Plastic Surgery Capital of the World


Plastic Surgery Capital of the World

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This programme contains some scenes which some viewers may find upsetting and some strong language

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I'm Annie Price, and I've lived my whole life with burn scars.

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I've had many operations on my face, but all were for medical necessity.

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-Where would you do that? Across the bridge?

-Yes.

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Now I'm older and more confident,

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I'm thinking about having my nose done, but just for looks.

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So, short nose can be released in some degree.

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I'm in Seoul, South Korea.

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This is a city where 60% of people in their 20s

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have had plastic surgery.

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Hi, are you OK?

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I want to find out what some of the best plastic surgeons in the world

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would recommend for me.

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WHISPERING: This lady is having her nose done.

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This could literally be me on here.

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All in the name of beauty.

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I was burnt in a caravan fire when I was about three or four weeks old.

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I had third-degree burns on my whole face, my head,

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both my hands and my arm.

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So, I had splints on my hands because my hands didn't move.

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They didn't think I'd write, so I'm really lucky that I can.

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I've always had to moisturise a lot,

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and my mum really had to do all the heavy, heavy work,

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and she had to moisturise and bend the fingers around every single day,

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twice a day.

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Doing it on a child was quite painful, so I was crying,

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so it must have been horrible for her.

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So, the surgery I have had done,

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I've obviously had the surgery that saved my life,

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and all of the skin grafts that...

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..that...

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..obviously allowed me to move my face at all.

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My mum helped me make most of those decisions because I was quite young.

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You know, she sort of had the conversation with the doctors,

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you know, "Can we make Annie look...?"

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I'm not really supposed to use this word, but "normal".

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And they said, you know, "No."

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I've looked at doing the top of my nose.

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I would like to probably try the tip of my nose,

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but we'll see, we'll see.

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-Hello!

-Hello, did I see you downstairs?

-How are you doing?

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No, I don't think so. How are you doing?

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As a child I had more than a dozen operations on my face.

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Most of them were performed by reconstructive surgeon

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Mr David Gault.

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I haven't seen him for more than 15 years.

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-And how is life?

-Really good.

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I can't complain, I'm very happy.

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So how...

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How has it all been? Have you had lots of operations recently?

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Well, I haven't had anything for about, let me think...

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..about 10 or 12 years.

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The last one that we did together was the eye,

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and then I've just recently had...

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..um, like, zigzag cuts in my nose because that was really webbed.

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Oh, right. Yes, that's a good plan.

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Yeah, and I've just started doing loads of laser work.

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You know the six kind of needles, like...

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-Yeah, lots of little penetrating things.

-Yes, that one.

-Yeah.

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I've had that probably about four or five times.

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-And you like that?

-I love that.

-Because your face is looking good.

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It feels so good.

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I've got some slides here...

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..of an operation we did together.

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Oh, wow, there's loads of them.

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And that's a picture of you when you were two.

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Oh, look at my little face!

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Oh, look at my little Jackson 5 afro!

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I've got a massive head.

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I don't need to see that, now I'm about to have a baby!

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That's your ear,

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all pulled forward and sticking out, and shaped like a little cup.

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God, it was so far out.

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-Look at me, little Dumbo.

-And you can see...

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..we flattened it out, put that fold in, and moved it back a long way.

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-That looks so good.

-That's how it ended up.

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Such a neat ear.

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Do you still look at that now and think,

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"Yeah, I'm chuffed with that"?

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-That's why you're in my collection.

-Oh, am I in the Hall of Fame?

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People who have worked.

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Of course, no-one is going to show a bad testimonial, are they?

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I'm thinking of having my nose done,

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just dropping the tip down a little bit.

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What do you think?

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If you really want it, do it, do it safely as you can,

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-but as far as need goes, you don't need surgery.

-Thanks.

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What is it about you that's prompted you to think of further refinements?

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I think I'm just happier in the way that I didn't use surgery at all,

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kind of ignored it for about 12 years,

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and since getting back into it,

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I have actually felt physically better,

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so literally, from having the nose done,

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I didn't realise how much I was turning my head to look at things.

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I can see from all angles, which sounds ridiculous to say,

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but, yeah, it's nice, and my face feels a lot freer.

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See, it's not just the shape thing then, is it?

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-No.

-It's an actual vision thing.

-Yeah.

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First of all, don't make up your mind in a hurry.

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Always take the advice of the people near you that you trust.

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Yeah. You're completely right.

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Look.

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Yep. Lovely.

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I live with cats Bobby and Batman, and my fiance Sam,

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just outside London.

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We've been together for five years and are expecting our first baby.

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So is this... Are you actually packing then?

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Yeah, of course I'm packing.

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These are really comfy. How cute are these?

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-But, I bought them in a size six, and I'm like a four.

-Too big?

-Yeah.

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Because everyone kept saying, "You're pregnant,

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"your feet are going to swell." I was like, "I want comfort".

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You could wear your shoes inside the shoes.

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How do you feel about me having, like, another nose surgery.

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I literally don't care.

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Care a little bit. How about that?

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-That's how I feel.

-You need to care. Care a little bit.

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No, I mainly care about your recovery.

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Like, are you going to be OK afterwards?

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So, you're saying you don't care because you love me so much that you

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think I am beautiful as I am, is that what you meant to say?

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I think if I cared that much about if you had a nose or not,

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-we wouldn't be getting married in a few months' time.

-That's true.

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If you want to get a nose, that's fine.

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But what if I have it done and I look...it looks worse?

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Um...

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Well, it's your decision what you do with your own nose.

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Yeah, you're right. Thanks.

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-It'd be nice to have a nose.

-Yeah.

-It's annoying to have no nose.

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Yeah, it'd be nicer to have a nose for you.

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Not that there is no nose, just a little nose.

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It looks a country mile better than it did.

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I'm also scared that I'm going to get there and they're going to say,

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"Oh, how have you lived like this?

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"Why haven't you done all this sooner?"

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-They probably will.

-I think they will.

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I think they'll be like,

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"Really? The nose? Is that all we're going to go for?

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"I think we should do this, this, this and this."

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-Hiya!

-Hello!

-How are you, my dear?

-I'm really good, how are you?

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-Oh, I'm fine, thank you. Look at this!

-I know!

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My mum, Maggie, adopted me when I was six.

