AE86 wrote:Lots and lots of "ha-fu" (half people) in the media these day, and since they look different from the majority they tend to get more of spotlight. That's just my opinion, but in terms of the look on TV the vast majority of Japanese do NOT look the celebrities, much in the same way that celebrities don't resemble the masses in other countries.

The "half" proportion of population is disproportionate to the average Japanese.

As for operations, it's very common in Korean, a lot less so in Japan although it's not unheard of.

Excellent post Akira.

However speaking from my own experience...
...actually, don't you think, Akira, that cosmetic operations are pretty common in Japan's entertainment industry too, but they're just more discrete about it?

Lot's of their stars and athletes are partially Korean or have Korean blood and read about them being outed by the far right-wing groups,
although I think the regular populace could care less.

I'm a "Jap-Gook" myself and have family in Japan, the States, and Korea. Whatever the case, I try to focus on the positive aspects of all three societies,
although the highly structured and uber-competitive nature of the Japanese and Korean cultures makes it's extremely tough at times psychologically.

That's probably why I'm arriving in Cambodia next week for the first time
and probably staying for good!

Hope to see you and everyone around the KOW.

^^Sometimes my father made the joke that I was a "Jook" (Jap-Gook). Just thought I throw in that. Too bad being "ha-fu" didn't score me any points in the "exotic" market in Japan though.

I think in terms of cosmetic operations, it's more of the minor kind of surgeries that occur in Japan like dermatology work and maybe nose job, rather than the jaw shaving complete facelift kind of thing. I've known lots of Japanese people (obviously), and the really "pretty" ones tend to be more makeup enhanced rather than go through plastic surgery. Kind of like this 43 year old lady.




Even if you look at Japanese "stars" of recent, in person they're actually kind of plain looking, at least the ones I've seen. Koreans though (just an opinion) seem to have "perfect" faces, almost to the point where you can't tell them apart, at least I can't. With Japanese celebs, they tend to have their own look, at least to me.

Completely an opinion though.

I do agree with the social pressure in Japan/Korea, and being a skater dropout really didn't sit well with my family (who are all doctors) which is part of the reason I think I don't go back to my home. I do miss some things Japan dearly (I can't say the same for Korea because I have no family there and my Korean has pretty much disappeared), but there are reasons I haven't returned. If you're not the "perfect" child, you're doomed to a life of not being important or mattering. That's fine by me though, but I'd prefer to not matter in a less socially extreme country.

Safe travels to Cambodia. Hope you enjoy it.

AE86 wrote:^^Sometimes my father made the joke that I was a "Jook" (Jap-Gook). Just thought I throw in that. Too bad being "ha-fu" didn't score me any points in the "exotic" market in Japan though.

I think in terms of cosmetic operations, it's more of the minor kind of surgeries that occur in Japan like dermatology work and maybe nose job, rather than the jaw shaving complete facelift kind of thing. I've known lots of Japanese people (obviously), and the really "pretty" ones tend to be more makeup enhanced rather than go through plastic surgery. Kind of like this 43 year old lady.




Even if you look at Japanese "stars" of recent, in person they're actually kind of plain looking, at least the ones I've seen. Koreans though (just an opinion) seem to have "perfect" faces, almost to the point where you can't tell them apart, at least I can't. With Japanese celebs, they tend to have their own look, at least to me.

Completely an opinion though.

I do agree with the social pressure in Japan/Korea, and being a skater dropout really didn't sit well with my family (who are all doctors) which is part of the reason I think I don't go back to my home. I do miss some things Japan dearly (I can't say the same for Korea because I have no family there and my Korean has pretty much disappeared), but there are reasons I haven't returned. If you're not the "perfect" child, you're doomed to a life of not being important or mattering. That's fine by me though, but I'd prefer to not matter in a less socially extreme country.

Safe travels to Cambodia. Hope you enjoy it.

LOL...totally commiserate with so many things in your post from the whole not benefiting from the happa/hafu joke to your observations about the differences in cosmetic surgeries between JPN and KOR.

What's more eerie is that both my both father and brother are doctors too
and I, too, was the only one in the family that went into sports instead of academics.
If I could do it over again, I would've stayed in Brazil for good in the late eighties,
but Cambodia sounds about my tempo.

Thanks for your well wishes...actually met some good men on this forum.
Hope to meet you one day!

Fellow Jook

Eh? Onde viveu no Brasil? Meu amigo é de Recife e tenta me ensinar português, mas, pisou na bola. Nao falo bilau.

In all honesty though, I would have liked to try Brazil. I think I might like it better than I do in the U.S. In the U.S. you are always "Asian", whereas in other countries you're just a person, and it's something I've always despised about living in the U.S. There was never the feeling of belonging, only being Asian, regardless of how my English progressed.

Anyway, when you get here and if you care to meet over coffee, cola aí!

cambodians rate Koreans and they seem to hold them up as an aspiration

there is a lot of korean tv on and its very popular

I agree they are hot and I'd say pretty in hotness to chinese

so its korea , china , japan , malay , thai and then viets!

AE86 wrote:Eh? Onde viveu no Brasil? Meu amigo é de Recife e tenta me ensinar português, mas, pisou na bola. Nao falo bilau.

In all honesty though, I would have liked to try Brazil. I think I might like it better than I do in the U.S. In the U.S. you are always "Asian", whereas in other countries you're just a person, and it's something I've always despised about living in the U.S. There was never the feeling of belonging, only being Asian, regardless of how my English progressed.

Anyway, when you get here and if you care to meet over coffee, cola aí!

I was in a nice town called Porte Alegre down South and would love coffee Akira!

Personally, I can't take the hangovers from drinking anymore.

SinnSisamouth wrote:cambodians rate Koreans and they seem to hold them up as an aspiration
there is a lot of korean tv on and its very popular
I agree they are hot and I'd say pretty in hotness to chinese
so its korea , china , japan , malay , thai and then viets!

Thanks for the information SinnSamouth.
However, am I wrong to assume the Cambodians rating Koreans highly are of the younger generation?
I don't think it crosses over to those of my generation, but again thanks.


John/Lucky, I agree with your observation;
however, I would add a corollary that
today even Korean men look plain without makeup.

well the people on tv are young as is the audience

basically young khmer like any asian who are not thai, viet or malay and probably singaporean too

so just the east then!