Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (한국의류학회지)

The Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles (한국의류학회)
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Objectified Body Consciousness and Body Shape Management Behavior in Korean Women -Focusing on the Participants With Body Shape Surgery-

한국 여성의 체형 관리 행동과 객체화된 신체 의식 -체형 성형 경험자를 중심으로-

  • Sunah Shin (Dept. of Fashion and Textiles, Seoul National University) ;
  • Juha Park (Dept. of Fashion and Textiles, Seoul National University) ;
  • Jaehoon Chun (Dept. of Fashion and Textiles/The Research Institute of Human Ecology, Seoul National University)
  • 신선아 (서울대학교 의류학과) ;
  • 박주하 (서울대학교 의류학과) ;
  • 전재훈 (서울대학교 의류학과/서울대학교 생활과학연구소)
  • Received : 2025.04.10
  • Accepted : 2025.07.01
  • Published : 2025.08.31
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Abstract

Body shape surgery experiencers aim to enhance and maintain self-esteem through aesthetic improvement. This study examined body shape management behavior and objectified body consciousness in Korean women based on their experiences with body shape surgery. In-depth interviews were conducted with individuals who had more than one type of body shape surgery or treatment. Statements were analyzed based on grounded theory. The results of the study are as follows. First, motivation for body surgery emerged as a causal condition. Second, consciousness of body shape as an interventional condition affected body shape management behavior after surgery. Third, the influence of media on ideal aesthetic standards was evident when considering socio-cultural impacts on body shape surgery as a contextual condition. Fourth, the practice of body shape surgery was a central phenomenon and motivated consumers' body shape management behavior, such as exercise and diet. Three main socio-cultural phenomena were observed: division of ideal body images into two, setting surgery results as the ideal body standard, and short-term surgery results leading to ambivalent emotions. This study is significant as it proposes a systematic framework for consumers of body shape surgery, considering socio-cultural influences and physical consciousness.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 연구는 제1저자의 석사학위논문의 일부를 발췌한 것임.

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