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She's always brought me up to be comfortable with how I look.

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I'm not sure why you want to have surgery now, I'm not sure...

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Why, what's brought it up now, all these years later?

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I think I feel more comfortable,

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a lot more confident with how everything is.

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I'm having a baby now, and life's going to get more hectic.

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I'd rather do it sooner than later because I don't want my children

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-to be like, "Oh, Mum's changed."

-I don't see...

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-I don't think...

-I know it wouldn't be a big thing.

-No.

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I won't change that much, but I don't want it to be

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something they have to deal with.

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When you were little, there was a lot of stuff

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that the surgeons could have done,

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but I didn't want you to have to grow up from a very young age,

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keep thinking, "I've got to have my face look like everybody else's,

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"or I can't go out."

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I would be uneasy

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if you wanted to keep having little bits and pieces done.

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Although it's not my decision.

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Is your decision. It's not my decision at all,

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I'm just saying, as a mother, how it would make me feel.

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-Yeah.

-It's not my decision at all,

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I'd support you whatever you did,

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but we don't always have to like our offspring's decisions.

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No. Unfortunately not!

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In a kind way.

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Not everything's for comfort,

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some of the things I'd like to do is just for look,

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but I don't think that's a bad thing.

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I don't think it'd impact my happiness,

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I don't think I'm going to be a better person if I have it,

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I just think I might feel and look better.

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They're the only two reasons you should have the surgery.

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-That's a good point, yeah.

-I think I'm the ideal candidate.

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Yeah, that's a really good point.

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-You know what I mean?

-Yes. I just want to make sure that you're

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comfortable and that you're not going to do things that are going to

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set you on a path to being unhappy.

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She's my baby, you know, my youngest child.

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-Favourite child.

-No, no, no!

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Sorry, Mum, I think I am.

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You're my favourite adopted child,

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or you're my favourites youngest daughter.

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-Diplomatic, this one.

-Yes, got to be.

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No favourites in our house.

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And your baby will be my...

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You can see it in your eyes!

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-..my favourite second grandchild.

-The eyes don't lie!

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You can say all the niceties that you want!

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No, you're my favourite youngest daughter,

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or my favourite adopted child, whichever one you like.

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So there.

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Seoul, South Korea, the global capital of plastic surgery.

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People come here from all over the world to be operated on,

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and Koreans have had more procedures than anyone.

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An amazing one in five of the population

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have had some sort of plastic surgery.

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The doctors here specialise in facial surgery,

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so it's the ideal place to see what could be done for me.

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I'm here in the famous Gangnam district,

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known as the beauty belt of Seoul.

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In this neighbourhood alone,

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there are more than 400 plastic surgery clinics.

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And there's a plastic surgery clinic here.

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I can see all the ones already from here, down there.

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There's some more coming up.

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It's crazy because they're huge.

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They're doing really well, obviously. Big businesses.

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It's crazy how it's so tight, and it's all dense in one little area,

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almost like they want to be like,

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"Come here, there's all this in one spot."

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I'm wondering just how many people here

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have actually had their faces done.

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What was excuse me again?

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-Sillyehabnida.

-Sillyehabnida.

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HORN BLARES

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Sillyehabnida.

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Can I...? One second?

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One second?

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Sillyehabnida? No? No.

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Awkward.

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One second?

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Do you know many people that have had plastic surgery?

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Excuse me? You obviously don't need it at all, both of you,

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but would you ever consider having surgery done yourself?

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You have a very unique face, it's lovely. I wouldn't get it done.

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Have either of you thought,

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"You know what? I want to get some surgery for myself"?

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That's a really nice answer to hear.

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It doesn't seem very common around here.

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Why do you think you feel differently to everyone else?

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-Thank you so much.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

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In Seoul, 60% of people in their 20s have had a surgical procedure.

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There's a picture of plastic surgery,

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someone having their chin done, even on the tube.

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There's definitely a particular look going on here.

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Big eyes, small nose, and a narrow jaw.

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I meet a lady who's booked in for eyelid surgery in a couple of days.

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She's going to let me follow her through her procedure.

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What made you decide to have the surgery?

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For me, it's strange, because if you weren't getting a job,

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or struggling in the job market,

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we'd probably try a lot of different avenues,

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rather than think, "I need to change my face."

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I feel like before, plastic surgery used to be an out-of-the-norm

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kind of thing to do, whereas now it seems like everyone's doing it.

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Why do you think that is?

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This is your first big operation. How do you feel about it?

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I think you're gorgeous, honestly.

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You're so pretty. For me, it's shocking

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that you would want to have it done.

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Oh, thank you!

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I want a nose like yours!

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We'll switch, right?

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THEY GIGGLE

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-Bye.

-Thank you.

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I've been thinking about having my nose done for years,

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but it's never felt like quite the right time.

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Hello.

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Now I'm going to have a consultation with Dr Oh,

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one of the most famous surgeons in Seoul.

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On his website, he claims to be the god of facial surgery.

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Obviously I was excited outside, but I am getting a bit...

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I'm sort of tensing a bit now cos I know that I'm an easy sell,

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so I'm worried that he's going to be really persuasive and I'll be like,

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"You've make great points, I will look better, let's do this."

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Can you imagine?

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"Sam, I've just put a non-refundable deposit down.

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"I'll be back in about eight months.

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"The baby will be born here.

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"Plus side, it'll have a dual passport!

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"How do we feel about that?"

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-Hello.

-Ah, hello.

-How are you?

-I'm good. How are you?

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-I'm fine.

-Excellent.

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-I'm Dr Oh.

-Excellent, I'm Annie.

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Just wondering what you would recommend for me.

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-Ah, for you.

-Yeah, I know obviously...

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..I know it's...

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-..a big ask...

-Yes.

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-..what you would do.

-Um...

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-Well, the facial proportions are very good...

-Mmm.

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For instance, you have a very lovely facial proportion,

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even though you have scars, your proportions are very good.

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Good proportion, you don't really need plastic surgery.

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-Ah, good. I'm out.

-Mm.

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-Saved me some money.

-Yes!

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I've had some work done recently in the UK.

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-How recently?

-Yes... Not too recently, probably last September.

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I had my nose sort of narrowed at the top because I had webbing,

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where the scars sort of pulled, just to release the tissue.

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-So you released the scar?

-Yes, to release the scar tissue, yes.

