Size matters? Unpacking penile surgery trends in Korea
Lim, a 30-year-old office worker, was taken aback when she first saw her new boyfriend's altered anatomy.
He had undergone surgery to insert silicone implants in the shape of beads or rings beneath the skin of the glans, transforming the penis into a sunflower-like shape, commonly known as Sunflower Surgery or T-Ring Surgery here.
"I was surprised, but it was a good surprise — a positive one," she remarked.
This surgery is primarily used to increase girth and enhance sexual pleasure by allowing the implants to rub against the vaginal walls during intercourse, delivering intense orgasmic sensations, according to Lim.
Historically, bigger has not always meant better. Some cultures preferred a more compact member.
According to research by historian Paul Chrystal, the ancient Greeks associated smaller penises with their ideals of male beauty, viewing them as symbols of sophisticated culture and civilization. This perspective is highlighted in Chrystal's book "In Bed with the Ancient Greeks."
Despite these historical exceptions, penile enlargement continues to be one of the most common sexual surgeries pursued by men in Korea today.
For many, size does indeed matter. Men are often subjected to societal pressures — both explicit and implicit — that suggest small is shameful, frequently making penis size a subject of humor and jokes.
Perhaps due to this backdrop, Korean men show keen interest in penile enlargement surgeries, and many, like 35-year-old office worker surnamed Ha, report undergoing such procedures.
'I had penile enlargement surgery, and I am a former army non-commissioned officer. Most of my unit's peers, juniors and seniors also had it done.'
Ha underwent the sunflower surgery about 10 years ago. Prices for the basic procedure start at around 500,000 won ($365), with additional features costing more.
Ha, who declined to offer his full name, expressed satisfaction with the procedure, stating, "My girlfriends are satisfied, and my former colleagues say their wives and girlfriends are satisfied too."
However, he noted occasional discomfort, feeling as if foreign objects were lodged inside.
Another individual, a 25-year-old university student using the pseudonym Kim Min-jae, underwent penile enlargement surgery at a urology clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, last year.
Kim explained that his motivation for the surgery stemmed from a painful personal experience.
"I happened to see an Instagram DM exchange a few years ago, between my then-girlfriend and her friend discussing their sexual experiences with their partners," he said.
"She mentioned that mine was significantly smaller than her previous boyfriends' and that she couldn't feel much pleasure with me. Discovering this by chance on her phone was devastating and led me to a point of depression."
Determined to address his perceived inadequacy, Kim measured his penis and found that while his length was within the average range, his girth was about 1 cm less than average.
This realization prompted him to consider surgery. He opted for a "fat grafting" procedure, also known as fat transfer phalloplasty, which involves extracting fat from areas like the inner thigh or abdomen, purifying it, transferring it into syringes and evenly injecting it into the penile shaft to increase girth.
"Immediately after the surgery, my girth increased by 1.5 to 2 centimeters, and after six months, it stabilized at about 1 centimeter more. Although the pain when waking from anesthesia was intense, I've since felt much less self-conscious," Kim said.
Dr. Lee Haeng-nam, a specialist in urology, stated, "Using one's own fat eliminates the risk of allergic reactions, leading to a lower likelihood of complications. Due to these advantages, four out of five patients seeking penis enlargement surgery, regardless of age, choose this procedure and report high satisfaction."
The benefits of this procedure are supported by a study published in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in September 2011, which reported an overall patient satisfaction rate of 92 percent and a satisfaction rate regarding the shape of 90 percent. The study found an average increase in penile girth of 2.3 cm post-surgery, according to Lee.
Lee also noted that while this procedure is beneficial for the general population, individuals with naturally small penises or micropenis conditions may find particularly high satisfaction levels.
According to Lee, the average penile girth for Korean men is between 6 to 7cm when flaccid, but 25 percent of Korean men either have a "micropenis" — less than 4 cm — or experience dissatisfaction, known as micropenis complex.
These procedures, however, come with reports of ineffectiveness or severe side effects.
The American Urological Association warns that most penile enlargement techniques are ineffective and risky, citing complications such as ineffective fat injections, unsafe ligament divisions and various surgical risks.
An anonymous individual recently shared his experience on the online forum DC Gallery about undergoing augmentation with dermal substitutes in Korea.
He described enduring severe pain, incurring costs of 4 million won to 5 million won, and experiencing inflammation, which ultimately required the removal of the dermal substitutes.
"Before the surgery, my flaccid length was 5cm, and when erect, it was 11cm with a 10cm girth. After the surgery, there was only a slight increase in flaccid length, but I encountered relentless pain. Remember that satisfaction varies greatly between individuals; think twice before deciding.'
jenn@heraldcorp.com
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