korea, but I would like to visit there at least once.
Since I live in Vancouver Canada as a korean, I know exactly what you guys are talking about exposure to the different ethnicity and look alike:D I envy you, Simon. At least they see you in good looking figures. Anyway, Usually, when we mingle with people, saying you look like one of celebrity is such a bad idea. Also the same for first blind date or something.
I agree. When people are all like "Every Asian looks the same", I look at them in like total disbelief. I've seen many different Asian people and not once have i seen 2 people that look like one another ( with the exception of family).
The biggest point in this video, is that you shouldn't focus on losing weight to please a country your going to visit temperately. If you are going to lose weight, you should do it for your health and mental well being. And to be honest whether we loose weight are not North America, UK and generally we are taller and broader, we've been mating in that way for years due to environments. Our diet also has alot to do with it, when I decided to work out after hitting 220 It was for me, not for my trips to Seoul.
I totally agree with this video!! I've just spent 2 months in Nepal, and several people told me i look like Kate Winslet, when I don't x) And like the fact they like my white skin and blonde hair, when I actually think i look ill all the time and try to dye my hair brown to avoid 'dumb blonde' stereotypes ^^
I'm so happy that you touched on the "All Asians look the same" topic. (OHHHH MY GOD) I know I can tell apart GGs and BGs but even I (after 5 years) still confuse some people. But I have never once said "They all look the same!" But back on topic, NOT ALL ASIANS LOOK THE SAME. NOT ALL BLACKS LOOK THE SAME. NOT ALL WHITES LOOK THE SAME. I know that girls in girl groups look SIMILAR is because they usually have the same makeup artist and that markup artist will put one concept of makeup on all the members. If you look at 2ne1 and go "Hmmm they all look the same!" I'd smack you like those Asian tsunderes (with that white fan and everything). Same goes for SISTAR or Mamamoo! And I KNOW that Ailee is the only girl in Korea that looks like she looks. Not ALL Asians look the same. Not all KPOP idols look the same. Hell, Krystal and Jessica don't even look the same and they're actually SISTERS!
your type of comment is actually one of many, but it's also probably the only one I will respond to. So many women who are fairly normal weights have left comments, not only here but on other forums/blogs, because they think they will be "fat" in Korea. Sort of true, but beauty is also in the eyes of the beholder. Intrestingly enough, I taught for 3 years in Kora, 5'7", started off 225 lbs...lost a fair bit of weight while there (about 40 lbs), but was rarely called 'fat'
So accurate! I wish more people exposed themselves to more cultures. It's quite annoying that they say that all the people from specific country look the same. l: I only recently found out that SNSD has had some face surgeries and skin whitening and thanks to this video I learned that they are not all that super tall either. My image of them is a bit more shattered. o:
Regardless of if you are larger or not (I am), you will be stared at almost constantly and old people are the worst about staring and judging. Younger people don't really care much. I have seen a few actually very overweight teens/twenties koreans but not many. I think the main thing is the fashion. It tends to be more conservative (try not to show your armpits/chest/shoulders and even though the perception is you can wear short skirts, and shorts I've had the older ladies talk about how short my shorts were). However, if you go to a younger part of Seoul then things like skimpier clothes are much much more common. Unfortunately I live near the older people areas so I almost never see anyone but older people.
Yeah.. ok.. I'd probs be overweight or something. To my defence;
1. I can't exercise like normal people.
2. Food...........
Food is delicious.
Yeah
you speak da truth
***** Thank you~~
+Linnea Nilsson Why can't you exercise? I know people who don't have legs yet they CAN exercise, why are you a cry baby.
leyingzhou Because I am.
Lol so when Simone said "it looks just like a straight line" and I was like YES THANK YOU FOR SAYING IT
Korea really does focus on beauty. To the point that it can make almost everyone insecure. Which in my opinion, sucks.
I'm surprised that I really don't hear about Korean men or women getting eating disorders due to the pressure society gives.
To those who are afraid of living in Korea cause of your weight, don't let that get to you.
Cause if you do, it will crush your self esteem and eventually you MIGHT think the case is worse than it really is. Not everyone will be affected by this i'm sure. But just eat healthily and stay active. I know what it's like to feel like the people around you are going to judge you by your appearance. Because of that mental state, I eventually had an eating disorder.
Please don't torture yourself for other's perspective of you. The only person that should judge you, is you. Make yourself a better person for you only. Not because of someone else. Have confidence and just smile. Trust me, that goes a long way.
Image shaming is all over. Even the best looking people in the U.S. have their image edited with photo editing software, sometimes with disastrous results such as missing body parts, unnatural limb movement and bent backgrounds. Magazines would rather show Angelina Jolie having just one arm than not altering her picture at all. In some countries, such as those in South America, you can't even enter beauty contests without body altered surgery.