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-And I've started having laser work over there.

-Mm-hmm.

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But I'm looking at possibly getting something done

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-with the tip of my nose.

-Ah.

-But I wasn't sure what.

-Yes.

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Do you mind if I touch?

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Go for it. I've got a lot of make-up on, so you'll get it on your hand.

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The difficult thing about scars, how do you say,

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the shortage of soft tissue...

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-Yes.

-..is the problem.

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I mainly do cosmetic surgery.

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-Yes.

-I try to make it more beautiful.

-Yeah.

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But in scar contracture or burn scars,

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-it's more about the functional part.

-Yes.

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And to achieve the aesthetic part, it is very, very hard.

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Your nose tip, although there's a little room on the tip side,

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-there's no room on the nostril side.

-Yes.

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The nostril, that rim, this part has to come down with...

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-With it.

-..with the whole nose.

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-Yeah.

-So if there's not enough tissue here, it's very hard to...

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Pull it down. So, would you not do a skin graft?

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-No, you don't like it?

-No, I would not do that.

-You wouldn't do that.

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If you gain something here, you lose something here.

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You're right.

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For instance, there is a lot of depressions there.

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Those can be released a little bit more.

0:17:270:17:30

What do you mean?

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There is depressed because there is a shortage of skin.

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-Right.

-It's wrinkled, like this. It's wrinkled. There is no skin.

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-Right, got you.

-So we release it.

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-Yes.

-And, because there's no skin here,

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-we're going to put something in there to replace the skin.

-Got you.

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-So you would take skin from, say, here?

-Yes.

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Is there anything else I could get done?

0:17:480:17:50

I do know that it's... There's a lot to go for, but...

0:17:500:17:53

-Mmm...

-Not really?

0:17:530:17:55

The skin is very tight there.

0:17:550:17:56

-There is not...not enough excess of skin to stretch.

-Yeah.

0:17:560:18:02

-OK, you have a good stay here.

-Thank you.

0:18:020:18:04

It's funny, because I think that I was a bit shocked that,

0:18:050:18:10

I think maybe I wanted him to do, like, "Right, you should do this,

0:18:100:18:13

"you should do that." I thought he was going to say,

0:18:130:18:15

"Do 100 different things,"

0:18:150:18:17

so I think, in a way, there was a tiny bit that I was a little...

0:18:170:18:19

..I was a bit disappointed because he said about the scar tissue,

0:18:190:18:23

that there's not a lot he could do, which is fair.

0:18:230:18:26

You know? You know, I think, obviously, really,

0:18:260:18:29

if I actually gave it a proper thought, that's an obvious thing.

0:18:290:18:32

Now, I know I've got another consult,

0:18:320:18:34

so I'm going to wait, and I haven't closed the book,

0:18:340:18:37

but it's kind of taken the edge off, and drawn a line under it a bit.

0:18:370:18:40

I don't want, "Yeah, here's a wand.

0:18:400:18:42

"We can make everything special, you're going to feel amazing."

0:18:420:18:45

But at the back of my mind, I did think he was going to say,

0:18:450:18:48

"Hey, try this.".

0:18:480:18:49

I've been a bit shocked

0:19:010:19:02

by Koreans' obsession with this idea of physical perfection.

0:19:020:19:06

How are you?

0:19:060:19:07

I wonder what it would have been like to grow up here

0:19:070:19:09

with a face like mine.

0:19:090:19:11

I'm meeting a woman called Song to find out.

0:19:110:19:14

What actually happened? How did you get your scars?

0:19:150:19:18

-Same.

-Oh!

0:19:400:19:42

Yeah. Same.

0:19:420:19:44

Four weeks old.

0:19:440:19:45

What would you say it was like growing up in Korea

0:19:450:19:48

with burns?

0:19:480:19:50

Get on with it. Tough love.

0:20:290:20:31

Since I've been in Korea,

0:20:320:20:34

I've really noticed that image is important, how you look,

0:20:340:20:37

what you do for a job, how successful you are.

0:20:370:20:40

Did you feel that you had a lot of social pressure

0:20:400:20:43

to fit in?

0:20:430:20:45

Um...

0:21:000:21:01

I... Give me a second.

0:21:010:21:03

Oh, shit.

0:21:030:21:05

I'm thinking more of you because I just think really, it's luck.

0:21:100:21:14

Do you know what I mean? Like, where you live, where you grow up.

0:21:140:21:17

Growing up, whilst I was aware I was different,

0:21:170:21:20

it wasn't a huge negative, it was just I was different.

0:21:200:21:23

It wasn't until, and I got upset as well because you said

0:21:230:21:25

that you had trouble getting work because of the CV and the pictures,

0:21:250:21:28

that my real trouble started when I was probably around 16

0:21:280:21:32

and all my friends were getting jobs in the local shops,

0:21:320:21:35

in the clothes shops,

0:21:350:21:37

and I couldn't really get a job. I'd go in and hand...

0:21:370:21:40

Because I went in to hand my CV in,

0:21:400:21:42

no-one really wanted to give me a job.

0:21:420:21:44

But beauty actually never really came into it for me for me,

0:21:440:21:47

if I'm brutally honest.

0:21:470:21:48

My mum always told me I was beautiful when I was a baby

0:21:480:21:51

and growing up, so I kind of just thought I was in a way, you know?

0:21:510:21:55

Obviously I'm not, like...

0:21:550:21:57

..you know, compared to standards of other people,

0:21:580:22:01

but I feel lucky that I grew up in an environment

0:22:010:22:04

where I didn't think that it was necessarily,

0:22:040:22:06

you know,

0:22:060:22:08

of more importance than your character.

0:22:080:22:11

If I'm honest, I think I'd have said probably the look a little bit more.

0:22:200:22:24

I don't think I could be comfortable with changing too far off of

0:22:240:22:28

how I already look.

0:22:280:22:30

I wouldn't ever be comfortable looking at myself in the mirror

0:22:300:22:32

and thinking, Jesus Christ, that's a very different face.

0:22:320:22:36

But I would like my nose to be...

0:22:360:22:38

Because to be honest with you, it's embarrassing,

0:22:380:22:41

I don't want to feel like, you know.

0:22:410:22:43

I want to, like, have my nose a bit lower.

0:22:430:22:44

I want to wear sunglasses, I think they look weird...

