Read the first “Decoding “hot girls” article here
The ulzzang face
In 2014, the “hot girl” title now lies in names such as Kha Ngan, Chi Pu, Quynh Anh Shyn or Ha Lade. Photos of these “hot girls” have many elements of the baby look – focus on the face though reveal the body more and enlarged/enhanced sultry eyes. But unlike the baby look which has a rounder face, the 2014 “hot girls” usually pose small oval faces with narrow chins – the V-line face. Their noses are straight and elongate. The look of these “hot girls” resembles what Korean call “ulzzang” – “best face”. Ulzzang is the desired look for many Korean girls. The formula for the ulzzang look is a sharp, slender face, a small, high bridged (but not too high) nose, large doll-like eyes, pale porcelain skin and a petite body-type which doesn’t look very different from Japanese anime characters. Although ulzzang might use a lot of make-up and Photoshop app, they tend to utilize these to create a natural and innocent look (or so they think).
Alien as it sounds, this “ulzzang” look actually has a lot in common with Vietnamese beauty standards. “Trái Xoan”, Vietnamese ideal face, is an oval face with soft jawlines and a delicate chin depicting a soft and feminine look. The new V-line face is similar to “Trái Xoan” face, only with a pointy chin. V-line face is infused with a spotlight aura thanks to constant citations of Korean V-line-faced celebrities such as Han Ga-in or Jun Ji Hyun by the media. Some cosmetic surgery clinics even claim V-line face to be the new face for showbiz stars and edgy girls who want to be outstanding.
The same goes for nose. To Vietnamese, an ideal nose must be slender and high like “Dọc Dừa” nose, which is not only considered delicate but also believed to bring good luck for career and material life. “Dọc Dừa” nose is very similar to Korean S-line nose, despite the latter being interpreted with a lot of specifications for nose curve and tip.
When it comes to eye shapes, Vietnamese used to have several ideal types. The most favourite eyes type is “Bồ Câu” (“Pigeon”), a rather metaphorical expression for large round eyes with double eyelids. Other eyes types traditionally considered beautiful are “Lá răm” (“Vietnamese Coriander”), big sultry eyes with mono eye lids and long eye corners and “Phượng” (“Phoenix”) eyes which are similar to “Lá Răm” eyes but slanted. However, these eye types lost their appeal along the way. Eyes with mono eyelids are called “Bồ Câu Ngủ”, “Sleeping Pigeon”, associated with dullness whereas slanted eyes are said to be signs for obscene personality. The “Pigeon” eyes fit Asian preference for large double lid eyes, thus, “survive” and continue to be the universal ideal eyes in Vietnam.
So V-line, S-line,…or ulzzang look, are not reinventions of beauty. They simply constitute edgier and more standardized versions of beauty elements already favoured by Vietnamese.
A measurable look achievable with science
Accompanied the ulzzang look and the name-facial-features-with-alphabets trend is beauty from the point of view of cosmetic surgery industry, that is, beauty segmented into parts, each has precise and measurable standards. Here is an advertisement for S-line nose on the website of a clinic named “Korean Cosmetic Surgery”
“The ideal shape of nose is as follows; nasal bridge (thin part of nose between eyes) should make a natural and smooth curve from the forehead. When viewed in profile, the line from the ridge to the tip should be straight for men and curvy for women. A slightly upturned tip is considered attractive. A rounded and slightly thickened fleshy nose is regarded as natural and preferable to angular nose. In general, the ideal length of the nose is 1/3 of that of the face and the ideal elevation is 3/5 of the length of the nose. The Ideal angle between the tip and the upper lip is 95 to 105 degrees. The columella (the narrow strip of skin tissue that separates the nostrils) should be 1 to 2 mm lower than the wings of the nose in profile.”
In the advertisement is Kim Tae Hee’s face together with a chart to illustrate all the specifications required for a perfect S-line nose.
Recently, I saw a topic comparing “hot girls” based on the Finger Trap test posted across online magazines. The Finger Trap test is basically an absurd way to determine one’s attractiveness by placing his/her index finger against the nose and chin. If the finger touches the lips, then the person’s face meets the ancient Egyptians’ golden ratio for a well-proportioned face and is thus, perfect. In the photo, Chi Pu’s chin, nose and lips are all in one line and so, satisfy the golden ratio.
Middle: Khả Ngân’s face only satisfies 90% of the golden ratio because her upper lip is under the line.
Right: Chi Pu’s face completely meets the golden ratio
The Finger Trap test is merely another Internet fad in social networks’ narcissistic world. But it is one among many signs for measurable beauty standards which most women hardly meet without the help of cosmetics, Photoshop or cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery has become more common than ever, being the resort for girls as young as seventeen or eighteen. Many “hot girls” like Quynh Anh Shyn or Kelly were rumored to have gone through chin implant surgery or nose job when they were still in high school. Life section in teens online magazines like Kenh14 publishes various stories about young women who changed their life after having their look transformed by cosmetic surgeries. In “Follow a Hanoi hot girl to getting slimming-face injection in Korea”, Kenh14 takes readers through the process of taking Botox injection to achieve a smaller V-line face. It is depicted as very simple and fast, without the pain and significant cost of cosmetic surgery.
Mixed-raced roses
Mixed-raced “hot girls”, or “mixed raced roses” as called by Vietnamese media, are increasingly popular. Most of them are Euroasian, possessing features that Vietnamese adore, straight high bridged nose, large deep eyes and fair skin- all framed in an overall more unique look. The mix-raced element infuses an exotic air around the comfortable local look while, at the same time, reinforces associations with desired facial features. The mix-raced element is highlighted by adding the word “Caucasian” (“Tây) in “hot girls”’ nicknames, for example, Trinh Tây. Some “hot girls” such as Trang Pháp (Trang “France”) add the Caucasian element to their names even though they are purely Vietnamese.
In Vietnam, telling somebody that he or she looks “Tây” (“Caucasian”) is a complement. But “look like Korean or Japanese” is equally flattering. The connotation in this case is more East Asian pallor skin and less facial features. Who knows, as time goes by, the popularity of looks like ulzzang may change the connotations for East Asian beauty soon.
L.L and Thu Ngo
Saigon 12th June 2014
Reference
S-line Rhinoplasty. (n.d.). S-line Rhinoplasty. Retrieved June 12, 2014, from http://nangmui.vn/news/010300s/s-line-rhinoplasty.html