01x04 - K-Film

[bunniefuu]

[woman] Where are we going,
Daniel? [laughs]

[both laugh]

I don't know,
but wherever we're going,
I want to be wearing this hat.

- Oh
- [laughs]

I have to say it's one of
the cleanest factories
I've ever seen.

- In Korea...
- Mmm?

...you're the first person
to discover this?

[in Korean] We were the first
to develop it in Korea.

Researchers like us
developing cosmetics,

we have a habit of applying
almost anything on our skin.

[in English] Can we see?

[in Korean]

- [Daniel] Oh, wow!
- [woman] Oh, my God.

[all laughing]

[Daniel] Hi, guys.

It's just a lot of them!

I'm Daniel Dae Kim.

- Actor...
- Hey, Daniel, nice to meet you.

...producer,

and proud Korean-American.

All right, we have to stop
before I get emotional.

When I was a kid,
it was not cool to be Korean.

Then this happened.

[reporter 1]
This cultural phenomenon,
or Korean wave...

[reporter 2] A Korean wave...

[reporter 3]
K-pop along with TV dramas...

[Daniel] Now, I'm going
to South Korea...

It's so good. [laughs]

...where I was born...

It's exactly
what I remember as a kid.
[laughs]

...to find out how
this small nation in East Asia

rose from the ashes of w*r,

[reporter 4] The end
of three years
of bitter conflict...

[Daniel] ...dictatorship,
and poverty...

[reporter 5] Decades
of sacrifice, years of success.

- The Golden Globe goes to...
- [Daniel]
...to conquer the world...

...Parasite.

[Daniel] ...with its culture
in just one generation.

[both laugh]

Oh, we can go global now.

- Oh, my God!
- Bottoms up.

[Daniel] From K-Pop...

Day Ones, we love you.

[Daniel] ...to K-Beauty...

- Shake it, shake it.
- Oh, this is a new world.

[Daniel] ...to K-Everything.

This is not a staring contest.

It's a kind of fortune-telling
in South Korea.

Kim Min-Jung is a face-reader.

[in Korean] So when I read
your face today...

[Daniel in English] Yeah.

[in Korean] ...your face
has a lot of fluctuations.

- Fluctuations?
- [both laugh]

At this point of your life
things are becoming

much more stable and it feels
like your luck is opening up.

But before now, there were
a lot of ups and downs.

[Daniel in English]
Practitioners of the ancient tradition,

known as gwansang,

believe destiny
is written on our faces.

[in Korean] Your smile
looks very good so it increases

your fortune of wealth
and the possible goodwill you

might receive from others.

[in English] Okay.
I have a very good dentist.

[laughs]

[Daniel] Okay, so gwansang
isn't a science...

but first impressions
are crucial in Korea.

[in Korean] Face reading
isn't about something fixed.

It can be complemented,
so can your life.

So when we talk
about face reading,
it's not only about altering

your facial features
to improve your fortune.

There are signals
that your face sends.

If you correct
even just one flaw
to understand yourself,

your fate can change.

[Daniel in English]
In a place where some believe
your face dictates your fate...

That's good advice, thank you.

...looks are important.

Modern K-beauty trends

are rooted in centuries
of Korean history.

During the Joseon era,
the country's
last imperial dynasty,

the ideal was lighter skin,
red lips, black hair,

for women, at least.

They used natural ingredients
like rice water
to brighten their skin.

The lighter the skin,
the higher the status.

But the meteoric growth
of the industry in recent years
is staggering.

I love Korean skincare.

[influencer] Korean sunscreen
has gone viral on TikTok.

Oh, my God. It's so cool.

[Daniel] Why are so many people
across the world
obsessed with K-beauty...

Nobody does skin care
like Koreans.

K-beauty products
you need in your life

because I am
obsessed with them.

[Daniel] ...enough to attract
hundreds of thousands

of foreign tourists
to South Korea every year,

seeking products,

procedures,

and perfection.

[woman] I'm gonna get
this one, yeah. A tonic.

- Yeah.
- So how does it...

- How does it go on?
- You just, like...
put it towards your scalp...

- Oh.
- ...and then spray it.

[Daniel] Gina Shin is
a long-time friend...

and the perfect guide
for my initiation
into the world of K-beauty.

[Daniel] What's this?

I-- I believe
it's salmon sperm.

Salmon sperm.

How do they extract it?
That's what I want to know.

I have no idea. [laughs]

[Daniel] We're at
the flagship store
of Olive Young.

Think a Korean Sephora,

a retail empire selling
cosmetics, wellness
and lifestyle products.

[Daniel] You know,
you would think at my age,

I wouldn't get any more acne,
but I still get acne.

- It drives me nuts.
- [Gina] Oh.

[Daniel] I've worked
in Hollywood for a long time,

so I get that appearance
can actually be
a form of currency.