0:22:440:22:47

My nose looks weird with sunglasses.

0:22:470:22:49

So that's, yeah, that's for a look.

0:22:490:22:51

I would like my eyes to look nicer.

0:22:510:22:53

I feel like the question is more, what would I have

0:22:530:22:55

if I couldn't have one or the other, would I go for functional face?

0:22:550:22:58

Obviously, I would probably go for function,

0:22:580:23:00

but no, I do want to look better. I would like to look better.

0:23:000:23:03

So, the thought of my kids getting bullied on account of me,

0:23:360:23:39

that was something I was worried about.

0:23:390:23:41

I actually spoke to my mum about it because it's such a small thing,

0:23:410:23:44

I know a lot of people would be like,

0:23:440:23:45

"You should be worrying about your kids' health,"

0:23:450:23:48

I don't want people thinking I'm vain and that but, you know,

0:23:480:23:51

things are difficult, and I know how I can deal with things,

0:23:510:23:53

but having to instil that into children,

0:23:530:23:56

I don't how that would work.

0:23:560:23:58

I think my approach will be that I'll...I'll just be honest,

0:23:580:24:01

like my mum did. It worked for me.

0:24:010:24:03

That's the only thing I can relate it to.

0:24:030:24:05

I don't see why I would ever lie, so I think from the beginning

0:24:050:24:09

I will always say... It's more how they deal with it,

0:24:090:24:11

I think the worst thing would be if my kid came home and was like,

0:24:110:24:15

"I'm getting..." you know, "They're being horrible to me,

0:24:150:24:17

"I don't want you to drop me at school."

0:24:170:24:19

That would be, like, I would struggle with that.

0:24:190:24:22

I think I would just have to be the parent and say, "Don't be rude.

0:24:220:24:26

"You respect your family, you respect me," you know.

0:24:260:24:28

Just get them to stand up to the situation.

0:24:280:24:31

Which is something I would rather not deal with, but...

0:24:310:24:35

..that's life.

0:24:350:24:36

It's the day of Myung's operation.

0:24:470:24:50

She's having eyelid surgery at BK Hospital,

0:24:500:24:53

one of the biggest plastic surgery clinics in the beauty belt of Seoul.

0:24:530:24:56

This place has 16 floors,

0:24:580:25:00

with three of them used purely for operating theatres.

0:25:000:25:03

An incredible 10,000 patients come here every year.

0:25:030:25:07

Myung is having a consultation with medical director Dr Kim.

0:25:090:25:13

He'll be performing her operation.

0:25:130:25:15

This is a good example.

0:26:010:26:03

To make the eyes open bigger.

0:26:030:26:05

Before surgery she has left eye weakness of her opening muscles.

0:26:050:26:08

So I gave her surgery to make the eyes open bigger, the left eye,

0:26:080:26:12

so after surgery she made more symmetrical.

0:26:120:26:16

That looks really good.

0:26:160:26:17

She has both eyes weakness.

0:26:170:26:19

You can see how one is quite weak.

0:26:190:26:21

Sometimes the plastic surgery procedures

0:26:210:26:23

can make people more beautiful and prettier,

0:26:230:26:26

but actually, our purpose is to make people more...

0:26:260:26:30

..look friendly, and then they can have a good impression.

0:26:300:26:36

Many Koreans or Asian Chinese people

0:26:360:26:39

have a small eye opening, and they have an angry appearance.

0:26:390:26:43

Even though they are not angry,

0:26:430:26:45

everybody thinks they are angry.

0:26:450:26:47

After she opens the eyes bigger,

0:26:470:26:50

she can have a little more friendly, brighter appearance.

0:26:500:26:55

Has this lady just had her eyes done, or has she had anything else?

0:26:550:26:58

She had eyelid surgery and nose surgery too.

0:26:580:27:01

-And nose.

-Yeah.

0:27:010:27:02

If I am employer,

0:27:020:27:04

I do not choose a person who doesn't look friendly

0:27:040:27:09

because when we hire people they should look prettier and nicer,

0:27:090:27:14

and friendly to the customers.

0:27:140:27:17

Do they say, "I want to look more friendly and more approachable"?

0:27:170:27:20

Yes. Many patients come to hospital

0:27:200:27:23

to request the surgery to change themselves,

0:27:230:27:25

to make them less scary and not angry.

0:27:250:27:29

Right. OK.

0:27:290:27:30

Ah, so it's the history of cosmetic surgery.

0:28:040:28:06

Tagliacozzi coined the phrase "plastic surgery" in 1597.

0:28:060:28:11

I wonder how they did it, though, back then.

0:28:110:28:14

Do you know what I mean? Anaesthesia?

0:28:140:28:17

Have a couple shots of whiskey.

0:28:170:28:18

That's pretty much what it would have been, would it not?

0:28:180:28:21

Bite down on a stick? Prayer?

0:28:210:28:23

No.

0:28:240:28:25

Oh, here we go.

0:28:250:28:27

So, "There are different standards for beautiful eyes by era and race.

0:28:270:28:32

"According to the current standard of beautiful eyes,

0:28:320:28:35

"you must have a well-defined shape and big eyes with double eyelids

0:28:350:28:38

"like Westerner, rather than small and sharp eyes like Asian."

0:28:380:28:41

Oh, no!

0:28:410:28:43

That's bad. Just saying, "Yeah, you're not attractive.

0:28:440:28:48

"It's the Westerners' look, that's the one."

0:28:480:28:50

If it goes by this, the Asian look will be completely wiped out.

0:28:510:28:55

They've definitely got their picture of beauty.

0:28:550:28:58

It's sad that it's not their own, is basically what I'm getting at.

0:28:580:29:00

Oh, look. This is a slim mirror.

0:29:020:29:04

I've always liked to be taller.

0:29:070:29:08

Oh, do you know what? I'm really sorry, I like it.

0:29:110:29:13

Sorry! Look at me! "Don't get anything done!"

0:29:130:29:17

I'm in the mirror, I'm like, "Yes!"

0:29:170:29:19

Oh, this one isn't as good.

0:29:200:29:22

To be fair, it's made my head the size of a shed.

0:29:230:29:25

Pre-baby...

0:29:250:29:28

Post-baby.

0:29:290:29:31

It's time for Myung's operation.