Also U.S. movie stars, magazine models and pop singers are about the same size as South Korean stars. Tom Cruise wears lifts because he is shorter than Martina. CL is about 162.6 cm tall while Kim Kardashian is about 2.5 cm shorter than CL and Lady Gaga is about 7.6 cm shorter than CL. Beyonce is the same height as Martina.
You don't hear about people's eating disorder because it'll being disgrace to your close ones. For example my mum once told me that if I ever got raped I should never tell the police or any of my friends as it will bring disgrace and dishonour to your family because it is the wrong way of losing your virginity ie not before marriage
That's awful! Korea perspectives on such things really need to change. It's no wonder why I hear about suicides happening in Korea.
Dana Duong you dont know shit about Korea
Well i never said i was an expert, but im pretty sure we all know that korea does focus on looks. So chill dude.
so basically in Korea, I'm morbidly obese. Great.
lol
Same here, let's cry over that while walking to pizza hut.
It's okay I got over this a long time ago. Where's the icecream
Dude, everyone who isn't as thin as a Korean is morbidly obese in Korea hahahaha!
So technically since i'm basically considered fat in England, I'd be like a sumo size in Korea, gr8
same tho. ;-;
Don't let that get to you though. There's still much more to Korea than their bluntless. Just worry about ur health and you'll be okay. :)
Come to America we don't judge , weight size and looks are VERY taboo here
.:WelcomeToWonderland:. true
.:WelcomeToWonderland:. Same
Everytime i see this title it makes me laugh.... I just cant't with it XD "Are you a fat and ugly foreigner" LMAOOOO
I WAS JUST GONNA COMMENT THAT AHHAA
I can't either.I burst into Laughter "Are You a Fat and Ugly Foreigner"😂😂😂😂😂
Be Insfired EVERYTIME I PASS THIS VID I SWEAR.
+dealwithitxo I passed by this Video again and My family looked at me super weird😂
It's like a commercial advertisement. "HEY! Are you a fat foreigner? How about an fat and ugly foreigner? WELL I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU! Try the new *inserts your own brand name in here* to feel and look great!" XD
before even watching the video, i had just read the title and said "probably"
+morgan I was nodding vigorously when I read the title.
Sameee xD
I was like "most definitelly"
I feel so fat when I bought a japanese dress in a store, I'm usually a medium or a small... it's like wtf, the dress looked far from XL or L
I eat when I'm bored and I'm bored all the time.
same!
It's like i'm afraid to go over to Korea now honestly. I'm considered obese here and it would probably be worse over there. I don't want my weight to define me when I go to visit a place where nobody even knows me. Kinda saddening..
I know what you mean. :(
Lose it honey! Don't sit here and complain about something that is fixable. Then go there when you're feeling fit.
Tay, I struggled with this when I first moved here. I'm 6ft and definitely overweight, so no matter what, I'm not going to fit in. However, I do not let this bother me. I am me, and nothing is going to change this. Honestly, Korea can be a huge growth experience, or it can be a rude awakening. Your attitude will define your success.
Angie Duncker that's true
Neoking ikr
I haven't been a hardcore KPOP fan so I still think a lot of the women in KPOP groups look very similar. Plus they dance fast so I only see big eyes with contacts, v shape chins, light skin, light brown hair, and similar body shapes. I feel bad because it is like I'm not seeing each individual's uniqueness.
They are like sports teams. People are replaced all the time. it's about the team and not the individuals. Even Western acts such as AC/DC, KISS and Lynyrd Skynyrd have replaced many members.
orlock20 Good point but it comes to a point when the act isn't the same. Ex. Queen without F. Mercury. The Beatles without Paul and John.
MADEbySOUL
Most pop acts don't last that long and when they do, people that heard them for the first time don't know what the older act looked like. Just like AC/DC, many K-pop acts have their own sound they play over and over again and that's what the fans are really interested in. When Queen eventually replaced Freddy Mercury, the act kept that sound that made the act Queen. The act Beatlemania kept that sound The Beatles did and Beatlemania was fairly well received even though it contained zero members of the original Beatles.
orlock20 That's true but I think the CD sells and whether people would like to hear the original vs a cover group would still be a huge gap.
MADEbySOUL it takes a while but when you learn the to tell em apart you will wonder how you could ever think they looked alike
I lost it at straight lines!
