'Stop altering your face': Veteran Korean actor criticizes entrenched cosmetic culture

Yun Mi-ra / Xportsnews

Actor Yun Mi-ra is going viral after openly urging younger actors to avoid cosmetic procedures, delivering an unusually direct critique of Korea’s beauty-focused entertainment culture.

The discussion appeared in a video uploaded Thursday on her personal YouTube channel, titled “Date with my son Part 2: Youth star Park Hyung-joon.” In the clip, Yun meets her longtime junior colleague Park Hyung-joon for a casual outing. Seeing him, she immediately says his face looks healthier, prompting Park to respond that her appearance has “not changed at all.”

Yun then shifts the conversation, saying, “Your face looks natural because you never get work done. These days so many male actors are doing procedures.” She adds, “It is not about reversing aging. You simply should not touch your face in that way.”

Yun Mi-ra / Captured from Yun's YouTube channel

When Park jokes that he “might need a little work,” Yun firmly shuts it down. “Never do it. You look good right now. Once people start getting procedures, they end up ruining themselves.” The two even hook fingers as she makes him promise not to undergo any cosmetic enhancements — a moment that quickly spread on social media for its mix of humor and candor.

Yun goes on to encourage younger viewers to embrace natural aging. “You have to accept the years that come. Wrinkles are beautiful when they reflect your life,” she says, noting that she herself chooses to age naturally.

Viewers praised her forthright message, with comments such as, “Her honesty about cosmetic work is refreshing,” “I’m learning to accept my wrinkles too” and “Her concern for younger actors is genuinely touching.” The exchange has drawn particular interest among millennial and Generation Z audiences, who have been increasingly vocal online about the pressure to maintain “perfect” appearances.

Yun continues to draw attention through her personal YouTube channel, where she shares candid and humorous moments from her single life.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.