0:29:330:29:36

I'm definitely going to ask to keep this.

0:29:370:29:39

Unless blood splatters, and then they can have it.

0:29:390:29:43

Dr Kim has agreed to let me come and watch.

0:29:460:29:48

I feel like I need to explain I'm not going to be helping at all,

0:29:510:29:54

I'll be standing right at the back!

0:29:540:29:56

I'm just about to go into surgery for the first time,

0:30:090:30:13

and whatever I said downstairs about it not bothering me is a lie.

0:30:130:30:17

I'm not looking forward to this.

0:30:170:30:20

This is local anaesthetic.

0:30:350:30:36

And, after the injection of local anaesthetic,

0:30:380:30:41

we wait five to seven minutes.

0:30:410:30:43

Did you always want to be a doctor?

0:30:450:30:47

Yes. I think this is the best job in the world.

0:30:470:30:50

Why do you enjoy the job?

0:30:500:30:52

I think this is the most pleasant job, to make people beautiful

0:30:520:30:57

and the surgical procedures can change the life of the patients.

0:30:570:31:01

WHISPERING: It looks so sore.

0:31:230:31:25

The stitches are so small, like...

0:31:450:31:48

It's almost like an art.

0:31:480:31:50

Here, it seems like your face is everything

0:32:550:32:58

and I've heard that they take this to extremes.

0:32:580:33:01

So today, I get to meet a face reader so I can learn

0:33:010:33:04

a little bit more about the ancient art of face reading.

0:33:040:33:07

It's got a big impact on their society and how they go for jobs,

0:33:070:33:10

on how the direction of their life is,

0:33:100:33:13

so I get to meet this guy. He looks great.

0:33:130:33:16

So, yeah, I'm excited.

0:33:160:33:18

If it's good news I'll take it, if it's bad news, he's a fraud.

0:33:230:33:27

We'll just do that. We'll go with that.

0:33:270:33:30

This guy, he works with some of the top companies.

0:33:300:33:33

He works with Samsung, helps them pick who they're going to employ.

0:33:330:33:37

Which is huge, isn't it? All just because of their face.

0:33:380:33:41

No, it's interesting, I wonder what he's going to say to me.

0:33:410:33:44

I have good proportions, remember, so...

0:33:460:33:48

..he better not try and read it too much.

0:33:480:33:50

If he recommends I should have my nose done

0:33:520:33:54

after what Dr Oh says, I might have to, I don't know...

0:33:540:33:58

No, I'm sorry, that's off the table now.

0:33:580:34:01

I'm not doing it.

0:34:010:34:02

I don't know, I'll have a think.

0:34:020:34:04

Depends what he says I'll get if I get my nose done!

0:34:040:34:07

New nose, and you'll be swimming in riches and happiness

0:34:070:34:10

for the rest of your life. It's a hard thing to turn down.

0:34:100:34:14

Hi.

0:34:180:34:19

This way?

0:34:210:34:23

Should I take my shoes off? Yes.

0:34:230:34:25

Is there anything you can read from my face?

0:34:530:34:55

I am, that's so true.

0:35:330:35:35

-Is it?

-Yes, that is so nice. So far, so good.

0:35:350:35:38

Wow, yeah.

0:35:490:35:51

Yeah. Well, yeah, that's...

0:35:510:35:53

That's true. When I was a baby I was in a caravan fire and then

0:35:530:35:56

I was adopted out into a new family.

0:35:560:35:58

So you nailed it.

0:35:580:36:00

Is there anything else you can tell me about my future?

0:36:010:36:04

So you'd advise me getting my nose done?

0:36:270:36:29

Dammit, I'm back again!

0:36:340:36:36

I thought I drawn a line under it. What are you doing to me?

0:36:360:36:39

OK, well, I'll think. If I do get my nose done,

0:36:390:36:43

I would have... I can't just get my nose done like a regular face,

0:36:430:36:47

I would have it done and then there would more scars over my nose and,

0:36:470:36:51

as you said a second ago, the scars impact your career

0:36:510:36:54

so, what would you recommend?

0:36:540:36:57

This has given me a good insight to why the boom has even happened

0:37:060:37:11

because obviously it's picked up huge amounts,

0:37:110:37:13

the amount of plastic surgery people are having done.

0:37:130:37:16

If people are being told directly by face readers

0:37:160:37:19

that it's going to change their life for the better,

0:37:190:37:21

why wouldn't they get it done?

0:37:210:37:23

So, yeah, I mean,

0:37:230:37:25

I guess it's down to the individual,

0:37:250:37:26

and you just hope that they've got it in them to go,

0:37:260:37:29

"You know what? Is it good for me? Is the right thing for me to do?"

0:37:290:37:32

Whether or not plastic surgery is necessary to improve beauty

0:37:390:37:42

will always be a grey area.

0:37:420:37:45

But I know from experience that it can literally transform your life.

0:37:470:37:51

In South Korea, there's even a popular makeover show

0:37:550:37:58

called Let Me In that offers plastic surgery as a prize.

0:37:580:38:02

Contestants have to persuade the judges that their features

0:38:080:38:10

make it impossible for them to live a normal life...

0:38:100:38:13

..and that the only solution is plastic surgery.

0:38:160:38:20

The truth about plastic surgery here

0:38:360:38:38

is that perfectly normal-looking people

0:38:380:38:40

are having really extreme surgery...

0:38:400:38:42

..all in the pursuit of some strange idea of perfection.

0:38:430:38:47

Back at BK Hospital I'm meeting Viv,

0:38:470:38:50

who is about to have her whole face reshaped.

0:38:500:38:53

Tell me about the jaw.

0:38:540:38:56

OK, the jaw I want to look like more slimmer because now I have, quite...

0:38:560:39:01

The shape is quite square.

0:39:010:39:03

So after the jaw reduction I will look like more slimmer.

0:39:030:39:06

-Slimmer face.

-To make it more sharp.

-Sharp.

0:39:060:39:08

-I want to get more prettier.

-Yeah. Oh, more prettier?

0:39:080:39:11

-Of course!

-You're gorgeous already.

-No.

0:39:110:39:13

Tell me about the fat graft, what's happening there?

0:39:130:39:16

Fat graft, they're going to take my fats and inject it in my face.

0:39:160:39:19

Where are they going to take the fats from, you're tiny!