Whether we like it or not,
it matters what we look like.

- I'm Ann.
- Nice to meet you, Ann.

Nice to meet you, too.

[Daniel] But... [chuckles]

...it seems
I have a lot to learn.

I don't put on sunscreen
all the time.

You know you're
supposed to put sunscreen
even if you're indoors.

- Indoors too?
- Yeah.

- Mmm.
- I just use soap.

- Bar soap?
- Mmm-hmm.

He uses bar soap.

[in Korean] That won't work!

[all laughing]

[Daniel in English] First up,
a combination
of two Korean passions,

technology and skin care.

[Ann] Let me check your pores.

[Daniel] Okay.

Huge.

[Ann chuckles]

[Daniel] Huge!

And I would check
your smile wrinkles.

- [Daniel] This is
a topographic map...
- [Gina] Wow.

- Yeah, topographic.
- ...of my skin!

Your facial topographic map.

I look like-- This is
the freaking Rocky Mountains.

[Gina] Oh, my God.

This is your very deep wrinkle.

- [Gina] Oh.
- [sighs]

Deep wrinkle equals deep pores.

This is very humbling,
I have to say.

I recommend for you ingredients
and your day routine

and special care routine
right here.

[Daniel] Okay. You keep--
You're still writing.

This is-- This is a long list.

All right, well, we're gonna go
on a shopping list.

Do I need a--
I need a big cart
to hold all of these things.

We need two big carts...

- Okay, let's go take a look.
- ...one for me, one for you.

- [both laughs]
- All right.
Thank you very much.

[speaks Korean]

[Daniel in English]
Operations assistant
Seo Jung-Min is here to help.

At the first one, you got
the zero-foaming cleanser.

Okay. So then
I just put the lotion
and moisturizer on top of it?

- Yeah.
- [Daniel] Okay.

- Shake it, shake it.
- Oh, this is a new world.

[laughs]

Feels good!

Do you feel like
there's more of an emphasis
on appearance here in Korea

than there is
in other countries?

Definitely. I also think
that's probably the reason why

you want to
look good for others.

[Daniel] The K-beauty industry
has tripled in size
since the turn of the century.

A remarkable transformation.

Korea once followed
the beauty standards of others.

Now, it leads the way.

[Jung-Min] This is our
facial mask section.

- Wow. Huge.
- Just a few.

- Just a-- Just a couple of
masks here.
- [Jung-Min] Yeah.

[Gina chuckles]

[Daniel] South Korea is now
the second largest
cosmetics exporter

in the world, after France.

This is the one
that is 20 minutes,

- or three hours or all night?
- Overnight.

- Overnight.
- Yes.

[Daniel] Olive Young opened
its first store in Seoul
in 1999,

the only one of its kind
in Korea.

[speaking Korean]

[Daniel] It was also
just two years
after what's known here as IMF

or the Asian financial crisis,

when South Korea
received a nearly


to save its economy
from total collapse.

[Daniel] Over one and a half
million people
lost their jobs,

fueling an intense period
of competition

and culture of self-improvement
that's still ingrained here.

- [Gina] Let's get the list.
- [Daniel] Whatever's
on the list, let's get.

And let's get two
or three of each.

- [Gina] Yeah.
- [Daniel] After IMF,

a wave of entertainment exports
from K-pop to K-drama
spread across Asia.

[Daniel]
Let's get a few of those.

Let's get some of the sunblock.
Is two enough?

[Daniel] That introduced
a wider audience
to a new aesthetic...

- I think I'm gonna need another
suitcase when I go home.
- [chuckles]

[Daniel] ...that we now know
as K-beauty.

[Daniel] Oh, my gosh.

- Look at this.
- [Gina] That is a lot.

[chuckling] The receipt there.

Thank you.

- Have a nice day.
- Thank you.

[Daniel] My facial cleanser.

Uh, it feels good.

It's actually very gentle.

[Daniel] It took
an intervention from my wife

to get me to pay attention
to my skin.

[Daniel] Before I met her,
I wasn't even washing my face
at night, believe it or not.

So this was the toner
that they recommended
over at Olive Young.

I'm supposed to shake it.

[Daniel]
In a collective-minded,
Confucian society like Korea,

how you look,
also reflects on others,
like your family.

That was probably too much.
But it feels really nice.

[Daniel] My mother always used
to say to me before going out,

"You have to look good because
you represent all of us."

I'm gonna try a facial mask.

My friends and family,
you know, they swear by these.

[Daniel] Like a lot
of things here,
Koreans make it look easy.

All right, let's see
how this works.

[sniffles]

[Daniel]
The success of these products

can come down to some kind
of unique ingredients.

[laughs]

Your not supposed to laugh when
you're wearing these things.

