{"id":430100,"date":"2025-12-18T11:29:05","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T10:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/?p=430100"},"modified":"2025-12-18T10:31:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T09:31:32","slug":"coreennes-temoignent-ideal-physique-oppressant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/korean-women-testify-to-an-oppressive-physical-ideal-430100","title":{"rendered":"&quot;A good weight is 48 kg&quot;: these Korean women testify to an &quot;oppressive&quot; physical ideal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>On a street in Seoul, content creator Louise Aubery held out her microphone to passersby and asked them a simple question: <em>&quot;What, for you, is a beautiful weight?&quot;<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n<h2> The cult of the ideal weight: &quot;50 kg is too much&quot;<\/h2>\n<p> Most of the women interviewed by Louise Aubery mentioned a specific figure: 48 kg. For them, this was &quot;the ideal weight,&quot; the one that reflected an ideal of beauty. One young woman confided: <em>&quot;Actually, a healthy weight for someone 1.60 m tall is 55 kg... but an ideal weight is 48 kg. That&#39;s what&#39;s beautiful.&quot;<\/em> Another nuance: <em>&quot;Appearance is more important! It all depends on muscle mass, fat, and bone structure.&quot;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>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. <em>&quot;It stresses me out a bit. All my friends are on a diet,&quot;<\/em> confides one participant. <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DSQWQXaCOoE\/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\"> View this post on Instagram <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"> <a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DSQWQXaCOoE\/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Louise Aubery || MyBetterSelf (@louiseaubery)<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2> These accounts are reminiscent of our own failings.<\/h2>\n<p> Under Louise Aubery&#39;s post, the reactions from internet users were intense. Many comments expressed sadness or horror at these extreme standards: <em>&quot;It&#39;s so sad! Just like us in 2015. Seriously, who weighs 50 kg?&quot;<\/em> These words resonate far beyond the borders of South Korea. They recall the years when the obsession with &quot;size 34&quot; or &quot;miracle diets&quot; dominated social media in Europe. Many women still struggle to break free from this obsession today.<\/p>\n<h2> A few notes of hope<\/h2>\n<p> Nevertheless, some of the women interviewed sent a more benevolent message. One of them concluded her answer with a tender phrase: <em>&quot;We&#39;re already very beautiful as we are. When we gain weight, it&#39;s beautiful in another way too.&quot;<\/em> Louise Aubery, known for her commitment to body acceptance, applauded these words.<\/p>\n<p>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. &quot;True beauty,&quot; as Louise Aubery reminds us, is measured less in kilos than in freedom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On a street in Seoul, content creator Louise Aubery held out her microphone to passersby and asked them...","protected":false},"author":8394,"featured_media":430101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5678],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-430100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-societe"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Un-beau-poids-cest-48-kg_-_-ces-Coreennes-temoignent-dun-ideal-physique-_oppressant_-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Un-beau-poids-cest-48-kg_-_-ces-Coreennes-temoignent-dun-ideal-physique-_oppressant_-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Un-beau-poids-cest-48-kg_-_-ces-Coreennes-temoignent-dun-ideal-physique-_oppressant_.jpg","author":{"name":"L\u00e9a Michel","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1721220128171-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":5678,"name":"Society","slug":"societe","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5846,"taxonomy":"category","description":"<p>The Society section of The Body Optimist unpacks the debates that shape women\u2019s lives: equality, discrimination, beauty standards, social ties and the place of bodies in public space. Its analysis, first-person stories and practical advice are for anyone who wants to understand the pressures of everyday life and push back, with an inclusive, body-positive and judgment-free perspective.<\/p>\n<h2>What you\u2019ll find in the Society section<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Feminism<\/strong>: everyday sexism, gender-based violence, work, the domestic load and women\u2019s rights around the world, all gathered in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/feminisme\">Feminism<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fatphobia<\/strong>: discrimination against fat people at work, at the doctor\u2019s office and in the media, and ways to stand up to it, in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\">Fatphobia<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>LGBTQIA+<\/strong>: sexual orientation, gender identity, coming out and the fight against homophobia and transphobia, explained in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/lgbtqia\">LGBTQIA+<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Beauty standards<\/strong>: where physical ideals come from, how they vary across countries and eras, and what they cost women.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Relationships and social ties<\/strong>: friendship, loneliness, bonds between generations and new ways of living together.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Women who break stereotypes<\/strong>: women making their mark in mechanics, science, sports or on stage, like the physicist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/sabrina-gonzalez-pasterski-a-young-physicist-could-revolutionize-science-432830\">Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski<\/a>, in fields where few expected them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why are beauty standards a social issue?