A global advertisement campaign - 'Real beauty'

97% of 8~13 age girls said that old women can not beautiful and 73% of the girls said that beautiful women must be slim.

International beauty brand 'Dove' considered this result of research and found five 'real women'. Then, Dove made 'Real beauty series' advertisement. Each advertisement presents the image of a women whose appearance differs from the stereotypical physical ideal, and asks the reader or viewer to judge the woman's looks by checking off a box. The Campaign for Real Beauty asks women to give serious thought to a host of issues surrounding beauty, such as society's definition of it, the quest for “perfection,” the difference between beauty and physical attractiveness, and the way the media shapes our perceptions of beauty. The Guardian newspaper reported one women saying "I want to start someone make and support looks pressure group. Someday lookist will be blamed like a racist. Then, our society will become more happy."

 For the first time, Korea held a fashion show which is the big women. The name of this fashion show is <2005 Korea Big Women Fashion Show>. This fashion show has a meaning which is found in 'real big women model'. Big women dose not mean fat women, tall women and ugly women. This fashion show wants to show real big women model. Real big women find valuable things in their lives due to the fact that she does not have good shape and pretty face. Namely, big women bravely and stately manage her life style. Of course, society influences her, but her selection is not influenced by society but by her will.

No Lookism. No typical beauty.

At the height, every people want a 'handsome face' and a 'good body'. So, this age is called lookism of age. People use to say that "if you are beautiful, people will forgive all your faults when you make mistake.". In this age, standard of beauty is very strict. If a girl wants to  be  a beautiful woman, she will become slim she can have a Barbie doll's body. Nevertheless, people can not have a Barbie doll's body.
In this situation, what is the purpose of Dove's 'real beauty series' advertisement and ' Korea Big Women Fashion Show'?
 That is a challenge which for various viewpoints of beauty standard. For too long, beauty has been defined by narrow, stifling stereotypes. This advertisement and fashion show are against stereotyped beauty.

'The 21st century can not be free from discrimination'

Lookism has the mean which people have an excessive fondness for outward appearance because people believe that outward appearance determine people's success and failure and superiority or inferiority. Namely, lookism is outward appearance discrimination attention.
A psychologist says that "people can not recognize that lookism is discrimination attention.", "lookism is wielding authority by using beauty." According to the British London Daily Graph newspaper "being treated discriminatingly by outward appearance has become a serious problem of society. This discrimination is not different from sex discrimination, ageism and racism. In this society, the narcotic drug, the alcoholic beverage, sex and the outward appearance most affect modern people".

Lookism breaks out

According to a recent report "over one thousand people whom want to get a job - 98% think appearance influence powerfully to get a good job." And 94% of 584 corporations of head hunters consider appearance when they choose a successful candidate.
The scholars said that this tendency is made by social trends which take a serious view of outward appearance. In this society, even if people have a good academic clique people can not marry. And even if people get good marks at school, if people are not good looking, people can be dropped off in interviews. Because this age is under the control of lookism.  people naturally pay much attention to appearance.

The way to Overcome Lookism

People pursue beauty. It is the instinct of people.  Man is educated by a moral philosopher who is behaved by motives. But, in the real world man naturally acted by a rule of economy. What is the rule of economy? It is to gain maximum profit by minimum effort. People don't care about the kind of measure. So, it can be honor, property, an academic clique, people and power. Simply, people do things which are easy to do and expect results of the work. If our society did not discriminate, people would do not care about sex, outward appearance, academic clique and obstacles. Then,  man can overcome lookism.

Inner beauty

These days, physical beauty attracts people's attention more than inner beauty. So,  many people are sensitive to fashion and have more concern in outward appearance than in he past. But, "fashion" is changing and changing. Also, 'beautiful' and 'the standard of beauty' are changing and changing. Of course, these thing can make us beauty. But it is possible only at the very moment.
But, real beauty does not disappear and exist eternally. If a people has a beautiful outward appearance, the person easily can gain a good impression by other people. But it is possible only at the very moment, if the person does not have inner beauty. So, real beauty is not outward appearance but inner beauty.

Photographs and article
by Lee Yun-ju
International reporter