0:39:190:39:22

Maybe some fat on my tummy, or my thigh.

0:39:220:39:24

So thighs or tummy, and then they are going to put it in your cheeks?

0:39:240:39:27

-Cheeks, yeah.

-To give you fuller cheekbones?

-Yes, and forehead.

0:39:270:39:30

-Put a little bit in the forehead?

-Yes.

-Why the forehead?

0:39:300:39:32

To make it more fuller because I think it is now very, like...

0:39:320:39:36

-Flat?

-Yeah, flat.

0:39:360:39:37

OK. I wouldn't have thought that, but fair enough.

0:39:370:39:40

Did you have a look in mind before?

0:39:400:39:42

Um...

0:39:420:39:44

No, I don't have.

0:39:450:39:47

You didn't have a look in mind.

0:39:470:39:49

You came to see the consultant and then he said, you know,

0:39:490:39:51

-"I think this would work for you."

-Yeah. Yeah.

0:39:510:39:54

So you weren't upset that he said,

0:39:540:39:56

-"Right, I want to improve three big things in your face"?

-No.

0:39:560:39:58

-You're happy that he said this?

-Yes, I am happy, yes.

0:39:580:40:01

That's quite a specific look, quite sort of...

0:40:010:40:04

..almost doll-like, quite a sweet look.

0:40:040:40:06

Is that something that's popular with your friends.

0:40:060:40:10

Mostly of my friends, they have reshaped look, which I don't have.

0:40:100:40:14

And how are you feeling about it?

0:40:140:40:16

I am feeling nervous, of course, but I am ready for it, yeah.

0:40:160:40:20

We're ready for the patient.

0:40:200:40:22

-Let's go.

-Sure, come, let's go.

0:40:220:40:24

She's, um...

0:40:400:40:41

She's so pretty.

0:40:410:40:43

The fact that the consultant told her to do those three big things,

0:40:440:40:48

again, it is nice that she's come and he's given her advice,

0:40:480:40:51

but they're really big operations.

0:40:510:40:53

She don't need it.

0:40:530:40:55

Don't get me wrong. My doctors have even said, "These are options,"

0:40:570:41:00

but look at my face.

0:41:000:41:02

I can get a load of crap on this sorted out, but her, I'm like...

0:41:030:41:07

They're creating a slightly weird little army look.

0:41:080:41:13

No-one's looking like themselves,

0:41:130:41:15

they just looking like they've got that look.

0:41:150:41:17

Of course you can do it, but does it need to be done?

0:41:190:41:23

No, I don't think it does.

0:41:230:41:25

That makes you think, who's driving it?

0:41:250:41:27

She went... She didn't really have an idea.

0:41:280:41:30

She was, like, "Yeah, I just want to look prettier."

0:41:300:41:33

It's a bit sad really, isn't it?

0:41:330:41:35

Come this way.

0:41:370:41:39

I will draw a line for your surgery.

0:41:420:41:45

-Some depression.

-Only one temple?

0:41:470:41:49

That will make your face look younger.

0:41:510:41:53

You have some protruded bone.

0:41:530:41:56

Let me show you the X-ray.

0:41:560:41:59

This is OK, but here, too much protrusions.

0:41:590:42:03

We may cut this bone out.

0:42:030:42:04

OK. Let's prepare your surgery.

0:42:050:42:08

In Britain, jaw surgery is rarely carried out

0:42:100:42:13

unless to correct facial deformities.

0:42:130:42:15

Can I come in?

0:42:190:42:20

The surgery involves changing your entire facial bone structure

0:42:220:42:25

and making the face much smaller.

0:42:250:42:28

Right now, being in here, it seems so excessive.

0:42:290:42:34

Viv will literally have a whole new face by the end of this.

0:42:340:42:38

Wow.

0:42:410:42:43

That was super intense.

0:42:460:42:47

It's difficult to know what to say to that

0:42:510:42:53

because I was having a little chat with old Viv on the settee,

0:42:530:42:56

and then I was seeing her face being pulled away from her jawbone.

0:42:560:43:00

It's ridiculous.

0:43:000:43:01

I've got a strong constitution, I think, in that area

0:43:010:43:04

but I was just like, "Shitbags."

0:43:040:43:05

Do you feel quite conflicted?

0:43:070:43:08

I do feel conflicted, you know, seeing all of it.

0:43:080:43:12

You just think, as well, like,

0:43:120:43:14

you understand when people have big surgeries for big reasons but...

0:43:140:43:17

Do you know what I mean? ..in the name of beauty,

0:43:170:43:19

and she is a gorgeous girl anyway.

0:43:190:43:21

I don't know, I keep going back and forth because,

0:43:210:43:24

let's see, I haven't had my consult with Dr Kim yet.

0:43:240:43:27

Do you know what I mean?

0:43:270:43:29

He might say, "Annie, do this and this and this," and there's me,

0:43:290:43:32

"Yeah, I'll be back in three months!"

0:43:320:43:34

I don't know. It's just, after that... Do you know what I mean?

0:43:350:43:39

You just want to hope that you can doll yourself up with some lipstick

0:43:390:43:44

and a nice smile, don't you?

0:43:440:43:46

Not all the doctors here are like Dr Kim.

0:43:560:43:59

Sometimes, surgery can go horribly wrong.

0:43:590:44:02

I've come to meet a lawyer who specialises

0:44:060:44:09

in plastic surgery related lawsuits.

0:44:090:44:12

Hello.

0:44:130:44:14

He currently has 300 cases on his books.

0:44:140:44:18

So are medical malpractices on the increase?

0:44:190:44:23

How do you think the botched surgeries happen?

0:44:270:44:29

And what would you say the... What's the worst case you've seen?

0:45:000:45:03

That's so... That's terrible. And how long has she been in a coma for?

0:45:190:45:23

I can't believe that, that's horrible.

0:45:270:45:29

You'd think, though, if she was a scholar, she'd want to look into

0:45:290:45:32

more who was doing the surgery.

0:45:320:45:33

It makes you think that,

0:45:330:45:35

-I don't know, I guess it can happen to anyone.

-Yes.

0:45:350:45:38

Oh, my God!

0:45:530:45:55

That's so bad!

0:45:550:45:56

Do you worry, then, that cases are going to get worse,

0:45:560:46:00

or there's going to be more of these types of incidences

0:46:000:46:02

if things aren't brought under control?

