New Korean Plus Size Fashion Magazine Seeks To Promote Healthy Body Image
There’s a new plus size fashion magazine in Korea that has set out to change the perception of plus size fashion in a country where many are obsessed with dieting and body image.
This new Korean plus size fashion magazine is called 66100 and it is the brainchild of Kim Ji-yang, a 28-yr old plus size model in Korea. Kim was the first Korean woman to become a plus size model in the United States in 2010. She works under the name Vivian Kim in the US.
Here in the US, plus size models are a size 14+ and are 5’7″ and above. However, Korea views plus size differently. Kim is 5’5″ and weighs 154 pounds and is considered plus size in her country. She wears a size 88, which translates to an XXL in the US. Any woman wearing a size 66 and above is considered plus size in Korea. A 66 is considered an XL in the US.
Therefore, the name of this plus size fashion magazine reflects the sizes in Korea that are considered to be plus size. As we mentioned before, 66 is considered an XL for women and 100 is the men’s clothing version of an XL.
Kim knows the obstacles she would face, launching a plus size fashion magazine in a country where many are body-image obsessed and are constantly dieting in fear of being stigmatized because of their weight. Her goal with this plus size fashion magazine is to promote a healthy body image and help women accept themselves no matter what their size.
Her mission is summed up simply in her motto:
“Beauty is not about whether a person is fat or not. It’s about having the confidence to know you are beautiful the way you are.”
Kim admits that it is hard to find plus size models in Korea and she told the Korea Times that she hopes her plus size fashion magazine will help create a market for plus size women that will include more plus size models being used and more plus sizes available in fashion.
“The reason why many Korean women feel good when they go overseas is because they do not feel stressed out about shopping or wearing fashion because there are diverse sizes available.”
Kim used her own savings to publish 1,000 copies of the first edition of 66100 and told the Korea Times that the response has been well received. She hopes to grow her readership since the survival of her plus size fashion magazine hinges on reader response.
You can learn more about 66100 by clicking here. Please note the website is in Korean and will need to be translated.