Bandages, swelling and millions of views: Korea’s new cosmetic surgery content boom

RalRal, left, and Lee Ji-hye / Captured from RalRal's social media, Xportsnews

By turning plastic surgery into sharable content — from bandaged faces to post-op swelling — a growing number of South Korean celebrities are drawing massive online attention, reflecting a broader cultural shift in how cosmetic procedures are discussed and consumed.

Broadcaster RalRal recently revealed that she is documenting her cosmetic procedures. On Feb. 22, she uploaded a photo to social media showing her face six days after nose surgery and under-eye fat repositioning.

“I’ll tell you where I did it once the swelling goes down,” she said. “I think I look a bit kinder.”

RalRal / Captured from RalRal's social media

She also explained her decision to undergo surgery in detail. “The under-eye fat kept protruding and couldn’t be covered with makeup, so I decided to fix it. During consultation, they said my nose was too upturned and short, so I redid it,” she said.

The candid updates quickly went viral, with many followers requesting clinic information. RalRal said she would reply “randomly” to inquiries and added, “I paid for everything myself. I’m overwhelmed because I didn’t expect so many messages,” highlighting the intense interest from viewers.

Singer Lee Ji-hye has similarly drawn attention by openly documenting multiple procedures, including thread lifting, lip tattooing and philtrum reduction. She continued filming YouTube content immediately after surgery, showing visible swelling and altered facial movement — a transparency that also triggered waves of online criticism.

Lee Ji-hye / Captured from Lee's YouTube channel

“My face did get prettier, but my pronunciation changed,” Lee said. “I host shows, so speech matters. When I noticed it yesterday, I thought, ‘This isn’t right.’ It didn’t feel professional.” She added, “I realized I shouldn’t do more surgery. If their mom keeps appearing with bandages, it could affect my daughters.”

Lee Se-young / Captured from Lee's YouTube channel

Comedian Lee Se-young has also attracted attention by chronicling complications from breast fillers and subsequent revision surgery on YouTube. She later revealed on a television show that she had spent about 100 million won ($75,000) on cosmetic procedures in total.

South Korea has long been known for its highly developed cosmetic surgery industry, but the tone around procedures has shifted noticeably. Whereas past celebrity culture emphasized secrecy, stars now openly disclose surgeries and even share unflattering images during their recovery as part of their personal brand and content strategy.

The trend aligns with rising public curiosity about aesthetic treatments, especially among younger audiences. As swelling, bruising and bandages become normalized on celebrity feeds, cosmetic surgery itself is evolving from a private decision into a viral storytelling format.

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