55.8% Experienced Appearance Judgments During Part-Time Work
Debate Over Whether Part-Timers' Looks Affect Sales
89% of Office Workers Say "Appearance Is Also Competitiveness"
Experts: "Our Society Is Spreading Appearance Supremacy"
Recently, as discussions about aesthetic labor have become more active in society, it has been found that many people in their 20s and 30s experience appearance-related instructions or sanctions in the workplace. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporters Kayun Kim and Suwan Kim, Intern] "Why do I have to wear makeup while working?"
University student A recently shared that she experienced unpleasant comments related to her appearance while working part-time at a cafe, which she started to earn some pocket money.
A said, "Given the nature of cafe work, prioritizing hygiene is natural. However, I received unreasonable remarks like 'Your skin isn't good, so cover it with makeup,' and 'Makeup is mandatory because customers feel uncomfortable.' I went to work, not to be judged on my looks. Although I quit the job, thinking about it still makes me feel very wronged," she expressed.
Recently, as discussions about appearance-related labor have become active in society, it has been found that many people in their 20s and 30s experience appearance-related instructions or sanctions at work. They cited the societal emphasis on appearance as the cause.
Experts analyze that the root cause of this phenomenon is the spread of appearance supremacy in our society.
AlbaMon conducted a survey on the topic of 'appearance labor' with 3,744 part-time workers on the 30th of last month. When asked whether they had ever experienced comments about their appearance while working part-time, 55.8% of the respondents answered 'yes.' Photo by Yonhap News
According to a survey conducted by Albamon on the 30th of last month targeting 3,744 part-time workers on the theme of 'appearance-related labor,' 55.8% of respondents said they had experienced evaluations of their appearance while working part-time.
Among the appearance-related criticisms part-time workers face at work, wearing uniforms such as hats and aprons (61.8%) ranked first. Second was being told to keep their appearance neat (49.7%), followed by makeup restrictions such as no bare face or no heavy makeup (21.6%), hair, tattoos and piercings (20.0%), style (12.0%), and wearing glasses (5.7%).
Recently, online communities have seen debates over whether the appearance of part-time workers affects sales or not.
One netizen claimed, "It definitely seems that the appearance of part-time workers affects sales. I've often seen sales increase at stores where handsome and pretty part-time workers worked. I also heard there were fewer customer complaints." They added, "There was a handsome part-time worker at a local cafe, and it was always crowded."
On the other hand, a netizen arguing that part-time workers' appearance does not affect sales said, "Having pretty and handsome part-time workers doesn't particularly impact sales. Rather, good-tasting food attracts more customers."
According to another survey, many office workers believe that "appearance is also a competitive advantage" due to experiences of discrimination based on looks. Photo by Yonhap News
Another survey shows that many office workers think 'appearance is also a competitive edge' due to experiences of discrimination based on looks.
According to a joint survey by JobKorea and Albamon targeting 2,361 workers in their 20s and 30s, 89% of respondents agreed that 'appearance is also a competitive edge.' When asked if they had ever received benefits or suffered disadvantages due to their appearance, 55.8% answered 'yes.'
B, a 26-year-old office worker in their first year, said, "Although there is mandatory sexual harassment training at work these days, some people still cross the line. I feel bad when I hear jokes about my appearance. But if I raise the issue, the victim is often seen as the strange one. It's not just me; other employees also endure these difficulties," they shared.
They added, "Being constantly criticized makes me wonder if I should get plastic surgery. I feel like I hear these things because I'm unattractive."
University student C (23) said, "At university, ranking by looks, such as who is pretty or handsome, happens frequently. It's also problematic that people unconsciously think, 'That person is really pretty (cool).' I cannot agree with the idea that appearance is a competitive edge. I think the media and social atmosphere that encourage this are the problem," they pointed out.
Experts point out that the problem lies in the standardized criteria for appearance. Kim Eon-kyung, Secretary General of the Citizens' Coalition for Democratic Media, appeared on cpbc Catholic Peace Broadcasting radio in February last year and said, "People should be evaluated based on ability, character, or other qualities, but instead, they are judged first by appearance according to a standardized criterion they have in mind."
She continued, "To put it bluntly, there were many degrading views such as calling someone 'ugly' or 'fat.' Especially, these kinds of judgments were mostly directed at women, so this issue cannot be overlooked."
Kim also said, "The National Human Rights Commission previously conducted several public opinion surveys related to discrimination. Every time they surveyed, questions like 'What causes discrimination?' and 'Do you experience discrimination because of your appearance?' received very high agreement rates. This is clearly a problem of social expression," she explained.
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