0:46:020:46:04

So many young people are going under the knife,

0:46:280:46:30

do you think they're aware of the consequences?

0:46:300:46:33

Thank you. Thank you.

0:46:540:46:55

Sarah is an American classical pianist,

0:47:060:47:10

one of the victims of South Korea's plastic surgery industry.

0:47:100:47:14

So what brought you to have the surgeries, plastic surgery?

0:47:150:47:19

Well, actually, I went to a couple of auditions here in Seoul

0:47:190:47:22

and the producers thought it would be beneficial if I lost some weight,

0:47:220:47:26

and particularly they wanted me to start in my arms

0:47:260:47:29

because I was wearing a lot of sleeveless dresses

0:47:290:47:31

in my live performances so, you know,

0:47:310:47:34

I was playing piano or singing, it looked a bit "uneven", they said.

0:47:340:47:39

Can I ask what sort of procedure you came for?

0:47:390:47:42

Sure, yes. It's an auxiliary arm lift.

0:47:420:47:44

-So he said he would cut here...

-Right.

0:47:440:47:46

..take out some fat by liposuction,

0:47:460:47:48

cut some skin, and then fix it up to make a beautiful silhouette.

0:47:480:47:52

Right. And what actually happened?

0:47:520:47:54

Well, he told me it was supposed to be same-day surgery.

0:47:540:47:57

However, even after two weeks, the sutures weren't healing correctly.

0:47:570:48:02

When I went to him, he said,

0:48:020:48:04

"There is some problem, but we can fix it later.

0:48:040:48:06

"Let me staple this wound."

0:48:060:48:09

Unfortunately this is what happened a week later.

0:48:090:48:12

Oh, my God! That's terrible.

0:48:120:48:14

Yes. I was reaching in my book shelf in my apartment

0:48:140:48:17

and it just, my arm just, it felt like a rip of paper,

0:48:170:48:23

like when jeans rip.

0:48:230:48:25

-I reached for a book...

-Oh, my God!

0:48:250:48:27

..and my whole armpit just opened like that.

0:48:270:48:29

That looks so sore. Oh, my God.

0:48:290:48:32

-Sorry, I'm smiling because it's making me squeamish.

-It's grotesque.

0:48:320:48:37

Yeah. I was with a friend who said, "No, this is really bad.

0:48:370:48:41

"We need to go to an emergency room."

0:48:410:48:44

One of the ER attendants said to me, you know, this is really serious.

0:48:440:48:48

The blood tests showed that there was a quite advanced staph infection

0:48:480:48:53

running through my body.

0:48:530:48:55

It was so severe that the doctor asked my friends to call my parents

0:48:550:48:59

to say, "We're not sure how much we can help her."

0:48:590:49:01

It was that serious.

0:49:010:49:02

-Oh, my God.

-It took about ten days,

0:49:020:49:05

and finally the infection was cleared.

0:49:050:49:07

They had to do a skin graft.

0:49:070:49:09

After my infection was gone,

0:49:090:49:11

they took the skin graft from my thigh,

0:49:110:49:14

and they patched up the hole here.

0:49:140:49:17

Because obviously the severity of this wound,

0:49:170:49:23

-he realised that the median nerve was damaged.

-No.

0:49:230:49:27

I was just told that this kind of damage, you cannot fully recover

0:49:270:49:32

your feeling, and your motor coordination in your hand,

0:49:320:49:37

so, as a classical pianist,

0:49:370:49:38

that's the worst news you could ever think about.

0:49:380:49:42

Your career is gone, basically.

0:49:420:49:44

Sarah is fighting her surgeon in court.

0:49:440:49:47

He maintains that he did nothing wrong.

0:49:470:49:50

I think it's quite a dire situation

0:49:500:49:54

that this doctor is still practising,

0:49:540:49:57

and that people don't know,

0:49:570:50:00

especially foreigners,

0:50:000:50:02

and I feel that it's really, really important

0:50:020:50:05

to just protect people.

0:50:050:50:07

Put this word out there, plastic surgery is great,

0:50:070:50:10

South Korea is number one,

0:50:100:50:12

however, you must be cautious in your decision-making.

0:50:120:50:15

You need to be sure the government backs up this hospital.

0:50:150:50:19

Do your research very thoroughly.

0:50:190:50:23

Meeting Sarah and the lawyer has given me a lot to think about.

0:50:300:50:34

Dr Kim is a certified surgeon, and works at a government backed clinic.

0:50:370:50:41

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hi.

0:50:410:50:43

I've come to meet him to see what surgery he'd recommend for my nose.

0:50:430:50:47

I made some computer simulation surgery for your nose.

0:50:480:50:52

-Yes.

-Right now, you have a very shortened nose.

0:50:520:50:55

With this simulation surgery, we made some correction.

0:50:550:51:00

We can see after surgery

0:51:010:51:04

nose is coming down.

0:51:040:51:07

Yeah.

0:51:070:51:08

For the patient who doesn't have any scar constriction on the skin,

0:51:080:51:13

-we can release much more.

-Of course.

0:51:130:51:16

But for your case, I'm afraid your skin has some constriction.

0:51:160:51:20

-Yes.

-So I am showing you the simulation surgery,

0:51:200:51:23

which can make only some degree of improvement.

0:51:230:51:27

Yes, so this is without the graft, this is just with the...

0:51:270:51:30

-Without graft.

-..just with the cartilage.

0:51:300:51:33

That would be ideal because I don't want to have another skin graft.

0:51:330:51:37

What would you recommend?

0:51:370:51:38

Frankly speaking,

0:51:380:51:40

I think if you want a little more perfect result, you need...

0:51:400:51:43

..still need skin graft.

0:51:430:51:45

-Right.

-Even though you need skin graft,

0:51:450:51:48

I would recommend you to do structure changes first,

0:51:480:51:52

and if you really need it after structure change,

0:51:520:51:56

you can try a skin graft later.

0:51:560:51:59

OK, so you think I can do one and then come back.

0:51:590:52:03

-It's best to actually have a break?

-Yes.

-Ah, OK.

0:52:030:52:07

Do you know what? I can get on board with that.

0:52:070:52:09

I can recommend another very simple one.

0:52:090:52:11

This kind of scar should be released with skin graft.

