Cosmetic surgery as a commodity for ‘sale’ in online news

Abstract

A controversial but increasingly prevalent aspect of media research suggests that the media contributes to the demand for plastic surgery procedures in modern society. This study analyzes the online news content on cosmetic surgery procedures in Korea. Data were collected from ‘Naver,’ the largest Korean portal news archive, from 2007 to 2013. Based on the findings from a quantitative content analysis, the number of articles that pertain to plastic surgery has dramatically increased each year, and since 2007, more than 60% of the news articles portrayed plastic surgery in a positive light. News articles also used strategic patterns to include promotional content. The findings suggest that amid journalism in a highly market-driven environment that struggles to reconcile its role and commercial challenges, plastic surgery, which is a part of the largest advertising sector of online news, has become a commodity.