I'm a Kpop fan so I see every Asian differently but I can see how some people like to stereotype. Sometimes it's like a joke though, which is okay, but when people like say "All Asians are alike" or "Japanese? Chinese? Korean? Who can tell!" like even I get really offended
They're just (unintentionally) labelling themselves as incredibly stupid though, really. ;)
Ehem. *steps up on soap box*
I realize this comment is coming a little late, but, as much as it bugs me, it is not surprising this happens. I am a psych major in school and there is something called the 'own race bias', which means that you have trouble recognizing and telling the differences between people of other races. It is also a bit related to exposure. I have a Japanese-American professor who grew up here in the U.S. and she can't tell Asians apart because she wasn't exposed to many Asians growing up. It is frustrating to those who can tell the differences, but it is an understandable psychological phenomenon. *steps off soap box*
Sorry for the long rant. ^^
im a korean, but even i have to admit that i have trouble with distinguishing between like chinese, korean, and japanese people. most of the time i get it right but not all the time... but u really cant help it because they do really look similar. what i do get annoyed about though, is when they assume that all asians are the same. not just in appearence but in language and culture. in my old school my classmates used to try to make me translate any language that seemed asian. they were like "japanese and korean is the same, so u can read it right?"
I can totally relate even though im not even asian! Whenever I meet someone who is asian I always like to know what race they are exactly and some of them get surprised because they always get the "oh your probably Chinese or korean!" Like no douche bag there is a difference! just in EVERY Race ok and getting to know all those races and all those cultures makes this world a little less smaller.
misha l Hahah yeah I agree with you. I have a lot of friends from other cultures, so I am more sensitive to things like that than most other Americans. We are a very egocentric culture. For instance, when I go to the bars with my Asian friends, sometimes my friends will just borrow another Asian student's ID if they are underage. None of them have ever been caught, even if they don't really look alike. I think they mostly just look to see that they are Asian and so they all get by. But if a white person were to do that, I think they would get caught much more easily.
As a person born in the big melting pot that is the US (and the rest of North America for that matter) I can't for the love of GOD begin to comprehend the stereotypes and views that homogenous societies have on different cultures and races; no offence, I just don't get it. I live in a neighborhood with Hispanics, Indians, Arabs, Asians, and an assortment of white people all within a quarter mile radius.
lol my college professor always said that America thinks it is a melting pot, when in reality its more like a salad. We touch, but we hardly mix (I am aware that this is a very generalizing statement)
Maddie - That is also where the argument of Globalization Vs. Culture comes in, which Is a completely different can of worms. Essentially mixing too much gets rid of culture altogether.
How much time and energy can someone be worth if they focus on your physical appearance rather on your interests, ideas, beliefs, attitudes, values, motivations, activities, and passions?
+BenjaminFranklin99 Perfectly put.
+BenjaminFranklin99 It's a cultural difference. Americans have this weird idea of tolerance unless it offends them. Our movies reflect it. Also note that being overweight is in unhealthy. We do the same thing with different topics.
Logan Mordh Being underweight can also be unhealthy, arguably more so.
+NotMostGirls I don't think Koreans have anywhere close to the health problems Americans have on a general basis. That could be because of many different variables, but being overweight is hands down the most preventable risk to our health in America besides smoking, something Korea is trying to fix about their country currently. It's hard for Americans to talk about a taboo topic with transparency without being accused of being a bully. It's not easy to be fit in our society. I mostly blame the food industry, our schools and mostly our culture.
Logan Mordh The issue I have is with the cultural intolerance to overweight people which is rife throughout the world. I am overweight but not through choice. I have several conditions which cause weight gain and prevent weight loss, as well as a debilitating DNA mutation which renders me unable to walk properly at best and move properly at worst, so my mobility is limited and exercise can be impossible, and it can also cause me more health problems. I know that many people ultimately choose to be overweight in the Western world as it is the easy choice; you're right that it can be difficult to be fit, even for those physically capable of working out. The food industry is definitely accountable for that; many people are busy and convenience food tends to be processed, and the more healthy food is often more expensive. The problem is that all fat people are tarred with the same brush and labelled lazy and greedy, when in reality there are a whole host of physical and emotional reasons and factors which make overweight people overweight. Overeating is one cause but then overeating can be as much an eating disorder as starving and purging. The difference is that sufferers of anorexia and bulimia are generally treated with more respect and sympathy than fat people.
Yes I'm a bit fat LOL, but I've lost 80 pounds in the last year. Still have 40 to go for my target goal. By the time I get to Korea though, i'll be in tip top shape
omg i was simply scrolling down the comments as the vid is buffering and WHAT?! omg losing 80 pounds or for me about 36kg is SO MUCH CONGRATS!! so much effort and dedication to lose that much! dont lose hope!!
Congratulations! That's big progress. I hope you're close to reaching your goal now!
