Whether you watch K-Drama or K-Pop or think of the famous BTS, you must always have wondered why Korean men don't have beards? Don't they grow a beard? Or would you rather not keep one? If Korean men can grow a beard, is it part of Korean culture not to grow a beard? In this article we answer all your questions.
Can Koreans Grow Facial Hair?
Sim, Koreans can grow facial hair like other men around the world. However, body hair and its growth vary significantly between people. This may be due to evolutionary processes and migratory features.
With evolution, people began to live in different parts of the world and to adapt to the place where they lived. For example, those who moved to colder regions developed more body hair to deal with the cold weather. Those who lived in warmer or temperate climate areas had less body hair, such as Koreans and East Asians.
What Do Genetics Say About Koreans For Beard Growth?
Asian men have lighter beards compared to European and American men. after ato study, East Asian people, including Koreans, have sparser facial hair due to a variant in the EDAR gene. Common variations of this gene are linked to the thickness and smoothness of hair in East Asians.
Genetics suggest that not every Korean man can grow a full beard like every other American or European man. Some cannot grow a beard while others have beards. It mainly depends on genes, health, lifestyle and hormones.beard growthit is also influenced by ethnicity and heredity.
The hormone testosterone (the male sex hormone) is responsible for facial hair and beard growth. In men aged 19 to 38, testosterone levels should be between 264 and 916 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl).
after ato study, the level of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) production determines the beard growth rate. DHT is a byproduct of testosterone that is activated in the hair follicles by body chemicals. Therefore, low testosterone levels have a negative effect on beard growth.
Consequently, this can be a reason for some Korean men's lack of beard or facial growth. Also, Korean men have low sensitivity of hair follicles to testosterone, so they have slow beard growth. It's also a fact that Korean men are genetically designed to grow fewer beards, so they often end up with a straggly beard even if their testosterone levels are normal.
In addition, accstudiesDifferent ethnic groups show different patterns of facial hair growth. For example, men from Mediterranean countries have thicker beards than other regions. Also, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean men have less facial hair than Caucasian men.
Also after ato study, Hair diameter ranges from 17 to 180 mm in men around the world. Thick hair makes the beard look thick.
Why don't Koreans have beards?
Now you know that Korean men can grow a beard, so why don't Korean men have a beard? Only a portion of the Korean population, less than 30% of Korean men, sport a beard. Here are some possible reasons why:
1. Historical reasons
Korean men's dislike of beards has its roots in Korean history. Koreans grew beards after photos of ancient Korean emperors. However, it has changed over the centuries.
During the Joseon era around the 14th century, it was considered offensive to injure the body and its parts, including the hair. So Korean men had a beard in the deep Joseon era.
As colonization began, Koreans began to adapt to Western culture and appearance. Due to administrative and sanitary changes, people adopted the military style and soon clean shaving became the new standard.
Today in Korea, a clean shave is associated with being hygienic, successful, smart and young. However, the elderly population used to wear beards, and even today, elderly people prefer mustaches and beards.
2. Genetics and Aging
Genes play an important role in determining the pattern of beard growth. Korean men have hair follicles with low testosterone sensitivity. This leads to slow growth of body and facial hair.
Beard growth is also proportional to aging. Korean men tend to age more slowly than European men. Therefore, their beards take longer to reach full growth compared to their European counterparts.
3. Cultural reasons
Young Koreans see beards as messy, dirty, eccentric and unclean, while a clean shave means sharpness, class and sophistication. At the same time, beard and mustache are considered a symbol of wisdom among older men. So it's disrespectfulyoung to have a beardin front of an older beardless man in Korean culture.
In addition, it makes the beard an element of rebellion. Some other reasons are:
- judgement: Men with beards are perceived as emotionally traumatized in Korea. Or others feel "lost" and take drugs or alcohol.
- female preference: A beard is considered a sign of masculinity. But in Korea, women consider men with beards unsanitary and unable to take care of themselves. They consider it a negative personality trait.
- work culture: Many workplaces and jobs force men to shave every day to look more elegant. Even small stubble is considered messy and is not allowed.
4. Beauty standards
Korea is known for its high standard of beauty and skin care products. Appearance is of the utmost importance to Koreans. You want smooth, pore-free, flawless skin with an even complexion. It's not natural, but it applies to both men and women.
after aOpinion pollAccording to a report conducted among South Korean men, about 56% of them shave or groom themselves once a day. Many Koreans undergo skin treatments like lasers to stop or slow facial hair growth.
Also, most Koreans consider body hair barbaric and undergo laser treatments to remove body hair to meet Korean beauty standards.
5. Role of the Media
Korean media played a crucial role in promoting the notion of beardless men as the standard of beauty. As a result, a clean shave is being popularized in Korea through men's media fashion, K-pop, and K-dramas.
The media portrays clean-shaven men as ideal friends with stability and success. On the other hand, those who have hit rock bottom are portrayed with rough beards.
Also, they popularized this notion among young people that when a man gets up and decides to get back on the track, the first thing he does is clean up, shave and groom himself. These messages have a strong impact on people's minds, turning beardless men into beauty icons.
6. Current scenario in Korea
Korean culture is constantly evolving and changing. Perhaps in the future Koreans will return to their Joseon roots and embrace the bearded look.
Nowadays, some K-Dramas also promote actors with beards. Unfortunately, the locals call her sexy and dirty. Therefore, the popular belief in having a beard has not changed, and a beard is still referred to as dirty.
But some people prefer a beard. To make the bread denser, beard products such asBeardMax 5% Minoxidil Bartwachstumsserumare a useful scientific solution for making bread denser. Minoxidil 5% solution promotes thicker beard and mustache growth in 100 days with no side effects.
Men who want to grow a beard should use abeard growth kit. It contains Tostero capsules with a blend of ancient herbs like shilajit, granola, ashwagandha, and goksura. He also has a bottle of minoxidil solution. The duo contains ingredients that increase testosterone levels and stimulate beard follicles for fuller growth and also fill in beard spots with regular use.
Diploma
Now we know why Koreans don't have beards. It's because they shave and keep it clean; Koreans prefer not to have hair. Although low testosterone levels result in a sparse beard, the history of Korean civilization, or high standards of beauty, the idea of a man without a beard was slowly assimilated into Korean culture.
In Western culture, facial hair and beards are considered signs of masculinity. In Korea, however, it is considered unclean, messy, and lazy not to take care of one's appearance. The concept of beauty varies around the world, but as the famous saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
references
- Statista, Frequency of shaving or grooming among men in South Korea in 2021 -https://www.statista.com/statistik/1113453/sudkorea-rasur-oder-bartpflege-frequenz-manner/
- Edwards CR, Dawson AM, November 1982; Relationship between testosterone and dihydrotestosterone plasma concentrations and male facial hair growth -https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7126460/
- R. Burghardt, F. Siebenhaar, May 2016; Man's beard, facial hair and skin - challenges for shaving -https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ics.12328