Is cosmetic surgery about more than just a pretty face?

整容关乎的是否不仅仅是一张漂亮的脸蛋？

A TV show in South Korea argues that for some people, not only their looks but also their lives can be radically improved by going under the knife.

韩国的一个电视节目认为，对某些人来说是这样，动刀子不仅会彻底改变他们的相貌，他们的生活也会随之发生巨大的变化。

Since its premiere two years ago on female-targeted cable network On Style, 'Let Me In,' an English/Korean portmanteau roughly translated as 'let women be beautiful,' has invited women with 'abnormal' facial or body features to undergo surgical procedures to alter their physical appearance and increase their self-esteem.

该节目名叫《Let Me In》，是英文和韩文合成词，大概相当于“让女人变美”的意思。该节目从两年前开始在韩国女性频道On Style上播出，邀请面部或身体有“异常”特征的女性进行整容，以改变她们的外貌──以及提升她们的自尊。

The accounts of their emotional struggles and their stunning transformations have drawn record ratings, along with controversy about the portrayal of plastic surgery in a purely positive light.

对这些女性情感挣扎经历以及惊人的变身过程的讲述，令该节目创造了收视纪录，但同时以正面角度刻画整容手术也引起了争议。

At a recent press conference for the launch of the show's third season, the production team challenged the accusation that the series encouraged more women to undergo potentially dangerous cosmetic surgery.

外界谴责该节目鼓励了更多女性进行存在危险的整容手术。在最近举行的节目第三季首播新闻发布会上，制作团队对这种谴责进行了回应。

Park Hyun-woo, the show's producer, said its selection committee, which includes plastic surgeons and a psychiatrist, only approves those candidates who can be substantially helped by surgery, rather than those looking to get a free makeover.

节目制作人Park Hyun-woo说，甄选委员会的成员包括多位整容医生及一位精神病医生，他们只选择能通过整容得到很大帮助的候选人，而不是那些希望得到免费整容的人。

'Just speaking about their physical appearance issues seemed to make them feel better,' said Mr. Park, adding that the stress from being unattractive is a real issue for the contestants. The number of people applying for the show has grown more than 12 times to 4,300 for the next series, which begins this week with male participants for the first time.

Park说：“谈论选手的外貌问题似乎能让他们更好受些”，他说选手真正的问题是因为丑带来的压力。下一季申请参加节目的人数增加了12倍多，达到4,300人。该季从上周开始播出，首次出现了男性参选。

'It's easy to say the standards of beauty are unfair or wrong, but if you haven't been in their shoes and couldn't carry on a normal life because of your looks, you shouldn't judge,' said Yang Jae-jin, the psychiatrist in the team.

团队中的精神病医生Yang Jae-jin说：“说‘美的标准’不公平或是有错很容易，但如果你没有亲身经历，没有因为相貌而无法进行正常生活的经历，你就不应该评头论足。”

Beauty-related angst is common in South Korea, especially among the younger generation, because of a deep-rooted perception that good looks give you an edge in securing coveted work or other positions.

在韩国，人们普遍为外貌感到焦虑，特别是年轻人，因为根深蒂固的观念认为美貌会为找到好工作提供优势。

Over a quarter of college students are said to consider cosmetic surgery for this reason, according to a recent survey by an online career portal site.

据一家在线求职门户网站近期所做的问卷调查显示，超过四分之一的大学生考虑进行整容是出于这个原因。

The trend was reinforced by precarious job market conditions after the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the global economic downturn since 2008, according to Hur Song-woo, director of gender studies and activism at the Graduate School of NGO Studies at Sungkonghoe University in Seoul.

首尔圣公会大学(Sungkonghoe University)非政府组织研究研究生院性别研究及激进主义系主任Hur Song-woo表示，从1997年亚洲金融危机和2008年以来的全球经济萧条后，就业市场的状况就变得很不稳定，这使这种整容趋势得到了加强。

'It's become a sign of an ambitious young female professional who's making an investment before entering the market,' said Ms. Hur. 'Those unable to afford plastic surgery, those with physical disabilities and those with a darker skin will be excluded further.'

Hur说：“整容成为了胸怀大志的年轻职业女性在进入就业市场前进行的一种投资。那些没钱做整容的、身体有残疾的以及肤色偏黑的人会被进一步排除在就业市场之外。”

In the era of the ultra-competitive job market, women are encouraged to become more beautiful either to gain an advantage in the career race or to marry, according to Ms. Hur.

Hur称，在就业竞争异常激烈的时代，女性被鼓励要变得更美，这将帮助女性无论是在职场竞争中还是在婚姻市场中获取优势。

South Korea has the world's highest number of cosmetic surgery procedures per capita, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

据国际美容整形医生学会(International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons)统计，韩国的人均整容率居世界第一。

Two past participants at last week's press conference supported Ms. Hur's argument, saying their improved looks pushed them to pursue bigger dreams.

在最近这次新闻发布会上，两位过去参与的选手支持了Hur的观点，她们说外貌的改观使得她们能够追求更大的梦想。

Park So-hyun, 24, from the inaugural season said she 'didn't know (she) was so loved by others' until after her face and body were transformed through multiple surgery and months of exercise. Ms. Park abandoned her studies in design to pick up art therapy, she said, in order to help others with similar inner struggles through beauty.

第一季选手，24岁的Park So-hyun说，她“不知道自己被其他人这么喜欢”，直到脸部和身体通过多次手术和数月的锻炼后得到改变。她说，她放弃了设计专业，转而学习艺术理疗，以帮助其他因为外貌有相似内心挣扎的人。

Hur Ye-eun, 21, who said Ms. Park's episode inspired her participation during the second season, said she feels she's judged by appearance even more after the surgery, including by her parents. Initially at a loss for words to express their thoughts about their unrecognizable daughter, they soon raised their expectations for her future, she said.

21岁的Hur Ye-eun说Park参与的那一集激励了她参加第二季的节目。她说，她觉得在手术后自己被“以貌取人”得更厉害了，包括自己的父母。她说，起初他们认不出自己的女儿，无法用言语表达自己对她的看法，但很快就对她的未来抱有了更大期望。

'My mom told me: 'You shouldn't let your face go to waste,'' said Ms. Hur, suggesting her prospects are brighter thanks to her newfound beauty.

Hur说：“我妈妈告诉我：‘你不应该浪费自己的脸蛋’”。她表示因为自己刚刚得到的美貌，她的未来更光明了。

But those turning to surgical enhancements should be cautioned that so-called 'objective' beauty will change in the future due to shifting tastes, according to Noh Jai-sung, head of psychiatry and behavioral sciences department at Ajou University in Suwon.

但水原亚洲大学(Ajou University)精神病学及行为科学系主任Noh Jai-sung表示，进行整容的人应该谨慎，因为所谓的“客观标准的”美在未来会由于品味变化而发生改变。

'It'd be easier for us to wear masks, like we wear clothes,' said Mr. Noh. 'What they're doing now is just avoiding showing who they are.'

他说：“对我们来说戴上面具更容易，就像穿衣服，他们现在所做的只是在避免展示真正的自己。”