I noted this on my trip to japan too actually. I have a curvy body type, but I'm in no way "fat". I wore skirts next to friends I had made and instantly noticed my legs were much thicker. Not just that, but my bones were actually thicker too.
This was the best channel EVER. I miss theses times so much because i learned a lot of English following this amazing channel ♡
For everyone who's worried, I was chubby and i lived in Korea for a year and a half. It's not as bad as you think. I agree with EVERYTHING that was said in the video, everything is very true.
But Koreans are diverse and have diverse taste, i had korean boyfriends and still have tons of korean friends and did not get many comments, well intended or not.
Of course Korea made me feel bad about my body, of course i felt self conscious and insecure. Korea made me diet. I lost so much weight. I'm happy i lost weight but not why i did, i just wanted to feel like i belonged. I love Korea but the obsession with beauty there and the VERYYY strict beauty standards (there is only ONE beauty standard, ONE ideal woman) are REALLY stressful, even when it's not expressed openly. You can see people around you and what's considered beautiful.
Just saying, you should go and experience it for yourself, it's not that bad though, it won't eat you alive or make your stay uncomfortable.
unrelated- you're very pretty. Killin it with the glasses.
Yeahhhh I'd really like to go to Korea sometime, but I'm definitely a bit worried how I'd be perceived. I lost a lot of weight and I'll never skinny. Here people always say I'm "#bodygoals" but I know that would be translated into fat.
♥
I'm Asian but I seriously cannot tell the difference between kpop stars
i had the same problem when i first got introduced to kpop; i myself am white as wonderbread but i grew up in a neighborhood with one of the highest south korean populations in america, and i never had ANY trouble telling people appart; that's just stupid. which was why i was suprised with my difficulty when i first got into kpop; i'm better at it now but at first i was confused. i think that has to do with the whole ~ideal body/face~ thing in media these days, and south korea spends more money on plastic surgury than any nation. they look similar because they're /trying/ to look similar.
I can tell you this..when they say "Your cousin look like Obama" or "You look like Brad Pitt", they don't really mean that. When they see a non-Korean person, they just think of the most prominent figure that pops up in their head. When I was in Korea when I was young, my English teacher was a white woman. I told her she looked like a Brittany Spears because that was the most prominent and close figure I could think of because I did not have any other blonde white woman image in me. So when they say things like that, they just say it even though you don't even look like the person they are referring to. They CAN tell the difference; you just look more similar to that figure than they do (because you belong to the same racial group, etc.)
I am from North Carolina (USA). People commented on my weight all the time (as a child I was overweight and I was teased mercilessly for it by adults and children, even after I lost the weight and became healthy people continued to comment positive and negative). I was also regularly asked how much I weighed and about my breast size (which is definitely not their business). When my husband visited from Sweden people were constantly telling him he was too skinny and when he put on weight people let him know that too. When my daughter was born people commented constantly on her size (they even suggested she go on a diet at a few months old because her thighs were chubby). Children are routinely referred to as chubby even if they are healthy sizes, women as well. I now live in Sweden and while I miss many things the constant critiques on my body is not one of them. I haven't been to Korea but I don't think it is an issue just in Asian countries.
I'm 1st generation living in Vancouver for 16 years. I don't know how you do it, but you guys have a better clearer objective understanding of both the Korean and Western culture. I'm learning so much, KUDOS.
I legitimately think like this too- like even before I learnt about Korean/Japanese culture (and read LOTS of Manga DAILY) I ALWAYS had an issue with weight and my height, my fashion sense and food...its odd (Im a 5'9 and blk)
I think this is common in a lot of Asian countries (Japan, Korea, parts of China) where the general population tends to be shorter and smaller in size. I live in Canada, but my family is from Hong Kong and I am pretty standard height for a HK person (about 5'2) and about 110 lbs. In Canada, I'm considered pretty tiny - not necessarily super thin but on the lower end of average? But once I go to HK, my relatives will constantly tell me I am fat and need to lose weight. I love going to HK, but I realize I start to try losing weight before I go now haha.
Yea it's a pretty common Asian thing. I'm Vietnamese 5'2 and about 103...and when I was working with some Vietnamese people they were all like, "OMG you are so tall?" and I'm like "no...I'm not..." and then they asked how much I weighed and said "Well you're taller but you're fatter than I was too so oh well!" like rude much? but you know the whole elders thing so I just politely nodded.
Haha I feel you!
I grew up in an asian area in the states and i noticed how petite most girls were. Being around them made me stand out a lot not only because i'm nonasian but i'm also bigger&taller. It always baffled me when some of the girls would say that they're fat because they're thin to me....
My sister introduced me to your show Eat your kimchi. I really love your videos. I would love to go to Korea and try some of their food. After watching how to make ramen I went to my local Asian market to get some of those Odeng in the freezer section. :) I love going to this store. I do feel like Godzilla though.
