One of the reasons why I am writing specifically about Korean beauty standards is because they are very similar to Asian notions of beauty. Growing up in a traditional, conservative, Taiwanese immigrant family, I was always bombarded with forceful assertions of what beauty was.

Specifically, being tanned was a cardinal sin, where you are seen as dark and dirty. My mother was particularly sensitive to this, commenting “太黑” (too dark) when she met my boyfriend. Beauty standards are not limited to females only, as I tried to show in my last post. Men are also susceptible to notions of beauty. In China and Taiwan, it is common to see young ladies, as well as the elderly, holding umbrellas to block the sun’s rays. Less commonly seen here in Vancouver, though I have seen some brave souls re-enacting this practice, such a practice would seem foreign. When I go back to Taiwan for vacations, or to visit relatives, I am one of many young women who carry an umbrella. I see it as taking advantage of social norms and to protect my skin from the blazing sun. But perhaps the first reason is only an excuse I use justify wanting to conform to this ridiculous pale skin beauty standard.

Seemingly “blessed” with pale skin, I was complimented and praised for my snow white skin, as if it dictated who I was as a person. Being young, admirations by my relatives and strangers reinforced this notion of paleness as integral to my beauty. Although I am turning 23 next year, I still dislike being in the sun, not only for fear of “being dark,” but also because I burn easily. But perhaps the second reason I use as an excuse to escape the sun.