Images of Modern Beauties in the Japanese Colonial Era of Korea (1910–1945)

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze images of the modern beauty of Korea during the Japanese colonial era. Searches were conducted on Google (www.google.com) and Naver (www.naver.com) for archives of newspapers and magazines that contained images of beauty. Beauty of the face and neck (the early 1920s): an article (1922) detailed the contemporary beauty standards. It specifies the desired characteristics of the eyes, nose, and mouth and dictates that “the cheeks ought to be plump enough to obscure the cheekbones” and “the neck and shoulders should also be full, concealing the collarbones.” Images of beauty showing balance and proportion (the late 1920s): in 1928, a magazine article introduced the concept of “the world’s beauty from a scientific perspective,” which represented Western esthetics as reflected in the “Canon” of body proportions and Vitruvian Man. From the face to the body (from the late 1920s to 1930s): in 1927, a daily newspaper established the standard for global beauty. During this period, there was an increased emphasis on maintaining the body, rather than just the face, as a crucial aspect of beauty. From the mid-1930s, the concept of a “streamlined” female body shape gained popularity. Male gaze, which fragmented and objectified women’s bodies, had been visualized and mass-produced. It is essential to understand how preferences have evolved and to possess skilled hands capable of improving the face and body. To properly sculpt the face and body, keen eyes and adept hands are needed.