For Korean Parents, Height can Change Fate

By Jee | Tuesday, December 22, 2009 | View Comments

How important is height? For South Korean parents, it’s more than important. I’m not sure why, but ever since I can remember, I knew the parentals in South Korea were obsessed with the height of their children; it would come up in daily conversation as moms shared about their children’s height and the mom with the shortest kid would hang her head in shame.

You can read this New York Times articleto learn more about the obsession of these ambitious parents. My favorite quote is “Here, if you change your height, you can change your fate.”

I’m not sure what height has to do with your fate, but I know that South Korean parents believe your height — and your looks — can pave a better and brighter future. And then it makes me wonder why they slave-drive their children to study so hard; after all, according to these same South Korean parents, a short-smart kid has a dismal future ahead compared to a tall-dumb kid.

What next?

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lenepige

Im adopted from south korea to Denmark
I wonder what the "normal" height is for a south korean man/woman..?
As a south korean girl myself, im only 153 cm, which is very very very small where i live now.
I have a 1 year old son (with a frenchman) and my son is 72 cm. He is so small that he is now sent to the doctor and specialist in childrens growing.
I would never get my childrens legs operated just for a few cm. but im sure my son will have a great life and future...small or not.
deebosong

Heard of a Korean kid who got knee extensions to "assist" his "dearth in stature." It didn't help (in that the "extensions" were unnoticeable to his already taller friends, who are many), but I'm sure his parents' inferiority-complex-inducing "act of love" fueled the struggling airline industry and the wildly unregulated Chinese economy where he went to get it. And that's something I can stand behind.

As a short Korean dude myself, I'll forever cite the 5'2" musical prodigy Prince as inspiration. Not just for the height-to-"success" (in the Korean parent definition of it: securing desirable mates & acquiring mad money) ratio, but in just all areas of my life. oooOOH~

I hate to admit that I agree with most NYTimes articles covering South Korea. Having lived there for a year and some change, I can't help but agree with the paper's insinuations of moral superiority masked as unbiased reporting. I guess at heart I'm American, another uncomfortable admission, since I'm represented by the likes of the G. Bush, Joey Liebs, the ever charming Ms. Palin, Glenn Bizeck, and countless other silly people.
jenc

jee, this brings up two thoughts:

1) my mom, who is 5'8", grew up thinking she was a mutant in Korea. When she was in college, she told everyone she is 5'6" (168 cm instead of her actual height 172cm) and her grandmother worried she would never get married because she was so tall. She grew up with a crouched posture, trying to hide her height.

2) My cousin, who is 5'2", is getting married in a month. Her mother, my mom's sister, told her that the reason they are spending $8,000 to RENT her wedding dress (for one day)...is that because the bride isn't tall, the dress needs to be beautiful.

It's funny how the NY Times picked up on this. Recently, their articles covering South Korea hasn't been so positive--the racist attitudes, and now the discrimination against height--what's next?

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