Famous Singer’s Take on Korean vs. U.S. Beauty Culture Goes Viral: “In America, You Don’t Comment on Looks”
A post on the popular Korean online forum Pann titled “America’s Culture of Not Criticizing Appearances Is Nice,” has ignited intense discussion, racking up over 145,000 views. Although the post itself contained no caption, it featured screenshots from a viral YouTube Shorts clip of Korean-American singer John Park, who candidly shared his perspective on the cultural differences between the U.S. and Korea regarding physical appearance.
In the video, Park talks about the culture shock he experienced upon returning to Korea, where people casually offer appearance-related comments—both positive and negative. Remarks like “Your skin looks nice” or “You’ve gained weight” are often spoken without hesitation, even among acquaintances.
He contrasts this with American social norms, where any mention of someone’s looks—especially in a judgmental tone—is considered highly inappropriate, even among close friends or family. Park notes that in the U.S., comments perceived as appearance-shaming could be met with serious backlash.
Park attributes this cultural divide to historical experiences in the West. “Of course, Americans might still think things internally,” Park clarifies, “but they tend to keep those thoughts to themselves.”
While many agreed with John Park’s point about Americans avoiding direct comments on appearance, others argued that bias based on looks still exists—just in more subtle, socially restricted forms. Some highlighted how appearance-based prejudice can easily blur into racism and how openly criticizing someone’s looks in the U.S. could lead to serious social backlash, or worse.
Top Comments on Pann:
- That’s exactly why mocking slanted eyes is so disrespectful, lol.
- They just don’t say it out loud—but they still exclude you from their group or push you out, lol.
- So basically, they’re careful about saying it, but in the end, Americans still hold appearance-based biases too, right?
- Prejudice based on appearance—take it one step further, and it becomes racism. That’s why judging someone by their looks gets you called out as uneducated.
- Yeah, you better keep that stuff to yourself. If you go around openly judging people’s appearance, you might get shot.
The clip has resonated widely, with viewers acknowledging how deeply cultural and historical factors shape societal standards. It has sparked conversations about the normalization of beauty-based commentary in Korean society and whether a shift toward greater sensitivity is overdue.
