The magazine directly targeted “Winter Sonata,” a mega-popular Korean drama in Japan, in saying, “The two heroines are suspected of undergoing cosmetic surgery. It is a drama ridden with cosmetic beauties.”

“Woman Seven” ran Choi Ji-woo’s photo taken in 1998 and Park Sol-mi’s photo in 2002, along with their most recent pictures and concluded that their appearances were different. Choi and Park are the heroines of “Winter Sonata.”

’Woman Seven’s’ special report titled “Man-Made Korean Beauties”

The magazine also cast suspicion towards the heroines of the movie “Scandal,” which starred Bae Yong-joon and was recently released in Japan, by taking Lee Mi-sook’s photo taken in 1978 and Jeon Do-yeon’s photo from 2001 and comparing them to their recent photos.

In the case of Yoon Son-ha, who is actively taking part in the Japanese entertainment industry, the magazine argued, “Some traces evidently show the efforts she made,” in comparing Yoon’s current appearance with her appearance in 1995.

“Woman Seven” said that Koreans place high value on appearance, and anyone with a pretty face gets Internet fan clubs. Therefore, to maintain their beauty top-class actresses are never satisfied with what they currently look like.

The magazine quoted a freelance writer who recently published a book about Korea as saying “Korean women astonishingly attached to beauty. Some parents pay for their daughters’ cosmetic surgery as a gift for their college entrance."

According to the Korean entertainment industry, on the surface, these attempts seem to be “Korean-bashing.” In fact, it is a Japanese move to check the Korean celebrities who are increasingly penetrating the Japanese showbiz industry.

Controversies are expected because Japanese entertainment specialists point out that some Japanese media have recently tried “Bae Yong-joon bashing,” and the article of “Woman Seven” targets “Winter Sonata” and “Scandal,” which both starred Bae.

(englishnews@chosun.com )