``Physical Appearance also Social Power``

It is reported that approximately 80 percent of female students at Koryo University think that `physical appearance translates as ability in society`.

Koryo University newspaper `Koryo News` conducted a questionnaire survey of 242 students (167 male, 75 female) for four days from September 18. The paper interviewed each individual at the University and found that 79.3 percent (65 students) of the female respondents answered that physical appearance translates as ability in society. 84.6 percent (55 students) of these respondents also answered that they `want to change their appearnce`.

74.2 percent (184 students) of the total number of surveyed students felt that they have a complex about their physical look and 64.8 percent answered `physical appearance has a significant influence on personality`. 40.2 percent of female respondents answered that they `look at the man`s height first`.

85.9 percent answered `yes` to the question, `do you feel stress when you have a gut?` and cited the reasons in the following order: `I feel ugly` (37.3 percent), `Society`s Beauty Standards` (33.3 percent), `Discomfort in daily living` (16.9 percent).

90 percent of the respondents answered that the value on physical appearance in our society is `significant or very significant` and 85.4 percent picked `media influence` as the number one reason why current society displays such an obsessive attachment to thin and perfect body shape.

mhpark@donga.com