I'm ethnically Korean, but grew up in America, and so many Korean people look the same to me too....
your videos are really helpful.. made me feel more confident to travel alone in Korea..
more power to both of u!
Am I the only person who swears that Martina looks like Scarlett Johansson?
Korean is really strict to fatness..... Many people especially women have self pressure to be thin. It is ethnically difficult to have 'volume'. Our boobs do not become big... Korean girls compliment each other on their appearance to express the delight of seeing each other after so long. Korean boys never understand that way of expression though. However, it is impolite to talk someone fat or to advice someone's appearance. If someone talk to you 'you are fat', he/she is a rude person.
Are you a Native to Korea? It'd be interesting to hear what you have to say about this.
that moment when you feel like you're overweight bc all your friends are Asian (I'm Asian too), close to your height, and weigh less than you...
My parents are immigrants so I'm used to relatives being blunt on topics like weight, looks, etc. But I have noticed that my asian friends really worry about their weight even though they aren't fat AT ALL. I guess they have a different perception of what fat is.
I'd be scared to go to Korea, honestly. By European standards, I have a healthy weight, but I could stand to lose a few pounds purely for aesthetic reasons. In Korea, I would be considered overweight by 35+ pounds. Going to Korea would be like visiting high school all over again. I'm not ugly, though. So at least there's that.
I would be about 25 LB over weight over there too.
MsWannabeGamer koreans will glance at you and whisper to their friends like "damn. she looks really fat! are all western ppl looks like pigs? so pathetic! go home yankee. you made me sick!" .........i'm joking. nobody really care how you look :) they are too busy to look at you.
That's super true about being exposed to different cultures and seeing subtle differences. I'll show my friends pictures of Exo and they'll say they all look the same. I want to punch them, *very* hard, but I need to understand that I've been exposed to muuuuch more asian culture than them. I can see subtle differences, because I see them constantly. My friends on the other hand don't, but I still get mad.
What? Omg they do not look the same! :( chanyeol is bae! Idk, when I first started watching kdrama and pop I did not think they looked the same. In the other hand, a Hispanic girl coming from a black getto. I went to a high school with a lot of white people and they all looked the same to me... Weird
jessica Yas! When got into the whole k-scene I never thought they looked alike, but today I was talking to a friend and the other girl that was hugging my friend looked the same as my friend's girlfriend. I immediately started cooing and saying things. Later when she told me that, that girl wasn't her girlfriend I had a mental breakdown. . .//embarrassed//
+Nerdy Birdy lol! It's so weird. I guess it's true that we all see people differently. That's why someone who looks ugly to me might look stunning to someone els
+Nerdy Birdy It's funny cause I'm Korean, I lived my entire life in Korea, but never really listen to kpop. Whenever my sister shows me a picture of a boy group, I think they all look the same! Don't get mad plz xD
***** I know generally different areas have different culture like Thailand, vs s. korea. But I mean in general. Like being exposed to more asian culture, like how they all bow, and respect their elders, and usually all have honornyms.
keyword: exposure. It is easier for the brain to perceive differences in faces if it has been exposed in the earlier childhood, like language, the younger the brain is exposed to different languages the easier it gets to learn it cause of how the neurons build connections in the early years of life
OH! It's not just in Korea, but Asia in general. My English teacher said he went to study in Japan and a lot of his Japanese friends do that too. In Indonesia it's the same thing, like sometimes people like to comment that I got thinner/chubbier or "HAVE YOU GOT A BOYFRIEND?" shutupigotnotkmeforsomethingasuselessasbfs B3 But yeah, I... Don't quite understand the use of it but I guess it's just an expression of concern. Maybe it's just because I'm used to it.
purplespacejam Orang Indonesia beneran, kok. XD Yeah, it is considered teasing but other times like in Chinese New Year's gatherings, relatives become nosy and ask those things. It's getting tedious to cater to those questions after a while. =_=
i suppose that in korea, i'll be considered a pig. :D i'm 155cm & 44kg and in my country people always compliment me about how thin i am and i've even had comments that i should gain weight. i'm actually not fat but i think that i need to lose some fat at my legs. here in europe the ideal weight is your height minus 110 while from profiles of korean artists i've noticed that in korea it's like your height minus 120. also, i think that in korea it's like a goal for most girls to be skinny while here in the western world we accept different body types more openly - like, there are people who work to be thin and others who would like to have more fat.
mimziexxboneta ^ ♢^)/
BeyondWordz i suspects that asians have lighter bones than us because sometimes they, for example say that a girl is 170 cm & 50 kg but she doesn't look super skinny or anything like this.
