Disclaimer: I’m very aware that I fit almost perfectly into the ‘ideal’ body image. I do not, and have not, faced discrimination in regards to the size, shape, or general look of my body; I have privilege, I know.

There has been a turn in the body image trends of Korea recently – one that I am actually really happy to see. It’s being represented more and more in media – both in product advertisements and in the world of Kpop. It goes hand in hand with the growing ‘heath’ (헬스) trend, and I am 100% here for it, tbh.

When I studied here the prevailing aspirational body type among women my age – students, 18 to 22-ish – was waifishly, dangerously skinny. That was in 2013-2014, when the second generation of Kpop was blossoming