<\/h2>\n<p>Beauty standards are a social issue because they are neither natural nor universal: they shift from one country to another and from one era to the next, as our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/heres-how-beauty-standards-change-in-different-countries-429750\">how beauty standards differ around the world<\/a> shows. Yet these ideals of thinness, youth and flawless skin have very real effects: comments starting in childhood, pressure to watch your weight, unequal treatment at work and in health care, online harassment. Recognizing that a norm is constructed helps you take a step back, spot the messages designed to make you feel guilty and choose what you want to keep. That is the common thread of this section: connecting individual experiences to the collective mechanisms that produce them.<\/p>\n<h2>What can you do about discrimination or online harassment?<\/h2>\n<p>If you experience discrimination or online harassment, the first step is to keep evidence, then to turn to the right people, who will depend on the country you live in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Save screenshots, messages, dates and the names of any witnesses.<\/li>\n<li>For discrimination in hiring, housing or access to a service, contact the equality or human rights agency in your country, a union or a lawyer.<\/li>\n<li>For illegal content online, report it to the platform and to the authorities in your country.<\/li>\n<li>If you have been threatened or targeted by a crime, you can file a report with the police.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Our approach: connecting the personal and the collective<\/h2>\n<p>Born from a plus-size fashion site, our magazine looks at social issues through the lens of the body and representation. We give a voice to the people most affected, we explain the words before debating them (sexism, fatphobia, trans identity, consent) and we favor practical ways forward over outrage alone. Our articles start from everyday experiences to shed light on broader patterns, without moralizing or pitting women against each other.<\/p>\n<h2>Articles to start with<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\/fatphobic-remarks-surely-said-without-knowing-430954\">fatphobic phrases many people say without realizing it<\/a>, and what they really imply.<\/li>\n<li>A look at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/would-you-be-considered-the-norm-elsewhere-here-are-average-sizes-and-weights-in-the-world-429930\">average heights and weights around the world<\/a>, a useful reminder that \u201cnormal\u201d depends on where you live.<\/li>\n<li>What to do when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/what-to-do-when-a-colleague-appropriates-an-idea-at-work-447182\">a coworker takes credit for your idea<\/a> at work.<\/li>\n<li>How to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/how-to-set-boundaries-in-the-face-of-unsolicited-advances-at-work-447161\">set boundaries with unwanted advances at work<\/a>, calmly and clearly.<\/li>\n<li>Whether women still <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/womens-work-applying-makeup-to-look-professional-446904\">have to wear makeup to look \u201cprofessional\u201d<\/a>, and what that expectation says about workplace norms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What counts as discrimination?<\/h3>\n<p>Discrimination is unequal treatment based on a characteristic protected by law, in a specific area such as employment, housing or access to goods and services. Protected grounds vary from country to country, but they often include sex, race or ethnic origin, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. Some places also protect physical appearance or weight.<\/p>\n<h3>What is intersectionality?<\/h3>\n<p>Intersectionality describes how several forms of discrimination can overlap in the same person and reinforce one another. The American legal scholar Kimberl\u00e9 Crenshaw coined the term to describe the experiences of Black women. A woman who is both fat and lesbian, for example, may face sexism, fatphobia and homophobia, which compound one another rather than simply adding up.<\/p>\n<h3>What is diet culture?<\/h3>\n<p>Diet culture is the set of beliefs that equates thinness with health, success and personal worth. It shows up in foods labeled \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad,\u201d compliments on weight loss and the shaming of fat bodies. Our magazine prefers a weight-inclusive approach to health, at every size.<\/p>\n<p>Want to go further? Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/culture\">Culture<\/a> section explores how bodies and identities are portrayed in movies, TV shows and books, and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/psycho\">Psychology<\/a> section supports you with self-image, confidence and emotions.<\/p>","parent":0,"count":1539,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":5678,"category_count":1539,"category_description":"<p>The Society section of The Body Optimist unpacks the debates that shape women\u2019s lives: equality, discrimination, beauty standards, social ties and the place of bodies in public space. Its analysis, first-person stories and practical advice are for anyone who wants to understand the pressures of everyday life and push back, with an inclusive, body-positive and judgment-free perspective.<\/p>\n<h2>What you\u2019ll find in the Society section<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Feminism<\/strong>: everyday sexism, gender-based violence, work, the domestic load and women\u2019s rights around the world, all gathered in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/feminisme\">Feminism<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fatphobia<\/strong>: discrimination against fat people at work, at the doctor\u2019s office and in the media, and ways to stand up to it, in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\">Fatphobia<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>LGBTQIA+<\/strong>: sexual orientation, gender identity, coming out and the fight against homophobia and transphobia, explained in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/lgbtqia\">LGBTQIA+<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Beauty standards<\/strong>: where physical ideals come from, how they vary across countries and eras, and what they cost women.