Lina Bae is an Unfollower. A successful YouTube makeup star, she gained respect but also hate (and death threats) when she dramatically removed her makeup and joined the ‘escape the corset’ movement of women in South Korea who reject traditional norms of female beauty.
Lina Bae is a 21 year-old from South Korea who became a YouTube star in a highly popular genre: make-up videos. She gained followers and a large audience by showing others how to apply make-up in the most detailed way. The so-called ‘K-beauty’ industry (makeup and plastic surgery) is big business in Korea, with various Korean brands starting to break into the global mainstream.
But then something changed. She posted a video of her removing her fake eyelashes and red lipstick to reveal her un-made-up face. The video has gone viral, and while most commentary is positive, like unfollowing tends to do, it has also prompted a ferocious backlash. In an interview with the BBC, Lina explained the reaction, “Certain people said stuff like, ‘you’re not even trying anyway’ and ‘a corset wouldn’t even fit you’. There were even death threats saying that they will come find me and kill me,” she said.
Lina is one of a groundswell of Korean women who want to challenge the traditional norms and social expectations that are placed on them – the movement is called ‘Escape the Corset’. Women remove makeup, or cut their hair in ‘non-feminine’ styles.
Korea, while economically dynamic, still has a rigid social structure and defined roles and strong patriarchy. MBC’s news presenter Hyun-ju Yim struggled with becoming the first female news anchor to wear glasses on air – there were hidden expectations that somehow a female presenter shouldn’t wear glasses (even though men did so). These inbuilt social frames can be so deep that the individual affected doesn’t realise that they are bound by them.
The idea of beauty is only somewhat subjective, and it is culturally formed – it evolves over time into a set of ‘generally accepted rules’ – what kind of makeup, what tones, how to apply it. Many people really enjoy the process of applying and using makeup. But sometimes it’s hard to pick out what part of what we do is really our own individual preference and what part is following the norms in a way that constrains our freedom.
1. The ‘following’:
21 year old South Korean Youtube Star Lina Bae used to post make-up tutorials on her channel.
2. Reason for unfollowing:
She eventually realised that what she was doing went against her principles. She learned that many women like her had an immense fear of the face they show to others. “I heard that women feel especially shameful when they hear that they are ugly. I was like that as well.”
3. The unfollowing:
So eventually she posted a video of herself stripping her face bare, removing her fake eyelashes and all make-up.
4. The backlash:
Lina received death threats and hate messages, afraid to leave her house.
5. How it was dealt with:
But the support she also received encouraged her to carry on.
6. The result:
Bae is now part of a growing movement of young women in South Korea who are challenging long-held beauty ideals. They call themselves the “Escape the Corset” movement. Many shave off their long hair and go without make-up then post the results on social media.
These are acts of rebellion against the constraints they feel society has imposed upon them.
The Experience: very hard but worthwhile.