[Daniel] What kind of
snail is this?

- [man] King snail, king snail.
- [Daniel] Wow.

[in Korean] You can touch it.
They're gentle.

[Gina in Korean] Are they nice?

Yes, they don't bite.
It's fine.

[all laughing]

[in English] Go ahead, Daniel.

[Daniel] Gina and I are
at a company called
Co-Seed-Bio-Farm...

- with CEO Park Sung-Min.
- Oh, my God! Oh, my God!

[all laughing]

[Daniel] It produces one
of K-beauty's
most iconic ingredients.

Snail slime.

Also know as "mucin".

Ooh, it's cold.

[in Korean] Try touching it.

[Gina in English] Oh.

[Daniel in English] Oh!

[Gina] Now it's relaxing.
Yeah, relaxing.

He likes me.

[Sung-Min in Korean]
They drink water
and secrete mucin.

As the first day,
second day and third day pass,

the water will change to mucin.

[Daniel] Ah.

The mucin is then collected
at the bottom of the tank
and then brought here.

Much of Korea's
snail mucin is
from this company

used in products like serums
and face masks...

Can we see inside?

...which help hydrate skin and
stimulate collagen production.

[Gina gasps] Cool.

- All right, I'm going in!
- [Sung-Min chuckles]

Stop! Stop.

[Daniel] The mucin is mixed,
filtered and sterilized
then ready for the market.

[Sung-Min in Korean]
We export to 21 countries.

[Daniel in English] Wow.

I can't tell the difference
between this and water.

[Gina] Yeah,
it looks like water.

I bet you could
have a health spa
with a mucin bath.

- Why don't you make one?
- No, seriously.

Now, like, if you had
a tub full of this

or even just a mucin dip,
one body dip, right?

- Like cold plunge?
- Yeah.

[Daniel] Snail mucin
has been used for centuries

in traditional medicine
across the world.

But Korea is a driving force
behind the modern beauty trend,
going as far back as 2007.

It was startling at first but
now I think they're kinda cute.

Yeah, look at them!
They're all, like, friendly.

[Daniel] So, right now,
you harvest these snails
this way,

and it looks like the snails
are very healthy.

[Sung-Min in Korean]
There is a code
of ethical conduct that...

Ah.

...governs the legality
of animal testing and handling.

[in English] Yeah.

[Sung-Min in Korean]
So, after much deliberation,
I figured out

what causes them
to secrete so much mucin.

So, if we place them here,

in their healthiest state
and most active state,

they won't be harmed at all.

[in English] Why is it
snails only and not slugs?

[in Korean] Oh, slugs also
secrete a lot of mucin...

[in English] Okay. Okay.

[in Korean]
...but it's kind of gross?

- [in English] So snails
are okay, but slugs are gross!
- They're cuter.

They're cuter!
Snails are cuter.

- Okay.
- Look how cute they are.

- He wants to go home with you.
- Yeah, right?

- Take him as a pet snail.
[laughs]
- Pet snail!

This was not
what I expected at all.

- Did you feel that way?
- Me neither. Yeah.

I still think that you have
a business idea in there.

- Yeah.
- Gina Shin, snail queen.

- [Gina laughs]
- Deal. [chuckles]

[Gina] Yeah.

This whole building
is plastic surgery.

That whole building
is plastic surgery.

[Daniel] South Korea's
plastic surgery
industry is booming,

and Seoul's Gangnam area,
is the epicenter.

This gold building
is all plastic surgery.

[Daniel] You can see why
some people call this place

the "plastic surgery capital
of the world".

There isn't a building
on this block

that somewhere doesn't have
a plastic surgery center.

[Daniel] Nearly one in three
Korean women in their 30s
have had plastic surgery.

That's according to data
from 2020.

I've never seen
anything like this.

And it's not
just Koreans either.

Over 130,000 foreign visitors
had plastic surgery
procedures here in 2024.

That's over 40% more
than just five years ago.

[Daniel]
Even off the main road,

floor after floor after floor.
Stem cell clinic...

The competitive spirit here

helps make plastic surgery
and anti-aging treatments
socially acceptable.

Floor after floor
after floor after floor.

This is fun.

So they have like a...
[chuckles]

They have sale days
at this well-aging clinic.

So, if you go on certain days
you get 20% off
certain services.

[Daniel] One of the most
popular procedures is
double eyelid surgery

to make eyes look bigger.

[woman] Appearance
is kind of capital
for Korean people.

It becomes a rite of passage
for a teenager,
especially a-- a girl,

- to have eyelid surgery.
Is that true?
- Mmm.

Yeah. Yeah. I like the term,
the-- the-- the rite
of passage. Yeah.

[Daniel] Assistant professor
Leem So-Yeon

studies how new technologies,
like plastic surgery,
interact with society.

