Korean and Australian Korean perceptions of body image: implications for sport management and business

CCS hosted a seminar examining issues of body image, sport and acculturation in Korea and Australian Koreans through collaborative research undertaken between UTS and Daegu University. Dr. Seunghyun Lim (Daegu University, Korea) has been a visiting Professor at CCS examining issues of body image, perceived obesity, social physique anxiety and sport amongst the Korean women. His presentation presented the results of his mixed methods research through understanding the pressures of lookism and the ideal body type for Korean women. This has led to an epidemic of plastic surgery in Korean women seeking an idealised body image that extends to the workplace with women undertaking radical procedures as part of the standard practice prior to major job interviews. A first-hand insight into the pressure of women in Korean society was provided by Hyo-Bin Sun (The Winner of 2013 Miss Korea of Oceania) who is a second-year medical science student at UTS. A part of a global recruitment for the Miss Korea pageant, she presented first-hand observations of the normalisation of practices to control diet, undertake radical exercise regimes and the prevalence of plastic surgery amongst contestants. However, what was as disturbing was the behavioural and its physical assaults amongst the contestants as the pressure of competition escalated towards the winner being announced. Her poignant reflections were then put in context by Dr Kang's examination of the acculturation of Australian Korean youth through a study on sport participation in traditional Korean and Australian sports. His presentation was then supplemented by the professional and personal experiences of Yvette Berner who is examining issues of the psychology/social psychology of acculturation and through her personal experience as a mother of a child adopted from Korea. Needless to say the seminar produced a lively question-and-answer session examining the nuances of personal identity, cultural identity and the acculturation process in different societies.

From left to right in the photo
Hyo-Bin Sun (The Winner of 2013 Miss Korea of Oceania & second year UTS medical science student) James Chung, president of the Korea Sports Council of Australia Prof Simon Darcy, CCS And UTS Business School Prof Tracy Taylor, Deputy Dean UTS Business School and Prof of Sport Management Dr Jae Won Kang, Australian Korean Acculturation expert and business owner of Tae Kwon Do Dojos Dr. Seunghyun Lim (Daegu University, Korea), Sports science and sport cultural expert Yvette Berner (University of New England), Ph.D. candidate in the Psychology/Social Psychology of migration

Program

4:00pm~4:10pm - Opening address: Prof. Tracy Taylor

4:20pm - Opening video: Nella Fantasia (lyrics with English translation)

4:25pm - Acknowledgement message: Dr. Jae Won Kang

4:25pm-5:00pm Presentation 1: Obesity on body image satisfaction and social physique anxiety among middle-aged Korean women

• 4:25pm - Presenter: Dr. Seunghyun Lim (Daegu University, Korea) / Dr. Jae Won Kang (UNSW)
• 4:40pm - Video Presentation: Korean women job seeker and body image satisfaction
• 4:45pm - Story sharing of a panel discussant: Miss Hyo-Bin Sun (The Winner of 2013 Miss Korea of Oceania)

5:00pm-5:30pm Presentation 2: Sport, identity and acculturation among young Koreans in Australia

• 5:00pm - Presenter: Dr. Jae Won Kang
• 5:15pm - Video Presentation: Sport, culture and society
• 5:20pm - A Panel Discussant: Mrs Yvette Berner (University of New England)
• 5:30 PM Summary and Concluding Thoughts Prof Simon Darcy, UTS Business School & Cosmopolitan Civil Societies (CCS) Research Centre