Just ahead of the launching of its fifth season, tvN‘s popular beauty show Let Me In held its press conference on June 4th.
As the program stirred much controversy during its past seasons, many questions were directed to the production team members rather than the starring celebrities.
The make-over beauty show selects female applicants suffering from mental, emotional, and physical distress due to their appearance. Despite the program’s positive intention to help those women, many have criticized the program’s instigating social values focused on appearance and looks.
PD Park Hyun Woo stated, “‘Let Me In’ is not a cosmetic surgery program. Plastic surgery is a tool that can change one woman’s life as well as strengthen her self-esteem, [plastic surgery] that itself is not our goal. Although it has not been broadcasted, but these women live together for two to six months and get trained for regular workouts and employment counseling. Such a shame that plastic surgery is the only thing emphasized.”
In light of the flooding criticisms regarding previous applicants’ nicknames, such as “Women with the Belly,” “Women with Giant Gum,” “Women from Kunta Gintae,” and more, PD Park explained, “During Season 1, it is true that we used provocative nicknames. But starting Season 2, we made nicknames after referring to applicant’s stories. If the applicant tell us, ‘I was teased for my looks during my school years, and I want to erase that part of me,’ then we make nickname according to that rather than their appearance.”
Following, one of the plastic surgeon and director Yang Jae Jin commented, “‘Let Me In‘ is not merely a program to become pretty. The program aims to help women experiencing difficulty in the society with their genetic deformity, functional damage, and more to establish amicable personal relations and functional ability in the work environment. Although standards of beauty may change depending on the era, the standards of living the norm does not change much in the society.”
Let Me In 5 is set to air June 5th at 11:30pm KST starring MCs Hwang Cine, g.o.d‘s Son Ho Young, announcer Choi Hee, and actress Lee Yoon Ji.
In the meantime, take a look at some of the most liked comments by netizens:
1. [+3875,-77] After watching this program, I realized that our society deeply values physical appearances…
2. [+3007,-205] ㅋㅋㅋㅋI mean.. some of the women in the show don’t even need plastic surgery but Let Me In is making them into plastic surgery monsters..ㅠㅠ
3. [+2142,-205] I hope this program ends.
4. [+1744,-177] Do you have to be pretty? Rather than just being pretty, I prefer unique charms
5. [+975,-28] It’s not right, not all women need to be “pretty.” Why do all women need to pretty, it’s something impossible genetically. Because of that darn perception that women must be beautiful, all women who regards them ugly go through plastic surgery.
Source: No Cut News and No Cut News via Naver