I really wanted to know
what a plastic surgery patient
go through,

so I decided to do it
for myself.

You worked
at this plastic surgery center.

And what was the logic
that this plastic surgeon
said to you?

He said, basically...

[in Korean] "Judging by
your appearance alone,

what rank do you think
you would be in?"

[in English] And then he gave
answer by himself.

He said,
"I-- I'm the... like,
right the average, fifth."

- So, on a scale of beauty...
- Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmm.

...the surgeon asked you
where you think you are,

and he answered by saying,

- "You're right in the middle,
five out of ten."
- Mmm-hmm.

- Which means, I'm not ugly.
- Right.

- I'm just okay.
- Yes.

[Daniel] Leem opted
for jawbone surgery,

to create more of
a V-type shape,

viewed as the Korean ideal.

So basically I cut,
you know, my upper jaw,
lower jaw.

- To shape it
to become less square...
- [So-Yeon] Uh-huh.

...or round and more oval
and tapered.

- Is that right?
- Yes. Yes. And make it smaller.

- Yeah.
That's very serious surgery.
- [So-Yeon] Mmm.

I couldn't go out
for two months.

- Two months, you couldn't
leave your house.
- Mmm-hmm.

And then for one year,
I'm kind of obsessed
with my appearance.

One year you kept looking
at yourself saying,

- "How does it look?
Do I look better?"
- Yeah.

[Daniel] Leem says we can trace
Korea's connection
to plastic surgery

back to the 1950s,

when an American
military plastic surgeon

started performing
double-eyelid surgery
during the Korean w*r.

America's involvement
also led to an influx

of western beauty ideals,
for better or for worse.

The roots
of Korean plastic surgery,
this double eyelid surgery,

are to please
Western standards.

[So-Yeon] Mmm-hmm. Yeah.

[Daniel] Today, even when
I walk around,
especially in Gangnam,

- I see people with nose jobs
with very high bridges...
- Mmm-hmm.

- ...big points,
- Mmm.

...and they come out further
from the face than I've seen
the typical Korean.

- And it seems more to me
like a Western nose.
- Mmm. Mmm.

So do you think that
the Western influence

is still, uh, having an effect
in Korea?

Uh, I think so.

Even though those people
are not really conscious

about, you know,
their being, you know...

their having really
Western style appearance, yes.

Korea has such national pride,
I find.

- Oh, yeah, yeah. Yes, yes, yes.
- You know?

How do you reconcile the fact

- that they have such pride
for being Korean and yet...
- Mmm. Mmm.

...they have a lot of plastic
surgery to look Western?

To look, uh, Western is like...

- 20th century's
beauty paradigm.
- Mmm-hmm.

[So-Yeon]
During like '70s and '80s,

that's when rapid
economic growth

- came true in Korea.
- [Daniel] Mmm-hmm.

So you see plastic surgery
as an aspirational pursuit
to elevate...

- Yes, yes. Yes. Yes.
- [Daniel] ...the Korean culture

- and the people
who live here...
- Mmm-hmm.

- ...uh, as a symbol
of Korea's rise.
- Exactly, exactly.

Before the mid-1990s,

ideal beauty was represented
as, like, white woman.

- Mmm.
- And then after, like, 2000s,
you know, actually after IMF...

- you know--
- Yeah, IMF was big here.

- Yeah, it started--
- It changed a lot of things.

Yes, yes.
Started with, you know,

uh, every time, you know,
plastic surgeons wrote about,

you know,
plastic surgery industries
and ideal beauties,

they feature
with Korean actresses.

So these days, nobody--
At least explicitly
or consciously,

nobody wants to look like
white Caucasian person.

We kind of have
our own ideal beauty.

What is that white powder for?

[in Korean] So I can see where
and how much do I have to cut.

[Daniel in English]
In Seoul's oldest barbershop,

Lee Nam-Yeol offers up
a glimpse of the past.

He's been doing it this way
for the last 60 years...

since he first started
cutting hair at age 13.

[in Korean]
If you are good-looking

and have a nice hair,
I can make it shine.

There's nothing special
about it.

[chuckles, in English] Okay.

[Daniel] He's the third
generation of his family
to run this barbershop

which opened in 1927.

It's a relic
of a different time,

times when even appearance
was political and policed.

- Your hair is very long here!
- [chuckles]

[Daniel] Back in the 1970s,
under strict military rule,

long hair was ill*gal for men
in South Korea,

seen as decadent
and a westernized
hippie trend.

[in Korean]
Yes, I used to run away
from the police many times.

[in English] Really?

[in Korean] In the 70s
they used to chase me a lot.

[in English]
Oh, so you're like a rebel.

[in Korean] The police
followed me, holding scissors.

If you aren't rebellious,
you aren't human.

[in English] Okay.

[Daniel] A lot has changed
since then.

- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.

Leo J.

- [in Korean] Hello!
- [Daniel chuckling]

[in English]
I'm Daniel Dae Kim.
Nice to meet you.

- Thank you for coming.
- Yeah.

Thank you for, uh--
for meeting me today.

- Oh my God. It's so honored.
Yeah, thank you.
- [chuckles]

[Daniel] K-Beauty is not
just about the products.

It's about the people
who know how to use them.

The influencers.

[Daniel] Like makeup artist
Leo J.

He has almost
to his YouTube channel...

[Daniel] ...famous
for celebrity makeovers.

[Daniel in English]
Today, surrounded
by his own production team,

it's my turn.

- [in Korean] Let's get started!
- [whooping]

When I heard you were coming,

I noticed that internationally
Daniel Dae Kim

is known for being a very
charismatic, masculine actor.

But in Korea,
when we talk about K-beauty,

it's more about
youth-looking makeup,
clean skin, a fresh complexion.

So I wanted to try
natural skin make up on you.

- [in English] Like you?
[laughs]
- Yes. It's me. [laughs]

I want to do whatever you want
to do. Uh, I'm in your hands.

And let's see--
let's see what happens.

[in Korean] I mean, wow,
your skin is so good.

I was astonished. And you look
even better in person.

[in English] Oh. That's very
nice of you, but your skin
is better than mine.

- I look better already.
- [chuckles]

[Daniel] Leo J began doing this
almost ten years ago.

In a market
with overwhelming choice
and relentless new trends,

K-beauty influencers
can earn celebrity status.

[in Korean]
When I first appeared,

it wasn't that common
for male creators
to do beauty content.

So a lot of people
were surprised,

they were like
"Wait, a man doing make up?"

[in English] Why did you feel
like it was important
to you to do it?

[in Korean]
I really love this field.

And I also
kept challenging myself
with different types of looks.

Cosmetics are what I love
and when I pick my favorite,

people says that actually
work well for them.

So that's how I got
completely immersed

in creating
and sharing beauty videos.

[Daniel in English]
Leo J found an audience
during his military service,

which is mandatory for men
in Korea.

And you even were using makeup
when you were in the army,
is that right?

[in Korean] That's right.

I brought my make-up box
to the army

and used other soldiers
as models.

[in English] Wait a second.
But didn't some
of the other... [in Korean]

[stammers, in English] ...did
they, like-- did they give you
a hard time?

Mmm-hmm. [in Korean]
At first, they found it
a bit strange.

But when soldiers
were heading out on leave

to see their girlfriends

and asked me
to cover up acne spots

and dark circles
on their faces,
they really loved it.

[in English]
So you were very popular.

[in Korean]
Yes, I was very popular.

[in English] Wow.

[Daniel] One of the things that
I've noticed in Korea here

is that there's a lot
of pressure to look good.

Do you think
the Korean standard of

what a man should look like
has changed?

[in Korean] Totally.

In the past, people found being
rough or rugged attractive.

But these days, for example,
when a woman goes
on a blind date,

what she expects from a man
isn't a flashy, glamorous look,

but simple things, clean nails,
neatly trimmed eyebrows,

some hand cream,
maybe a bit of lip balm.

[in English] Wow.

[in Korean]
So, it feels very natural
and gives the impression

that you put
some thought into it
for the person you're meeting.

It feels like good manners.

[in English] Yeah. Like a man
who takes care of themselves.

- [in Korean] That's right.
- [in English] I see.

So can you tell us
what a kkochminam is?

[in Korean] kkochminam ...

These days, I feel like there
are so many different ways
to define a 'handsome man'.

Back in the day we use to
call them 'kkochminam',

but these days, 'Egen-nam'
and 'Teto-nam'
are the latest trends."

There is a wide range
of discussions regarding the
aesthetic standards for men.

[in English] Wow.

- [in Korean] 'Egen-nam'
is close to 'kkochminam'.
- [in English] Hmm-hmm.

[in Korean] 'Egen-nam' types
are very detail-oriented,
love wearing makeup,

and have a flashy
fashion sense. 'Teto-nam'
is short for Testosterone Man .

[both chuckle]

[in English] Ah.

So the definition of
what is beautiful for a man
is not just one thing.

- It's many different styles?
- Mmm-hmm.

Hmm.

[in Korean] Exactly.
I think K-beauty nowadays
really respects diversity.

People don't all look the same,
and styles vary a lot.

- [in English] Wow.
Look at this.
- Mmm.

I look different.

[in Korean] You look
ten years younger.

- [in English] So that means
I'm only 70.
- Yeah.

- [in Korean] It's done.
- [both laughing]

[in English]
It still looks like me.

It just looks like
a very healthy,
natural, clean version of me.

You did it.
Thank you very much!

