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S-Lines, V-Lines, and 12 More Korean Body Lines
In case you're wondering, this has nothing to do with ancient acupuncture meridians.
This is all about today in South Korea, where it's become so commonplace to hear the terms S-Line and V-Line mentioned on television that the locals there might be astonished to learn that not many outside of Seoul are that familiar with the Korean obsession of objectifying Asian body shapes by assigning them letters from the Latin (in essence, Western) alphabet.
To bring you up to date, here's a summary of the most common Korean "body lines":
S-Line - Ample breasts and buttocks when viewed from the side
V-Line - A slim and oval face narrowing towards the chin
W-Line - Breasts viewed from the front
X-Line - Long legs and arms connected by a narrow waist
U-Line - Exposed lower back in low cut clothing
V-Line (second use) - The line in-between the breasts
M-Line - A "six pack" of abdominal muscles on men
8-Line - A number used to indicate an S-line married to a tiny waist
Cultural observers criticize such body line designations as little more than commercial gimmicks intended to encourage teens and young women to evaluate their bodies in an overly critical light, using non-Asian letters to objectify living flesh with artificial and unnatural beauty ideals. The popular media, however, seems oblivious.
There are other body lines, too:
D-Line - A pregnant (or pregnant-appearing) abdomen
B-LIne - Big breasts, big abdomen
O-Line - General obesity
Victorian-era corsets and girdles are said to be making a comeback. Cosmetics companies, clothing designers, dealers of exercise equipment, diet aids, soft drinks, and a line of beer now often feature a prominent S or V in their branding or packaging. Pop celebrities openly discuss their own altered lines.
Not to miss out, some doctors have attached the alphabet names to serious maxillofacial and body operations (a practice common in the United States, as well).
With the best letters of the alphabet already taken, new body lines are now employing other simple objects with known shapes as descriptors, most notably glass containers. According to the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, the Beer Bottle Line indicates narrow or dropped shoulders and overall flab, while the Jar Line indicates loss of a well-defined waist.
A designation for the anorexic figure seems to be missing (how about I-Line or maybe Zero-Line?). And none of the terms above quite capture the "hourglass" set of curves so popular in American culture (although 8-Line comes the closest).
Finally, there is the "8 Deung-Shin" (perhaps better called the
1/8-Line?), which indicates one's face is so small that it accounts for only 1/8 of the body (supposedly delivered as a high compliment in Korea).
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