12 Asian Celebs Who Have Gotten Candid About Getting Plastic Surgery

 Singles’ Inferno S1 contestant Song Ji Ah got her fellow cast members as well as viewers falling for her good looks — which led to interest in whether she had gotten any cosmetic procedure done.

Subsequently, on her YouTube channel, she addressed the rumours, and admitted to getting nose surgery — more specifically, rhinoplasty, done when she was 17 years old. As for her plump lips, they're au naturel. She overlines her lips with lip liner to make them look fuller

One of the biggest actresses in South Korea, Park Min-young has starred in many shows such as Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010), What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018) and Her Private Life (2019). In an interview with Sports Chosun, Park Min-young revealed that she had gotten double eyelid surgery in junior high after she had gotten permission from her mother. She had also gotten her nose fixed as it was crooked.

After pictures of her pre-surgery were released, the actress decided to be frank and confirm the rumours. “I don’t think it’s a bad idea to truthfully state something as is. The past is important, but I hope people focus more on the current ‘actress Park Min Young’," she said.

Phyllis Quek revealed that she had her eyelids done in 2003 in China, transforming her eyelids from single to double. She saw nothing wrong in sharing it then, saying “What’s wrong? It’s a very modern society now.” She also had her signature forehead mole removed.

Local DJ, model and online personality Jade Rasif has never shied away from talking about the cosmetic procedures she has undergone. In a 2018 YouTube talk show Real Talk, she got candid about getting breast enlargement, a nose job at the age of 19, and Botox for her jawline.

That being said, she also shared that she had not accepted plastic surgery sponsorships, as she didn't feel that she should be promoting plastic surgery, especially to her younger viewers, as well as placing emphasis on altering their looks.

In 2013, rumours started swirling on the Internet that the 2NE1 member had gotten plastic surgery after her looks had drastically changed. Minzy and her then-management YG Entertainment later came out to confirm the rumours. She had shared that the surgery was part-cosmetic and part-medical as she was suffering from rhinitis.

“There’s a lot of talk about my change in appearance these days. I’m not the type of person who can hide things, so I wanted to come out and tell everyone right away. I had been suffering from rhinitis for a long time, so I always had a hard time while singing and dancing. When I went to the hospital, they told me that because my nose was crooked, I had to get surgery for a perfect recovery.”

In 2010, the Taiwanese TV host openly revealed that his mother had given him a birthday gift in the form of a NT$20,000 (S$900) eyelid surgery.

This procedure involved the removal of excess fat from his eyelids to reduce puffiness. Lee Teng candidly shared with a local English tabloid that his naturally puffy eyes had given him a perpetually drowsy appearance, leading producers to frequently request a more alert look when on set. He also let on that applying double eyelid tape was both inconvenient and embarrassing, as it often came undone when he perspired.

The K-pop star is unabashed about her past plastic surgeries. Jessi shared that under her then-agency’s recommendation, she had gotten her eyes and nose done. She, however, came to regret it after looking at the results. “I regret getting surgery. Before I debuted, I wasn’t very photogenic. So my agency recommended I get my nose and eyes done so I did. When I first saw my new face, I cried because I thought I looked like a monster.”

The Zoom singer also opened up about having breast implants done. “I’m a human too, so I end up looking at negative comments. A lot of them talk about how it’s obvious I got breast implants… I paid for the surgery with my own money! Why do I have to hide it?”

The outspoken host confessed in 2005 to having had a nose job done in Taiwan. She, however, warned others of cosmetic surgery and the negative impacts it could have as she had to reverse her botched rhinoplasty after 10 days. Quan Yifeng was eventually left with a crooked nose implant. She later had it fixed in South Korea.

Better known by her online moniker Bong Qiu Qiu, Singapore influencer Ang Chiew Ting has had 10 cosmetic surgery procedures done, which started with her first alarplasty (nostril narrowing) in 2012. Later on, she also underwent the knife to recontour her jawline, had full-face fat grafting, zygoma (cheekbone) reduction and chin augmentation, amongst others.

In a 2016 interview with The Straits Times on whether she was bothered by the fact that she had problems recognising her former self, she shared, “I feel that, generally, I still look the same, except that I now have better make-up, better skin, better features – it is just an enhanced version of the old me. I don’t think I look vastly different, just prettier."

Having worn eyelid tape for years, Elva Hsiao decided to take the plunge and have her eyelids done. She shared in 2009 that she was done with the hassle and damage of the tape which led her to the decision. Elva also had a rhinoplasty to correct an accident when she was younger while having had many aesthetic treatments done, including lasers to lighten her scar.

The late Mandopop diva Coco Lee revealed that she had gone under the knife for double eyelid surgery. On plastic surgery, she stated, “I think plastic surgery is fine if it helps women to be more confident and happier.

Kim Yu-jin, or better known by her stage name Uee, was a former member of the girl group After School. On the show Sang Sang Plus, Uee professed to have had her eyes done. She added that the decision was made as her eyes were “naturally uneven” and she “wanted to even them out,” leading her to undergo minor surgery.


Text: Ho Guo Xiong/Her World. Additional text: Michelle Lee


This article was originally published on Nov 6, 2022, and updated on Oct 16, 2023.