I look rested, which I am not.

So, I appreciate it.

We got folks
in traditional Korean hanbok.

- I love that.
- Yeah.

[Daniel] Bukchon Hanok Village
in Seoul...

- Even the rooftops,
there's a lot of layers.
- [Daniel] Mmm-hmm.

[Daniel] ...a beautifully
preserved Joseon-era district

where Korea's nobility
once lived.

This is kind of
an oasis in the city.
[chuckles]

It is.

[Daniel] Untouched by all
that rapid growth,
except for the tourists.

I've been here
when these streets
are so flooded with tourists

- that you can't move.
- [woman] Oh, Yeah.

It's insane
how global Korea has gotten.

[Daniel]
I'm here with Irene Kim,

one of Korea's
most prolific models.

The makeup is so beautiful.

[Daniel] Irene's worked
with some of fashion
and beauty's biggest names.

I'm already sh**ting, um,
a couple campaigns
for this year.

[Daniel] And has launched
her own clothing
and skincare brands.

You're in this
hyper-competitive culture
of beauty here in Korea.

What-- That must be challenging
in some ways.

It is very challenging.

It is, because there's
just so much pressure
on always, you know,

looking good and
keeping it together.

And I think it's about
finding the balance.

[Daniel] Born in the US, Irene
and her family moved to Korea
when she was a teenager.

[Irene] I remember
just feeling very confused

and trying to figure out
my sense of belonging
when I came to Korea,

because when you go
to the States,

it's supposed to be
a culture shock,
but for me it was the opposite.

You know,
I think that's a theme

that a lot of Korean-Americans
can kind of relate to,

and that is, uh, being caught
between two different worlds,

- the American world
and the Korean world.
- Yeah.

Was there ever a time when--
when, after you got to Korea,

you realized, "Oh, how people
perceive me matters?"

I think it changed
when I came to visit my grandma
in middle school,

I got street scouted.
It was a very, very big agency
back then.

And I remember
having a meeting with them

- and even taking head shots.
- Mmm.

And when we went
to the final meeting

to consider, like,
signing this contract,

they wanted me to initially
have plastic surgery

- and I was only, like, 14.
- What did you say?

I don't remember saying it,
but I guess I was very strong,
because my mom told me,

I sat down and I crossed
my arms, my little arms
and I said...

[in Korean]
"So are you confident
you can make me a star?"

[chuckles]

[in English] That's ballsy.

- Yeah, it was very ballsy
for that little Asian girl...
- Mmm-hmm.

...so I think
they were caught off guard.

Of course my mom was--
was shocked.

We just walked out.

I feel like Korea just has
very high standards...

- Mmm.
- ...just in general.

Like, we're very detailed
and-- and passionate.

And when you see this
perception of plastic surgery,

it can be negative, but also,
like, you're your own person.

And my mom
would just always tell me,

- I should be my own person.
- Mmm-hmm.

- Hello!
- [Daniel in Korean] Hello!

[Daniel in English]
Irene's mother, Han Eunkyung,

and grandmother, Kim Sunja,
join us for tea.

This is her moment today.

- Ah, is that right?
- [Irene] Yes.
This is her moment!

[Daniel] Well, please join us.
Come sit down.

[Irene in Korean] Grandma,
please have a seat here.

[Daniel in English]
Every generation of
your family is stylish.

My grandmother
is my style inspiration.

[in Korean] Grandma,
tell us how it was like
back in the days.

Because our parents held
very conservative,
almost feudal values,

makeup and anything fancy
were pretty restricted.

But after the Korean w*r,
American influence came in,

and things became
more colorful.

People started dressing more
in American styles
like wearing pants.

When we were young,
we only wore skirts.

I loved fashion.

So I'd secretly
take my mom's clothes,

adjust them
with safety pins to fit me,

and sneak them out to wear.

I think as you get older,

you find your own style.

- [Irene in English]
Aging gracefully.
- Yeah.

[Daniel]
Even in a multi-billion-dollar
industry,

there are some beauty secrets
that money can't buy.

- Wow.
- [Irene] Look how stylish
they were.

- [Daniel] Oh, my. Yeah.
- [Irene] Like, the Houndstooth,

- and the animal print.
- [Daniel] Yeah.

Yes, I'm-- I'm living, uh,
my grandmother's dream

as well as my mom's. [chuckles]

Is it true? Is-- Is seeing your
granddaughter living a dream?

[in Korean]
All my wishes have come true.

- [in Korean] Hello.
- Yes, hello.

I need a photo for my CV.
Could you help me with that?

- [woman] Yes.
- [Daniel in English] Okay.

[Daniel in English]
"As natural as myself
with balance.

Quite pretty like a selfie.

Do it excessively,
make me a goddess."

[all laugh]

Okay. I wonder.