Yeah, probably. That would make sense :P
mimziexxboneta The average female idol has a BMI of 16-17. Of the top female groups (SNSD, Sistar, 4Minute, APink, etc) I have stats for, only Tiffany and Hyoyeon (SNSD) have a BMI above 18. Unfortunately, BMI charts do not differentiate between male/female or big/small boned. Koreans/Asians tend to be thinner, smaller boned, smaller butt, higher metabolism, etc. 38-24-37 is a bit "curvy", IMO. IMO, curvy = fat. NS Yoon-G looks really skinny (170cm, 46kg) but she can pack away the food (She cohosted Kpop Tasty Road with Eli). Hara (Kara) is skinny too (164cm, 43kg) and she can also pack away food. Both of them have BMI just below 16 (and they are in no way anorexic, just naturally thin).
+mimziexxboneta I'm the same height and used to be 44kg and it was always pointed out as unhealthily low (i live in the UK)
This is a great video! I love how you guys perfectly explained everything. Great work guise!
OMG , I'm in love with Simon's T-shirt !
Simon really does look like Tintin though, anyone also thinks so?
Lol... He should take Tintin over Brad Pitt any day! David Beckham tho...
I'd say Simon looks more like Jon Lovitz in the nose and mouth area
I am skinny and pale so ugly in America but pretty in Korea...how much money are plane tickets?
Guys!!!! Ur so funny!! I just bumped into urs videos and I spent like an hour or more checking them . I live in Taiwan and I'm also foreigner. So thanks for ur videos!
Makes sense. Before I was into K-pop it was extremely difficult for me to tell apart the members of Shinee and Snsd since they all looked really similar but a couple months later I was like wow, it's actually easy to tell them apart
As long as you're healthy...
"They look like *straight lines* to me."
👏👏👏 My Man.
I agree on SNSD's height. Sooyoung, the tallest member in the group, is shorter than me. And I'm considered to be one of the shortest guy.
wow I like this video, I am Korean and I live in America now, I learn lots of things that American don't understand about Korean. wow ! good luck! I am so happy you guys live in Korea!
Tldr episodes are fabulous. Thank you!!!
HELL FUCKING YES I CAN TOTALLY RELATE TO SIMON OMG Not to sound butthurt or anything (because I'm not!), I get rather confused when a lot of people (especially Asian men) glorify female K-Pop idols, insisting that they have the ideal female body type. Where I come from, the bodies of these idols are deemed too thin (to the point where some people I know would term them "sickly" and "unattractive"), and the body type that is considered ideal is one that has some meat to it (ie. zaftig and voluptuous). I guess it all boils down to the perceptions of pulchritude of different cultures. I'm an androgynous femme gay guy living in an Asian community, and because K-Pop is a huge deal here I find myself being shoehorned into this ideal because it almost seems to me that in my community, you're only a drool-worthy Asian man, worthy of a relationship, if you look like a Greek god, or if you're as "pretty" as the female K-Pop idols.
Asian people usually don't have long legs. Losing weight won't make your legs longer, it's all about morphology.
Eating bacon while watching this. DON'T JUDGE ME! (it's so good)
I DON'T LIKE SPAM!
I really love you both! your video's are so funny and informative!
It's fun to hear your experiences. I also practice my English even I listening to your video's. that's great.
Thanks for the videos guys since where i live there are not many people (only about 4 in fact) that like foreign music and cultures. This makes me feel like i can connect with other cultures and people that like them as well :) thanks
Well crossing Korea off my list of places to go -_-
At 170.18 cm tall, and 61.235 kg, as a woman I'm fat by Korean standards lol. But it's alright since I think I'm gorgeous lol.
I like South Korea but now I don't feel like coming there anymore...
Elaine Lat I'm a bit fat and went to Korea last year and had the most amazing experience, don't let it put you off 🙂 🇰🇷
i agree on some of the points made in this video, like lack of exposure to different cultures would form stereotypes. It would be so interesting if Koreans living in North America talked about the same topic.
you guys are so humorous and definitely so much real than beckham imo.
wait... what does TL;DR means?
when someone post a really long comment, some poster reply with "too long, didn't read". though martina & simon do put a little spin on abbreviation (like in fap fap)
im more of a ahem straight girl myself so i like their different perception in this case. americans focus too much on junk and trunk.
So? Curvy, Skinny, etc we're all human...
They like the "junk in the trunk" because it's sexy. The thing about America is many different body shapes and sizes are often considered sexy. I like that and that people are just built different. Like for instance my old roommate was like 5'2 and wore a 00 size jeans and had a small little pudge on her belly but I am 5'1 and when I was thin before I gained the weight I wore a size 9 in jeans and my stomach was flat. I'm just a big boned girl. But in America the beauty of it is when you put the media aside people here just all have different tastes some prefer bone thin people while some others prefer morbidly obese people and most I'd say probably prefer somewhere between the two or just don't have a preference.