0:52:110:52:16

For example, your left finger, this joint should flex.

0:52:160:52:20

-I know, it doesn't bend.

-It should flex. You cannot flex that joint.

0:52:200:52:24

-That would be ideal, wouldn't it?

-You cannot flex the joint.

0:52:240:52:27

-No, I can't.

-The first joint should flex like this.

0:52:270:52:29

You think I can bend my finger?

0:52:290:52:31

-Yes.

-Yes, that would be so good.

0:52:310:52:33

I thought this finger would be long gone.

0:52:330:52:35

My hands get really sore.

0:52:350:52:36

-Mm-hm.

-But I don't say anything because there's no point talking,

0:52:360:52:39

and my Sam always takes the piss,

0:52:390:52:41

-he says my hand looks like a flipper.

-Yes.

0:52:410:52:44

This surgery is not to make a cosmetic improvement,

0:52:440:52:47

this is to make a functional improvement,

0:52:470:52:51

to make your fingers work properly.

0:52:510:52:54

-That could be done?

-Yeah.

0:52:540:52:56

-I would love that.

-Yes.

-I'm going to cry, I'm so sorry.

0:52:590:53:03

I'm so embarrassed, sorry.

0:53:080:53:09

I'm so sorry.

0:53:190:53:21

But, yeah, that would be so nice.

0:53:210:53:23

Because my hands, literally, are like... I can't really...

0:53:230:53:27

Like, it's just annoying, and they ache a lot

0:53:290:53:32

and so I didn't think...

0:53:320:53:33

I'm crying because I didn't think I could do anything about it.

0:53:330:53:36

Oh, my God.

0:53:360:53:37

If you're 30 and your hands hurt now,

0:53:370:53:40

I think, you know, what about when I'm, you know,

0:53:400:53:43

50 or 60?

0:53:430:53:45

Do you know what I mean? You don't want...

0:53:450:53:47

Yeah, I just think I worry that in the future my hands will...

0:53:490:53:52

They're going to fail me, because even if I write for, like,

0:53:520:53:55

10, 15 minutes, I'm like, "God, you know, that's got to go."

0:53:550:54:00

So, yeah.

0:54:000:54:01

I want to make you a big improvement of your function of the fingers.

0:54:010:54:05

Yeah. That is so nice.

0:54:050:54:08

That is much more meaningful surgery.

0:54:080:54:10

Thank you so much.

0:54:100:54:12

You're welcome.

0:54:120:54:13

-Thank you. Goodbye.

-Thank you.

0:54:130:54:15

I didn't expect at all that he'd say anything about my hands,

0:54:170:54:20

which was quite interesting because it made me realise

0:54:200:54:22

what actually is important to me.

0:54:220:54:24

Speaking to him today, I got the feeling, not only that

0:54:240:54:27

he can help me functionally, which was a huge shock,

0:54:270:54:30

I didn't think that was on the table for me.

0:54:300:54:32

If I can't use my hands, I can't work, you know.

0:54:320:54:34

That's not something anyone wants to be thinking about at 30.

0:54:340:54:37

And they ache a lot.

0:54:370:54:38

Day-to-day, they pretty much ache.

0:54:380:54:40

So... Yeah, sorry, I keep going on about my hands, but I'm just...

0:54:400:54:44

..so happy about it.

0:54:460:54:47

I made a joke to Sam, I said,

0:54:480:54:51

"Sam, what are you going to do if I come home with, like,

0:54:510:54:53

five different operations that I want?"

0:54:530:54:55

And that is basically what's happened!

0:54:550:54:57

This has gone horribly wrong, hasn't it?

0:54:570:54:59

I thought I would find some inner peace.

0:54:590:55:02

Instead, I'm like, "You know what? I'll take the lot.

0:55:020:55:05

"Thank you very much."

0:55:050:55:06

I'm going to call Myung now, have a little catch up with her and see,

0:55:150:55:19

yeah, how she's looking.

0:55:190:55:22

-Hi!

-Hi!

0:55:250:55:26

So how are you feeling after your surgery?

0:55:260:55:29

It looks brilliant.

0:55:400:55:42

Oh, that's good, that's ideal. That's lovely.

0:55:580:56:00

OK, how about the love life?

0:56:000:56:02

That's why you're not working,

0:56:040:56:05

because you're focusing on the love life! Get back to the work!

0:56:050:56:08

Success then!

0:56:130:56:14

A successful operation. That's ideal.

0:56:140:56:16

-Bye.

-Bye!

0:56:160:56:18

THEY SPEAK KOREAN

0:56:180:56:22

I think I've near enough made my decision about surgery.

0:56:250:56:28

I think I am going to do it.

0:56:280:56:30

Next year. Next year at some point.

0:56:300:56:32

But my head is just not in the game right now.

0:56:320:56:35

Look at me, I'm folding clothes, I'm thinking about him and,

0:56:350:56:37

can I breast-feed and can I actually...

0:56:370:56:40

..will I sleep? Will I be a nice person still,

0:56:410:56:44

or will I hate everyone because I'm tired?

0:56:440:56:47

It's so cute, look at it!

0:56:470:56:49

Actually, if I'm honest, it makes me feel, like,

0:56:490:56:52

I feel a little bit guilty thinking about wanting to have things done

0:56:520:56:55

when I'm having a child and I should be not caring about that,

0:56:550:56:58

and all that mother earth, and all of, you know,

0:56:580:57:01

focusing just on the baby, whereas, you know,

0:57:010:57:04

there's part of me that's still like,

0:57:040:57:06

"No, let's sort that nose out, sunshine."

0:57:060:57:09

What it comes down to, really, is what are you going to regret less?

0:57:090:57:13

It sounds very morbid to say it like that,

0:57:130:57:15

but I think most decisions have to come to that

0:57:150:57:18

because you're never going to be 100% on either decision, ever.

0:57:180:57:21

And, especially with a decision like this, because it is so grey,

0:57:210:57:25

it's not black-and-white at all.

0:57:250:57:27

I think I would regret it less if I went for it.

0:57:270:57:30

In light of history, and how I've lived my life,

0:57:300:57:32

I'm going to have to do it, I know.

0:57:320:57:34

I'm pro...

0:57:350:57:38

..pro-"go for it", so...

0:57:390:57:41

I have to go for it, won't I?

0:57:410:57:43

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