Celebrity Impact around the Globe

          The human race is naturally competitive and always striving to be the best or be apart of the next best thing. Every single day we hear people on the radio, see people on TV, and/or read something in a magazine that tells us we can be better than we are; we just have to pick choices A, B or C to accomplish it and become the picture of perfection.  Being the spirited individuals that we are, we fall captive to the glitz and glam of ‘perfection’ and become willing to do almost anything to get there. The problem with this, of course, is that perfection does not exist and yet we see and believe (well, we are tricked into seeing and believing) that all of these celebrity faces and bodies are as perfect as perfect gets; yet we fail to see the impact that this type of pressure has on the celebrities themselves. We get scammed by the airbrushing and retouching into believing that a certain look is ideal and we can simply use a product or go on a special diet in order to get there because that is how the celebrities do it and they seem to be happy. Many people do not even realize that it is happening to them but the fact is that celebrities have an unbelievably powerful influence over what society thinks is beautiful and what they should strive to be like. The number one culprit of this manipulation falls in the hands of American celebrities. They have an influence not only here but all around the world. They are constantly trying to wear the latest item in fashion, lose weight, and get plastic surgery as a substitute for the fountain of youth. People see this and, like little puppies, start following along and copying their every move. It can be a scary and dangerous road but it is one that people from all parts of the globe have been willing to travel. America might have the largest area and concentration of celebrity influence but other countries are not far behind and one such example is South Korea.

            Like any other country in the world, culture has always had an influence on lifestyles in South Korea. However, in the past 30 years the focus has shifted from the traditional kind of culture that all of Korea once had, into the pop culture phenomenon it sees today. Traditional Korean culture strikes me as very focused on being serene, in touch with nature, and knowledgeable and respectful to what gives them life. Everything from traditional court dances to the placement of houses to the serenity of temple gardens had a meaning and a purpose for giving thanks and becoming more in tune with the earth and their ancestors. Today, it is a very different story. Some traditions still live on but for the most part traditions are out and the new age of pop culture has arrived and taken over with full force and the driving powers are the celebrities involved. The most powerful of all the pop culture forces has to be the Korean pop scene.  Korean pop, or K-pop, began to develop in the 1970’s and 1980’s.  In that time, the use of the synthesizer became popular with many musicians and K-pop was born. Then, in the 1990’s, the group “Seo Taiji and Boys” incorporated elements of American popular musical which sparked the fire and K-pop exploded into what it is today. Since then it has grown into a “popular subculture” among teenagers and young adults throughout Asia.  There is a new focus on fashion, style and overall look of the numerous K-pop idol groups and singers. The celebrities of the K-pop genre have a major influence over their fans. One of the prime examples of just how powerful their influence is, is the ever growing popularity of the K-pop haircut. Fans all over South Korea have been lining up outside of barber shops to chop and color their hair. You can ask for the super bowl cut, the updated mullet, the half and half, and a rainbow assortment of different colors, just to name a few; either way you are going to be looking K-pop chic. Recently, the popularity has grown past the borders of Asia and people all over the world, not just fans, have been getting these cuts. It seems to be the new trend and will not be stopping any time soon.

            Another branch of Korean celebrities having a huge impact are fashion models and television stars. Fashion and television have not been popular for as long as K-pop has but they are both making new waves that are turning into tsunamis, particularly in the film industry. In 1999, the film Shiri became a huge success both in South Korea and abroad and helped catapult the status of Korean films. With a growing demand for Korea films comes the need for Korean actors and actresses. Just like in any country, these actors and actresses feel the pressure of being famous on a daily basis. To make it worse, however, celebrities in South Korea not only have to deal with demanding entertainment industry but also the pressure of basically being their country’s ambassadors. They are constantly criticized about their body image and their style and have to work everyday to try and look and simply be better people. Their days are packed with rehearsals, press conferences and instead of having time to eat they have to make time to work out. The everyday stress seems to be unbearable for many South Korean celebrities. In fact, in the past two years, nine celebrities have committed suicide. Seeing this kind of suicide linked to individuals that most of the society views as being perfect has a severely negative effect on the population as a whole. After a celebrity suicide, the number of suicides spike for the general public. This could be due to the connection the fans feel to the celebrities or the admiration they had for them. Celebrities are supposed to be perfect and if they cannot hold it together then many people feel that there is no hope for them to do any different. Korea is in a slippery slope with having had the highest rate of suicide among the world's industrialized countries for the past five years in a row.  According to the World Health Organization, between 1995 and 2006 the suicide rate in South Korea doubled to about 22 deaths per 100,000 people. The pressure to succeed, break down of traditional family system, and high standards of living are believed to be the primary cause of such high rates. The interesting connection with this is the fact that rates began to double right around the time that celebrities and pop culture really exploded. The issue is that it is nearly impossible to directly link the two tragic happenings; however, it is extremely easy to see how people look up to celebrities and use them as a form support. That is why when a celebrity suicide does occur, it is far from shocking to know that all suicide rates will go up for a short period of time after the death. It really goes to show the impact celebrities have on the general public.

            The pressure to be the best is something every person in the world deals with. We are competitive and want the world at our finger tips in the blink of an eye. To give us a little guidance on how to accomplish this we go to our nearest mass media outlet to see how our favorite celebrities are doing it. We can see them on a daily basis and look at what their wearing, what their body type is, and how they carry themselves. We view them as icons and expect nothing less but perfection. If they do something good, everyone will know about it and likewise if they do something bad. An undeniable truth is the influence celebrities can have on a population and thus the impact they can have in a society. It is understandable to have an idol or someone you simply like to follow along with, but it is equally as important to remember that no one is perfect. Celebrities can struggle with their day to day life just the same as everyone else even if they appear to have it all together. Even though it might be easy to think because celebrities have a great deal of help they must be cruising through life, we tend to forget that they get an extra large helping of stress that normal people do not get and it comes directly from us, the fans. People need to be aware of this so they can understand that just because a celebrity is in the spotlight does not mean that everything they do needs to be criticized or idolized. Mistakes are made constantly and everyone has flaws; it is just the cold hard reality of life and no matter how much anyone tries to change it, it will always be true. The pressure to be the best can be tough on everyone, but if we remember to take it one step at a time and attempt not take the extreme hype over this word ‘perfection’ too seriously, then we should all make it out healthy and happy in our own skin.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1900808,00.html#ixzz1GQ1EDBGP.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1847437,00.html#ixzz1GGucgx8d

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contemporary_culture_of_South_Korea

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2718991&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

http://blog.mtviggy.com/2009/11/20/is-pressure-on-south-korean-celebrities-leading-them-to-suicide/

http://www.helium.com/items/108762-relationship-pop-and-traditional-culture-in-south-korea