A Curious Essay for Shared Appreciation: Korean Scholar Analyzes Why China Historically Attacked Korea—To Seize Beautiful Women

A Korean scholar claims that historically, the Central Plains dynasties of China attacked the Korean Peninsula with the primary aim of seizing beautiful women. This, the scholar argues, is a major reason why the modern people of the Republic of Korea are considered unattractive in appearance.

The study suggests that the original inhabitants of the Korean Peninsula were themselves not especially attractive. After being conquered by northern Chinese nomadic tribes, intermarriage and the blending of peoples improved the genetic stock, resulting in a population where some of the mixed-race individuals were notably beautiful.

Later, following the downfall of a certain Chinese dynasty, a remnant group withdrew to the Korean Peninsula and established their own regime, thereby introducing Central Plains culture and prompting another wave of ethnic integration. This led to a period when most residents of the peninsula were tall and attractive, and beauties could be found everywhere. Unfortunately, a portion of the population lost the advantages of hybrid vigor and became characterized by broad faces, small eyes, thick and short necks, short stature, short legs, and single eyelids—traits that have come to define the general appearance of modern Koreans.

From the 7th to the 9th centuries and beyond, successive Central Plains dynasties demanded beautiful women from Korea, sometimes numbering in the thousands or tens of thousands. Over time, this depleted the number of beautiful women on the peninsula, leaving mainly those with less desirable genetic traits. As generations passed, these traits became fixed, giving rise to the appearance of today’s Koreans.

The article goes on to discuss the reasons behind the flourishing beauty industry in Korea today. Since genetic change is currently beyond reach, people have resorted to physical alteration instead.