Plastic Surgery Central: Gangnam, Seoul

Photo: CC/InsightWAVE

This article came out a few weeks ago, and it is absolutely fascinating!

Did you know that the Gangnam district of Seoul is not only a shopping and fashion mecca in Asia, but also the place for plastic surgery? According to the Global Post article, there are at least 400 plastic surgery hospitals in Gangnam! 400 in one section of a city!!! Needless to say, Gangnam is the new medical tourism hot spot in Asia, but I still think that if you are desperate to get a surgery deal and then heal, Thailand sounds more enticing (Thais are very good at plastic surgery and their beaches and hospitality are lengendary).

Anyhow, the story quotes one university student saying people who don't get cosmetic surgery are considered weird. Weird to be normal... Good title for a story, but it's not a story, it is the truth for the beauty obsessed in South Korea.

My favorite part of the article is the section on the plastic surgery stigma and how older Korean men are not fans of the cosmetic surgery craze:

"South Korean men — especially older ones — revile the idea of dating or marrying a "sung-gui," slang for “plastic surgery monster.” The lewd term refers to a person who has lost natural beauty to inappropriate botox injections and surgical treatments, giving off a fake and sometimes bloated appearance."
-Global Post

Here is a plastic surgery hospital in Gangnam that has an English language website. I have to admit I am just in awe of what they can do to a face! They have several pages to view their work (Real Story, Before and After, and Becoming Cinderella). Here is the link to "Becoming Cinderella" which has videos of the process:

BK Plastic Surgery Hospital "Becoming Cinderella" (BK stands for Beauty Korea)

Ummm.... Not Yummmm - Elephant Sashimi

The Associated Press just released a very disturbing and distressing article about elephant sashimi. Yup, elephant meat! Where can someone find elephant meat on the menu? Phuket, Thailand!!! Elephants are already an endangered species (according to the Asian Elephant Foundation, the Asian elephant population has declined 90 percent over the last century). I thought poachers killed elephants for their tusks, not their trunks and sex organs (as the article discusses). Little did I know...

And Thailand is not the only country combating pachyderm poaching. Indonesia may soon loose the Sumatran elephant. The World Wildlife Fund has moved the Sumatran elephant from the endangered list to the CRITICALLY ENDANGERED list! And throughout the African continent, elephant populations are still in danger.

If you care about keeping these gentle giants alive for another 100 years, check these websites out to see how you can support and protect elephants.

The Asian Elephant Foundation http://www.theasianelephantfoundation.org/
Save the Elephants http://www.savetheelephants.org/home.html
Wildlife Conservation Society http://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife/elephants/asian-elephant.aspx
World Wildlife Fund http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/elephants/elephants.html

We have revered the elephant for centuries, let's make sure we can continue to appreciate these wonderful mammals for years to come.

Locals of Ubud, Bali preparing for a festival at the Elephant Temple

Heavenly Hair Care from Thailand

Late last year I stayed at a the Shama Hollywood, a great service apartment in the heart of old Hong Kong island. A dear friend thought it would be the perfect place to explore and have all the amenities of a modern hotel without the hefty rates. She was right on all accounts, and it was fabulous. And it had wonderful toiletries from a Thai company called Thann. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to buy any regular-sized bottle of Thann shampoo and conditioner. And more unfortunately, Thann is not sold in the United States.
After trolling the web during one of my frequent bouts of insomnia, I found out Thann is sold in Canada and they will ship to the US. Right now they are having a sale (25% off of certain items when you use the code NEXTBIGTHINGMAG). This sale ends January 20th. I highly suggest you look at the site...
After I used their shampoo and conditioner, my thick coarse hair felt like imperial silk and it dried quickly even though Hong Kong was quite humid.
Their shampoo is no more expensive than some of the higher-end brands found in your local drugstore. However, their products are worthy of a five-star spa! I've tried the Aromatic Wood and Oriental Essence products - they smell amazing! Better yet - the products are all natural and bring the luxurious scents of a Southeast Asian rain forest into your urban boudoir!

Here's a picture of a lotus flower, which I saw at the Elephant Temple in Ubud, Bali: