On a street in Seoul, content creator Louise Aubery held out her microphone to passersby and asked them a simple question: "What, for you, is a beautiful weight?" The answers revealed immense social pressure surrounding thinness. In a society where appearance plays a central role, many young women admit to constantly judging or comparing themselves to others.
The cult of the ideal weight: "50 kg is too much"
Most of the women interviewed by Louise Aubery mentioned a specific figure: 48 kg. For them, this was "the ideal weight," the one that reflected an ideal of beauty. One young woman confided: "Actually, a healthy weight for someone 1.60 m tall is 55 kg... but an ideal weight is 48 kg. That's what's beautiful." Another nuance: "Appearance is more important! It all depends on muscle mass, fat, and bone structure."
These comments reflect a pervasive norm: thinness as a synonym for success and beauty. Many admit to feeling stress or guilt because of this pressure. "It stresses me out a bit. All my friends are on a diet," confides one participant.
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These accounts are reminiscent of our own failings.
Under Louise Aubery's post, the reactions from internet users were intense. Many comments expressed sadness or horror at these extreme standards: "It's so sad! Just like us in 2015. Seriously, who weighs 50 kg?" These words resonate far beyond the borders of South Korea. They recall the years when the obsession with "size 34" or "miracle diets" dominated social media in Europe. Many women still struggle to break free from this obsession today.
A few notes of hope
Nevertheless, some of the women interviewed sent a more benevolent message. One of them concluded her answer with a tender phrase: "We're already very beautiful as we are. When we gain weight, it's beautiful in another way too." Louise Aubery, known for her commitment to body acceptance, applauded these words.
This street interview in Seoul reveals a universal tension: that between the dictates of beauty and self-esteem. While the Korean women interviewed speak with disarming sincerity, their words resonate with all those who have ever dreaded the number on the scale. "True beauty," as Louise Aubery reminds us, is measured less in kilos than in freedom.