[Daniel] If you want
to get a job in Korea...

[photographer speaking Korean]

[Daniel in English]
...you're coming
to a place like this.

Studio Photobi.

Okay.

[woman] The best version
of them, of themselves.

- This was--
- The best version
of themselves, I see.

So now I'm going to re-touch it
a little bit. Okay.

Start from the skin job.

[Daniel] So this is
a normal process

for anyone who's looking
for a job, is that right?

- Yes.
- Yes, yes, yes, exactly.

[Daniel] Wow.
You're faster than AI!

[all laughing]

[Daniel] Many Koreans
add photos to their resume,
including enhancements.

And it's not just about vanity.

- [Daniel] Let's see what my
lips look like with some color.
- [woman speaking Korean]

[Daniel in English]
It's an investment in yourself
and your job prospects.

Okay, so it's not
just the face,

it's the whole body
you will change.

[in Korean]
They usually want...

[in English] V-shape.

[in Korean]
...a natural V-shape.

- Korean style.
- This is Korean style?

- Yeah.
- [Daniel] Okay,
so that's before.

After.

I also look ten years younger.

[laughing]

[Daniel] So she says,
in this neighborhood alone,

there are 30
of these kinds of stores.

That's how competitive
this market segment is.

I've never seen a photo
of myself like this before.

- If I'm ever going to look like
a K-Pop idol, it's this photo.
- [man chuckles]

[Daniel] In Korea,
the pressure to keep up
can be overwhelming.

[woman] Oh, nice.

[in Korean] One, two, three.

Oh! Best one.

- [in English] Okay.
Best one. All right.
- Yeah.

[in Korean] Then let's go home.

- [both laugh]
- [woman speaking Korean]

[Daniel in English]
Spending time
with model Oh Da Woon,

you'd never know
what she's been through
to get here.

[in Korean] Good camera.

You're good.

Not only am I good at posing
for pictures, I'm also good
at taking pictures.

[in English] When did you
first think,
"Oh, I'd like to be a model?"

How old were you?

[in Korean] I didn't know much
about plus-size models

because they weren't really
common in Korea,

but when I was around 23,

I saw an ad
for a plus-size shopping mall
looking for models.

- [in English] Yeah.
- [in Korean] In fact Korea,

it's a society that says
being thin is actually pretty,

so it was a refreshing shock.

I thought, "What if I fail?
I'll give it a try."

Then, I got scouted
on Instagram
and started working.

[in English] I know that
my parents and my relatives,

as soon as they see me,
they say things like...

[in Korean] "You're too skinny"

[in English] Or...

[in Korean]
"You've gained some weight."

[in English] Or something
about my appearance, always.

Was it the same for you?

[in Korean] Yeah, I felt
that there were a lot of people

commenting on
my appearance a lot,

which made me very conscious
of what others think.

They said, "Aren't you
embarrassed to go out now?"

and "Your clothes don't fit."

So, I lost
a lot of weight back then,

and I had
a serious eating disorder.

I had the option
to either stop eating
because I was in pain

or continue eating
and be happy.

So, I had a sudden thought,
"Oh, I need to stop this."

[Daniel in English] Do you see
the industry changing

and becoming more inclusive
toward plus-size models?

[Da Woon in Korean]
I think so.

Many brands are now targeting
plus-size customers

with their products,
and there are many plus-size
shopping malls popping up.

Will you sit?

[speaking Korean, laughing]

[Daniel in English]
You now must be
a role model and inspiration

for some young girls
and young boys.

How does that make you feel?

[in Korean] Actually,
that's why I kept modeling.

Please take a picture of me
pretending to take a picture.

[in English] Oh, okay, ready?

[in Korean] In fact,
I think being able to help
someone was a real joy to me.

That's why
I was able to hold on
even when I didn't have work.

If it's paparazzi,
pose as if not wanting to pose.

- Like this?
- Yes.

Miss Da Woon! Miss Da Woon!

[Daniel in English]
And you see hope for the future

when it comes to the inclusion
for plus-size models

and just diversity
of looks in general in Korea?

[Da Woon in Korean] I think so.
It's become so much better.

I wish more
plus-size women would appear
more visible on social media

and express themselves
in that way.

There's nothing wrong with us.

[Daniel in English]
Ready? One, two, three.

[in Korean] Hello.

Nice to meet you.
Daniel Dae Kim.

[Daniel in English]
I'm at Mend Clinic

where I've started coming
for regular skincare checkups

thanks to advice from my wife.

She introduced me
to Dr. Yoon Wonyoung,

who's since become a friend.

- Hi, Daniel. Hi.
- Hello!

- Hi, nice to see you again!
- Nice to see you!

- Thanks for having us.
- Yes.

- Please come inside my office.
- Thank you.

[Daniel] Lately,
I've been seeing a lot
about a trending procedure.