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Relationships and social ties<\/strong>: friendship, loneliness, bonds between generations and new ways of living together.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Women who break stereotypes<\/strong>: women making their mark in mechanics, science, sports or on stage, like the physicist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/sabrina-gonzalez-pasterski-a-young-physicist-could-revolutionize-science-432830\">Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski<\/a>, in fields where few expected them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why are beauty standards a social issue?<\/h2>\n<p>Beauty standards are a social issue because they are neither natural nor universal: they shift from one country to another and from one era to the next, as our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/heres-how-beauty-standards-change-in-different-countries-429750\">how beauty standards differ around the world<\/a> shows. Yet these ideals of thinness, youth and flawless skin have very real effects: comments starting in childhood, pressure to watch your weight, unequal treatment at work and in health care, online harassment. Recognizing that a norm is constructed helps you take a step back, spot the messages designed to make you feel guilty and choose what you want to keep. That is the common thread of this section: connecting individual experiences to the collective mechanisms that produce them.<\/p>\n<h2>What can you do about discrimination or online harassment?<\/h2>\n<p>If you experience discrimination or online harassment, the first step is to keep evidence, then to turn to the right people, who will depend on the country you live in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Save screenshots, messages, dates and the names of any witnesses.<\/li>\n<li>For discrimination in hiring, housing or access to a service, contact the equality or human rights agency in your country, a union or a lawyer.<\/li>\n<li>For illegal content online, report it to the platform and to the authorities in your country.<\/li>\n<li>If you have been threatened or targeted by a crime, you can file a report with the police.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Our approach: connecting the personal and the collective<\/h2>\n<p>Born from a plus-size fashion site, our magazine looks at social issues through the lens of the body and representation. We give a voice to the people most affected, we explain the words before debating them (sexism, fatphobia, trans identity, consent) and we favor practical ways forward over outrage alone. Our articles start from everyday experiences to shed light on broader patterns, without moralizing or pitting women against each other.<\/p>\n<h2>Articles to start with<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\/fatphobic-remarks-surely-said-without-knowing-430954\">fatphobic phrases many people say without realizing it<\/a>, and what they really imply.<\/li>\n<li>A look at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/would-you-be-considered-the-norm-elsewhere-here-are-average-sizes-and-weights-in-the-world-429930\">average heights and weights around the world<\/a>, a useful reminder that \u201cnormal\u201d depends on where you live.<\/li>\n<li>What to do when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/what-to-do-when-a-colleague-appropriates-an-idea-at-work-447182\">a coworker takes credit for your idea<\/a> at work.<\/li>\n<li>How to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/how-to-set-boundaries-in-the-face-of-unsolicited-advances-at-work-447161\">set boundaries with unwanted advances at work<\/a>, calmly and clearly.<\/li>\n<li>Whether women still <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/womens-work-applying-makeup-to-look-professional-446904\">have to wear makeup to look \u201cprofessional\u201d<\/a>, and what that expectation says about workplace norms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What counts as discrimination?<\/h3>\n<p>Discrimination is unequal treatment based on a characteristic protected by law, in a specific area such as employment, housing or access to goods and services. Protected grounds vary from country to country, but they often include sex, race or ethnic origin, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. Some places also protect physical appearance or weight.<\/p>\n<h3>What is intersectionality?<\/h3>\n<p>Intersectionality describes how several forms of discrimination can overlap in the same person and reinforce one another. The American legal scholar Kimberl\u00e9 Crenshaw coined the term to describe the experiences of Black women. A woman who is both fat and lesbian, for example, may face sexism, fatphobia and homophobia, which compound one another rather than simply adding up.<\/p>\n<h3>What is diet culture?<\/h3>\n<p>Diet culture is the set of beliefs that equates thinness with health, success and personal worth. It shows up in foods labeled \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad,\u201d compliments on weight loss and the shaming of fat bodies. Our magazine prefers a weight-inclusive approach to health, at every size.<\/p>\n<p>Want to go further? Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/culture\">Culture<\/a> section explores how bodies and identities are portrayed in movies, TV shows and books, and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/psycho\">Psychology<\/a> section supports you with self-image, confidence and emotions.<\/p>","cat_name":"Society","category_nicename":"societe","category_parent":0}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8394"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=430100"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430100\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":430160,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430100\/revisions\/430160"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/430101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=430100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=430100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=430100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}