Study on Eyebrow Shape and Image Suitable for Men’s Social Image -Focusing on South Korean and Chinese Men in their 20’s and 30’s-

Abstract

This paper aimed to run a comparative analysis of preferred eyebrow shapes among South Korean and Chinese men in their 20’s and 30’s, to present their desirable eyebrow shape effective for giving an impression. Furthermore, the renewed recognition of the social function of eyebrow shapes, an important factor which determines their impression formation depending upon desirable images, could help ramp up the related cosmetics industry. For this purpose, we carried out a survey and did statistical analysis. The findings of this paper were as follows. First, as for preferred eyebrow shape, there turned out a common predominant preference for ‘standard type’ among South Korean and Chinese men. However, South Korean men had the least preference for ‘angled type’, while Chinese men had the least preference for ‘straight type’. This means Chinese men go after a ‘masculine’ image, compared with South Korean men. Second, among both South Korean and Chinese men, a ‘natural’ image was commonly the most popular, with ‘cute’ image the least popular. However, ‘simple’, ‘tender’, ‘refined’, and ‘urbane’ images ranked high in popularity among South Korean men; on the other hand, Chinese men had a preference for ‘masculine’, ‘simple’, ‘decent’, ‘dynamic’, and ‘tough’ images. Third, among men with sales/service or self-employed jobs which entail face to face contact with people, a ‘natural’ image without revealing their personality was commonly most popular; on the other hand, there was a tendency to raise their energy through ‘dynamic’ images among men with office/administrative jobs which need human resource management through work concentration and hierarchy. And men with production/engineering jobs which entail lots of movements tended to seek toughness through a ‘masculine’ image. There was a preference for bright and affirmative energy through ‘lively’ image among students who was building relationships with friends with no occupational image. Finally, as regards socially desirable eyebrow shapes of those surveyed by job, ‘standard type’ or ‘straight type’ is suitable for men with sales/service or self-employed jobs requiring a ‘natural image’. On the other hand, ‘upward type’ is suitable for men with production/engineering job in need of a ‘masculine image’. And also, ‘angled type’ goes well with a ‘dynamic image’ which men with office/administrative job need.