South Korea's Latest Cosmetic Surgery Trend: Shoulder Broadening Operations

In the world of aesthetics, beauty standards, initially shaped around facial features and then body contours, have now extended to include shoulder and neck lines, thanks to social media. The posture of a celebrity on stage or even a single photograph can quickly inspire many people to aim for the same look. This phenomenon has reached an incredible scale, particularly in Korea.

The shoulder line of Jennie, a member of the popular music group BLACKPINK in South Korea, has become a trend. Before and after images of a procedure dubbed 'Jennie shoulder padding' have been shared. The procedure, which has spread to other countries as 'Barbie Shoulders', involves lowering the line of the high trapezius muscle, resulting in shoulders that appear at a right angle, rounded, and full.

The aesthetic known as 'Jennie's shoulder' in Korea aims for a look of thinner, upright, and angular shoulders. Two primary methods stand out to achieve this: relaxing the trapezius muscle by injecting botulinum toxin, or botox, to soften the shoulder line, or adding volume to the shoulder line with hyaluronic acid fillers. The effect obtained with botox lasts between 3 to 6 months. This new trend has also found resonance abroad. In Britain, trapezius botox, known as 'Barbie botox,' is known to cost up to 750 pounds in clinics.

However, experts warn that the cost of this procedure is not just monetary. According to physiotherapist Anson So, excessive or prolonged botox can overly relax the trapezius muscle and weaken its support to the scapula. This can lead to shoulder and neck pain, muscle fatigue, and deterioration of muscle functions over time. The chief surgeon of a clinic in London argues that there is a risk of permanent muscle damage in case of improper application, and that this aesthetic reinforces narrow beauty standards such as thin necks and shoulders. Anson So also pointed out that an upright shoulder appearance cannot be achieved solely through stretching exercises; instead, strength exercises like lateral raises that work the middle and upper trapezius and deltoid muscles are more effective. In short, shoulder aesthetics is a decision that concerns function as much as appearance. Therefore, it requires careful consideration from various perspectives before making a decision.