Competition for better jobs in China is growing among the nation’s young people. But instead of boosting their resumes or improving their interview skills, some are now seeking an edge on other job applicants through plastic surgery. In fact, some are going so far as to travel to South Korea for their medical procedures.
26-year-old Liu Jiajia is going under the knife today at this medical clinic located in southern Seoul. She doesn’t suffer from any medical ailment, instead she has chosen a cosmetic surgical procedure to augment her facial structure, which she believes will give her the confidence to hit the job market.
"You will have better chances if you are both capable and good-looking when you have job interviews," Liu said.
Liu is among thousands of Chinese job seekers who are making the trip across the Yellow Sea in order to enhance their appearance. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, over 30,000 Chinese nationals entered South Korea on medical tourism visas last year.
Among them, nearly two-thirds underwent cosmetic procedures.
"My friend introduced me to this clinic. I am very careful of choosing hospital. My friend told me that she had good results. She said that many South Korean celebrities have come here. And I found the chairman of the hosptial is very careful and serious, so I decided to do the surgery here," Liu said.
The cost of such surgical procedures is generally more expensive in Korea, yet experts say that the highly skilled craftsmanship of Korean doctors makes the trip worthwhile.
And often times, patients leave satisfied before they head out into the workforce.
"Because of Korea’s superior surgical skills, the majority of overseas patients leave satisfied, and they go and pass the word to friends and relatives," said Dr. Kim Dongha, head of Be for Plastic Surgery Clinic.
Dr. Kim offers a variety of services for his Chinese client, and his staff are specially trained to cater to Chinese patients, even offering on-the-spot interpretation.
This clinic is just one of among dozens in this neighborhood alone that target youngsters like Liu Jiajia to give them the confidence they need when they embark on their job search.
As the saying goes, first impressions are the most lasting. Hence, job recruiters say if a hiring decision comes down to two final candidates with the exact same qualifications, your appearance could be the deciding factor.
