What Is “Petit Surgery” & Why Do Idols Keep Getting It? K-Pop Plastic Surgeons Explain All
As the directors of Moon Clinic, a popular cosmetic treatment facility in Gangnam, Park Moon Soo and Kook Hwa have performed numerous treatments—to the point that Park has even dined with a K-Pop star. Unlike many plastic surgery centers, Moon Clinic is centered on “petit surgery”—but what is that, and why do idols keep getting it after debut?
Park Moon Soo and Kook Hwa revealed all in a new “Comment Defenders” video with AYO on YouTube.
First rising to attention around a decade ago, petit surgery refers to small, non-invasive treatments that can be performed without surgery. Some of the most common examples are fillers, Botox, and laser procedures.
Typically, if an idol is going to get invasive plastic surgery procedures (for example, a nose job), they have to have the treatments done before they debut. This is because intensive surgeries take a long time to heal, and active idols can’t be out of action for months at a time. But when it comes to petit surgery, many idols continue to receive minor treatments throughout the course of their career. Park Moon Soo gave some insight into why.
“How [idols] look on camera,” he explained, “Is very different from reality.” The director says that in person, idols tend to look thin and pretty—”But they look so fat on TV.” In fact, Park Moon Soo once worked with a survival show contestant who wanted to get rid of their cheek fat. He ended up telling the starlet their cheeks were perfect already, but when they appeared on the survival show, they looked like “their face was about to explode.”
That’s when the director realized that there’s a difference between an idol’s real face and their “TV face.” In order to reduce the separation between the two looks, Park Moon Soo says idols have to continue receiving petit surgery.
I think they have no choice but to get more treatments.
— Park Moon Soo
Ultimately, since looking beautiful is part of an idol’s job, Park Moon Soo says petit surgery should be seen as an effort to take care of one’s appearance—not something to be ashamed of. That said, both directors say everyday people shouldn’t rush to get too many petit surgeries just because celebrities do it. “Even a simple treatment can always cause a side effect,” says Park, “So please remember that there’s always a danger.”
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