The Acceptance and Expansion of Cosmetic Surgery in Japan and South Korea

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03240
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cultural anthropology
• Research Institution: Shoin University
• Principal Investigator: Kawazoe Hiroko 松蔭大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 教授 (10400821)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 金 振晩 帝京大学, 経済学部, 准教授 (60554160) ; 金 宰郁 松蔭大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 講師 (00799926)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 美容整形 / 美容医療 / メディカルツーリズム / 美 / 日本 / 社会

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study explored aesthetic(/cosmetic) medical history and policy in Japan and South Korea, in order to deepen body culture studies, medical environments and understanding between the two countries. It was found that South Korea promoted aesthetic medicine and this led to the "Koreanization," of cosmetic surgery and culture as a whole. However, in terms of Japanese medical tourism policy, aesthetic medical procedures have been excluded from most administrative measures. The Japanese approach can lead to risk and uncertainty in aesthetic medicine and beauty markets. It is suggested that aesthetic medicine should be judged not only by cultural strategy and global market competitiveness, but also from perspectives that protect individual patients, clarify aesthetic medical procedures and develop advanced medical technology, accompanied by inclusive statistics regardless of patients' purposes, disease or beauty, and their nationalities.

Free Research Field

文化人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の意義は、美容整形が実施されている場だけでなく、美容整形を化粧やイレズミなど他の身体加工とも比較したことにある。研究代表者がメンバーとなっている身体関係の研究会のネットワークを活用して議論を深め、イレズミと美容整形の共同の公開講演会も実施できた。美容整形の受容と拡大の分析を通して、ローカル、グローバルな視点から、身体文化、医療環境、日韓理解促進を目指すとともに、患者の利益を損なわないような制度構築に貢献するための知見も提示した。