And I gotta admit, I'm curious.

Especially because of its name,
"the salmon sperm facial."

We don't take
the salmon sperm individually,

but we do
sub-enzymatic digestion

to get the DNAs from the--
the salmon
or the trout's gonads.

So PDRN is good for, like,
helping the damaged skin

get more healthier
and produce more collagen.

All right. I look forward
to, um, getting
these injections.

- Let's see what happens.
- Sure.
You will get more prettier.

I need all the help I can get.
All right.

[Daniel] First, numbing cream
to help with the pain.

I didn't know
it was gonna hurt.

Am I nervous?
I trust this doctor implicitly,

but anytime you have things
injected into your face,
uh, yeah...

I-- I can't say that's
a daily occurrence for me.

So, uh, I'm curious.

Please lie down with the side.

- [Daniel] Which way? This side?
- [Dr. Yoon] Yeah, this way.

- That's the machine?
- Yes, yes.

Looks like a robot.

[Daniel] It's actually
a microneedling device.

- You okay?
- [Daniel] Yeah,
I didn't even feel it.

[Daniel] Nine tiny needles
inject the salmon DNA
into the top layer of skin,

triggering the body's natural
wound healing process.

That stimulates
skin rejuvenation.

The numbing cream
works really well.

That may not look
like a lot now.

But Dr. Yoon says in few
short months will see
the full effect.

[Daniel] Korea is one of
the world's
leading manufacturers

and consumers of these
kinds of skin boosters.

The combination of competition
and high demand
keeps prices low.

[Dr. Yoon] Korea has extremely
easy accessibility
to the cosmetic procedures.

It's very affordable in Korea
compared to other countries.

[Daniel]
The "salmon sperm facial"
is generally considered safe.

Though Dr. Yoon
is quick to point out

that there are some risks,
including allergic reactions.

[Dr. Yoon] Most of
the beauty procedures
we are doing in clinics,

it has to be done
only by doctors in Korea.

And as the doctors have
lots of experience,

they try to, like, study more
and adopt
new technologies faster,

as here, you can keep up
with the trends

as the market is, like,
developing very fast.

- We're done? [laughs]
- Yep, we are done.

- Okay.
That was completely painless.
- Yes.

Oh.

I look like
I'm a little sunburnt.

I'm a little redder than usual
but it's not bad.

Little blood here and there.

Okay, I'm camera ready!

[Daniel] It can take
two to four weeks to see start
seeing the results.

- [woman] Good to see you!
- [Daniel]
Yeah, it's good to see you!

[Daniel] In a place
that reminds me the most
of my connection to Korea,

I'm catching up
with some dear friends.

[Daniel] You may recognize
some of them.

But tonight
we're all just hanging out.

I heard that you got
a salmon sperm treatment.

The way they did it,
it didn't hurt.

Did you notice a difference?

Well, Susie's my long-time
makeup artist,

she says
she notices a difference.

Wait, Daniel,
so I want to know,

what was the highlight
of your Korea trip?

There were so many.

- [whooping]
- Oh, my God.

[both laughing]

[Daniel]
It's got my nose running now.

[sniffing, coughing]

- Whoa. I saw your move.
- [speaking Korean]

- Oppa Gangnam Style.
- With Psy?

That's so good.

I've never had that before.

What is this, this is so good.
So good.

- [speaking Korean]
- [both laugh]

Cheers.

I took one of those
anti-hangover drinks.

No hangover.

Did anything surprise you?

We went to this factory
that actually harvests
the snail mucin.

Oh what is that like?

So here is the crazy part,

the snail came off my hand
and I swear to you my skin
was softer.

[both laughing]

You saw a face reader too?

[clearing throat]

Oh, yeah, she said
I was stubborn.

- And I was like...
- [woman] Yeah,
you're stubborn.

You're stubborn.

[Daniel] I went to Korea
to find out how it captured
the world's attention,

from K-beauty to K-pop.

I was in the studio with
Taeyang from BigBang.

[upbeat music playing]

It didn't happen by accident.

But no one could have
predicted this.

If you ask me, it comes down
to history, culture,

clever investments, policies,

and talented hardworking
creators pushing boundaries.

I met the song writers
of Golden.

Not to mention, perfect timing.

It's said the word "hallyu,"
meaning Korean wave,

was first used
in the late 1990s.

But this is more than a wave.

It's a phenomenon,

that isn't going away.

Korea is not perfect.

No place is.

But I've always been proud
to be from Korea.

There's a sense
that you actually

care about the welfare
of your entire community.

Now it means so much to me

that I can share
that pride with the world.

Here's to a long,
long overdue reunion!

- Family!
- [cheering, laughing]

- Cheers, cheers, cheers.
- [Daniel] Yeah. Cheers, guys.