I'd look like a pig in Korea... Great nice to know
Martina your hair looks so pretty like that!! you should do that style more often :D
I love your hair here! I know you hear that a lot but WOW!
How tall is Martina??
She's over 170 cm tall.
She's taller than all of the suju members by like a head lol
She's 5'4
Anna Pink "5'7 and a half," to quote the lady herself.
HumanDictionary7 great im like 5`9 -.-
id be considered a giant XD
It is true Koreans don't tolerate fat people. I am 6 ft tall with almost 200 pounds male I never thought I was fat until all these girls were saying I'm too fat. Then again, when you go to Korea, You will eventually lose weight because you will be walking a lot even with public transportation and all. Just living and working in Korea made me lose like 30 pounds. Like these girls are down to date other racial but not if they are fat. LOL. But there are lotta fat Koreans too, and many girls who prefer chubby man. So don't worry if you are fat, there are also many people that finds fat people attractive... but not as many..
How tall are you Martina?? And Simon...you look more handsome and sexier than Brad Pitt or David Beckham.... ;)
I´t fat in Finland....so I´m pretty sure that I would fat in Korea too...lol
I heard somewhere that Martina is around 171 (5'7 1/2") and she likes to wear heels, so in Korea she'd be seen as really tall :)
omg simon made an ATCQ (A Tribe Called Quest) reference with the 38-24-37. omg i love you simon and martina
I completely agree and understand about the inability to notice differences. Watching kpop, it was very hard to distinguish between groups and members. I remember seeing the SHINee "Replay" MV and thought I would NEVER tell them apart unless they had different hairstyles. Now I can see differences in probably all groups. It's crazy to think that that happens to other cultures who think all white or black people look like anyone else the same color. #themoreyouknow
what if u r chinese n ur face looks like a korean person but u have the body of a american person.... cuz u grew up in america
I am not curvy lol I lost a lot of weight and now I am just a line, XD
If you have curves, they don't go away when you lose weight. Your body will just get smaller overall. Curves are mostly due to bone/skeletal structure and secondarily to fat distribution. Hence, you can be small framed and/or skinny AND curvy :)
I am not curvy. That's the thing.
Oh I see
Wow.... It just makes me feel less worse about America now. I thought the states were bad...
Penelope416 The thing about america is that its really diverse and has learnt to accept many differences and get used to them lol
It used to be difficult discerning members in SNSD. But now it's much easier to tell apart faces even in newer people.
so true...if you look closely at most reality shows like running man, i often hear the word i'm heavy,i've gain so much weight,i dont think u can carry me when the fact that obviously you can see that they are as thin as a twig...i'm a fan of kpopp stars but after watching this and specially hearing martina says that snsd members are much shorther and their heels that makes them tall,i change my perspective view mediately.
I'm Korean (lived in the states) but apparently I'm a fat and ugly foreigner as well :O
omg I'm one of those straight lines xD. No matter what I eat, I can't get fatter! People may say: oh, u are so lucky! and all that...but then you also hear: Are you eating? you're so skinny! or You look anorexic! -_- . That makes you feel so bad! and being tall (people in my country aren't very tall) makes it even worse! Plus being said you're a baby-face. No matter if you're fat or skinny, you'll be said something, better be happy with your appearances and dont mind other people's opinions.
Hahahaha.....I am fit as fuck but ugly as fuck as well. Wassup with that?
I didn't see your videos for a long time. You guys got a lot better at doing this congratz :)
This is a very useful video. Thank you for making it
"Are you a fat ugly foreigner "
Me this is me I am this video was made for me hEllo
I'm soo scared of going to japan or korean now, since i'm like 5"11 (AND A GIRL)
,_,
that really helped *****
***** what the hell that was mean and plus I wouldn't say they will be scared if they stare that means their envious like I would love to have her height man I'm obsessed with height
u are so lucky i want to be that tall, I heard that tall women are more likely to be considered super models, I am so scared to go to korea and japan cuz i think i will be called really fat. Like really fat.
It is fine, there are guys that won't mind height at all!
You guys explain SO well! Love your TLDR and other videos :)
what I found hard to deal with, when I lived in Korea, was that it was hard to buy clothes in my size. At that time I was a medium/large back in North America and had no problem shopping for clothes. In Korea, it seemed like everything was a "one size fits all" that didn't apply to me. I even had a sales clerk ask me to leave because I was "too fat".
