Beauty can be made. Yet ‘natural beauty’ still matters in Korea

Can a beauty pageant title be considered any less authentic if the winner’s appearance has been surgically enhanced?

The question emerged after earlier images of this year’s Miss Korea, Woo Seo-yoon, began circulating online following her crowning at the 70th Miss Korea pageant on Aug. 22.

The images prompted comparisons with her current appearance and speculation about what, if anything, she may have done to change her looks. Some argued that Miss Korea should favor contestants with no history of cosmetic procedures. Others noted that the pageant does not prohibit surgery and questioned the scrutiny of Woo based on old photographs.

Woo, 22, herself did not address the issue directly. She said, however, that the negativity and hateful comments were “hurtful” and that she was determined not to let them affect her.

“I hope I will have opportunities to show people who I really am,” she said in an interview.

Woo is not the first Miss Korea winner to face scrutiny after earlier photographs surfaced online.

Jung Yeon-woo, who won the title last year, said that questions about cosmetic surgery were among the comments she heard most often during her time as Miss Korea.

“Time and again, I’ve watched people hurt not only me but also colleagues I care about with such rude and hurtful remarks," she said on Instagram in response to questions about whether she was a “natural beauty.”

“I’m more curious about why people are so curious about whether someone has had plastic surgery,” she added. “Does being a natural beauty make you more valuable, and does not being one make you less so?”

Jung's question points to a larger contradiction in Korean beauty culture.

In a country where enhancing the looks people are born with — through skincare, makeup, styling, cosmetic treatments or even surgery — has become deeply woven into everyday culture and helped fuel a lucrative beauty industry with global reach, why are people still so fixated on the idea of natural beauty?

Even the meaning of a “natural look” has become blurred.

In Korea, looking natural does not necessarily mean going without makeup or cosmetic treatments. Instead, it often refers to an aesthetic designed to look effortlessly attractive — one that, paradoxically, can require considerable time, skillful makeup and careful styling.

Lee Sun-mi, 47, said there’s something about discovering that someone known for being exceptionally beautiful once looked ordinary — like herself.

“When someone is naturally beautiful, they’re just born that way — extraordinary. But when someone becomes beautiful through surgery, I think people feel that they could look the same, but simply chose not to, or didn’t have the means to have surgery,” Lee said.

That logic may help explain why the idea of “natural beauty” remains powerful, particularly in beauty pageants, where the title is still closely associated with physical attractiveness.

“Beauty pageants have traditionally been seen as contests that recognized women with exceptional natural beauty,” said Huh Chang-deog, a sociology professor at Yeungnam University. “That perception continues to shape public expectations, even as cosmetic surgery and other procedures have become increasingly common.”

But the Miss Korea competition, founded in 1957, has changed, seeking to reflect shifting attitudes toward women and beauty and the values of the times.

Today’s contestants are evaluated through interviews, group activities and other stages of the competition, rather than on physical appearance alone. The pageant dropped its swimsuit round in 2019 following criticism that it objectified contestants, and recent competitions have placed greater emphasis on intelligence, social engagement and other qualities.

The 2026 finalists included law school graduates, students at leading universities in Korea and abroad, and women from a range of academic and professional backgrounds. Woo herself studied art at Tufts University.

A senior official at Global E&B, which organizes Miss Korea, told The Korea Herald that whether a contestant has undergone cosmetic surgery or is naturally beautiful has little bearing on judging.

“We assess contestants on both their appearance and personal beauty, including their commitment to social causes and ESG values. These areas are carefully evaluated and carry significant weight. Both are equally important,” the official said, declining to disclose how much weight is given to each category amid the recent controversy.

Huh also emphasized that the debate about natural beauty tends to reduce beauty to something purely physical.

“Someone may not fit conventional beauty standards yet still be attractive because of their demeanor, the warmth of their smile or the empathy they show toward others,” he said. “Beauty takes many forms.”