Two of the participants in this research identified as Korean American. Using their perspectives and experiences, I have gathered the central themes of their experiences with their identities and body image.

 

Commonalities with Childhood Experiences with Body Image

 

Weight as an Indicator of Success:

Both participants describe how their cultures connect to conversations about weight. One of the participants describes her experience with ballet in Korea as a defining moment with her body image. She was graded on her weight and her appearance. The other participant describes a similar experience. Describing herself as bigger, the participant indicated that her father made comments about her body when her grades were not the best, connecting her achievements to her weight. In her family, her weight was viewed as a reason for failure. Research indicates that Asian American elders may criticize bodies because they want their children to be successful in the United States, and in their view, success can only be achieved through the adoption of thinness ideals (Wong, Keum, Caffarel, et al, 2017, pp. 303-305). Though comments about bodies may be seen as care, comparing thinness to success has been particularly damaging to the participants’ body image and self-esteem.

​

Familial Impact:

The two participants also describe that their parents had an impact on their relationship with their body image. As mentioned above, one of the participants describes how her father specifically made negative comments about her weight. In addition to this commentary, she describes that her parents and other family members prioritized physical health in a way that was damaging to mental health. In her family, physical health meant that your body was healthy, but it was also weaponized to explain failures. The other participant’s mother continued to weigh her during her ballet years, contributing to this regimen of perfectionism. In Asian American families, familial comments have a large influence on the individual’s internalized pressure to do well. While parents might make these remarks in care, they are perceived negatively by Asian American youth (Wong, Keum, Caffarel, et al, 2017, pp. 303-305). Asian American women having higher levels of perfectionism as a result of parental pressure and comments which in turn leads to a higher dissatisfaction with one’s body (Frederick, Kelly, Latner, Sandhu, and Tsong, 2016, pp. 113-114). Hyperfixations on perfectionism in both academics and ballet reinforced by parents may have contributed to body dissatisfaction in both of these participants. 

 

Representation of Korean American Women

 

Media:

Though both participants expressed a “net negative” impact of the media on their development, though one focused on American media and the other focused on Korean media. When explaining American media, the participant expressed that Korean Americans are not well-represented, as the media growing up made for kids did not pander to Asian Americans. Additionally, she notes that chubby people in the media have been used as comic relief without any positive representations. The other participant describes how Korean media showcases women who have flawless skin, beautiful hair, skinny bodies, and double eyelids. South Korean beauty magazines continue to perpetuate an extreme standard of beauty: South Korean magazines contain more cosmetic ads than any comparable American magazine. Additionally, these magazines promote cosmetic surgeries which are extremely popular in South Korea to enhance ethnic features (Frederick, Kelly, Latner, Sandhu, and Tsong, 2016, pp. 114-115). Korean media highly influences the women in Korea, and this participant describes the impact of the media on Korean American women. Though Korean media is independent of American media, these standards of beauty are reinforced in the United States. Out of the few Asian American American women represented in magazines, one-third have double eyelids ((Boepple and Thompson, 2018, pp. 270-272)). Even in the United States, double eyelids hold cultural significance that influences standards of beauty in Asian American communities. 

​

Social Media:

Both participants describe social media as an empowering tool and a harmful tool. While communities are created virtually, there is a lack of representation for Asian American women of color in social media spaces. Neither elaborated further about the representation of social media of Korean Americans.