People always tell me that I am chubby but honestly I don't care that much even though I would love to be thinner, because my BMI is fine and that's all that matters to me. Keep in mind I am very tall for a young person and that makes me a lot heavier so whenever someone says that they need to diet or something I just tell them that they are healthy and they don't need to lose anything, I blame the media for giving the world a certain body shape that is considered beautiful. You are beautiful just the way you are, please don't listen to the media.
As a plus-size gal, I used to get all sorts of "helpful advice" from my coworkers and total strangers when I lived in Seoul. It peeved me out so much that I actually started to embrace my weight rather than be ashamed of it. Before Korea I would never show my upper arms, wear tank tops, or halter dresses. Finally, I just decided I was me and Korea could like it or lump it. However, I had other plus-size friends who really felt hurt by the comments on their size and left the ROK unhappy with it.
What is the appropriate response when someone says you are fat?
I just love your videos! Hell yeah, Simon's looks like Beckham!
Even though I'm ethnically Asian, I have a rather curvy body where my top and bottom have more stuff. (trying to be accurate)
I'm not sure how that would translate when and if I visit Korea, but I would like to visit there at least once.
you guys are awesome!! I love your videos
I'm korean and i never understood people who care abt other peoples appearances.
Since I live in Vancouver Canada as a korean, I know exactly what you guys are talking about exposure to the different ethnicity and look alike:D I envy you, Simon. At least they see you in good looking figures. Anyway, Usually, when we mingle with people, saying you look like one of celebrity is such a bad idea. Also the same for first blind date or something.
I agree. When people are all like "Every Asian looks the same", I look at them in like total disbelief. I've seen many different Asian people and not once have i seen 2 people that look like one another ( with the exception of family).
The biggest point in this video, is that you shouldn't focus on losing weight to please a country your going to visit temperately. If you are going to lose weight, you should do it for your health and mental well being. And to be honest whether we loose weight are not North America, UK and generally we are taller and broader, we've been mating in that way for years due to environments. Our diet also has alot to do with it, when I decided to work out after hitting 220 It was for me, not for my trips to Seoul.
YES THANK YOU FOR THIS! I get so upset when they say people look alike for any race of people since I'm from most of them it's awkward...
I totally agree with this video!! I've just spent 2 months in Nepal, and several people told me i look like Kate Winslet, when I don't x) And like the fact they like my white skin and blonde hair, when I actually think i look ill all the time and try to dye my hair brown to avoid 'dumb blonde' stereotypes ^^
competition, that's what. some people just can't stand the sight of someone skinnier or prettier than them.
I'm so happy that you touched on the "All Asians look the same" topic. (OHHHH MY GOD) I know I can tell apart GGs and BGs but even I (after 5 years) still confuse some people. But I have never once said "They all look the same!"
But back on topic, NOT ALL ASIANS LOOK THE SAME. NOT ALL BLACKS LOOK THE SAME. NOT ALL WHITES LOOK THE SAME. I know that girls in girl groups look SIMILAR is because they usually have the same makeup artist and that markup artist will put one concept of makeup on all the members.
If you look at 2ne1 and go "Hmmm they all look the same!" I'd smack you like those Asian tsunderes (with that white fan and everything). Same goes for SISTAR or Mamamoo! And I KNOW that Ailee is the only girl in Korea that looks like she looks. Not ALL Asians look the same. Not all KPOP idols look the same. Hell, Krystal and Jessica don't even look the same and they're actually SISTERS!
your type of comment is actually one of many, but it's also probably the only one I will respond to. So many women who are fairly normal weights have left comments, not only here but on other forums/blogs, because they think they will be "fat" in Korea. Sort of true, but beauty is also in the eyes of the beholder. Intrestingly enough, I taught for 3 years in Kora, 5'7", started off 225 lbs...lost a fair bit of weight while there (about 40 lbs), but was rarely called 'fat'
So accurate! I wish more people exposed themselves to more cultures. It's quite annoying that they say that all the people from specific country look the same. l:
I only recently found out that SNSD has had some face surgeries and skin whitening and thanks to this video I learned that they are not all that super tall either. My image of them is a bit more shattered. o:
You guys are hilarious. Good work
Regardless of if you are larger or not (I am), you will be stared at almost constantly and old people are the worst about staring and judging. Younger people don't really care much. I have seen a few actually very overweight teens/twenties koreans but not many. I think the main thing is the fashion. It tends to be more conservative (try not to show your armpits/chest/shoulders and even though the perception is you can wear short skirts, and shorts I've had the older ladies talk about how short my shorts were). However, if you go to a younger part of Seoul then things like skimpier clothes are much much more common. Unfortunately I live near the older people areas so I almost never see anyone but older people.