by MICHELLE WOO
In the swarm of headlines about extreme dieting, undernourishment, slimming products and image-obsession in South Korea, here’s something that makes us scream, “AT LAST!” A new plus-size fashion magazine has launched in Seoul. Its goal is to promote healthy body images and help women accept themselves no matter what their size.
66100 is the brainchild of Vivian Kim (who goes by Kim Ji-yang in Korea), the first Korean model to debut at Full Figured Fashion Week in Los Angeles. Size 66 is the Korean equivalent of women’s XL in the United States. “100” refers to large clothes for men.
Kim, who is 5-foot-5 and 154 pounds, told Korea Times that it’s hard finding plus-size women in Korea who feel confident enough to be featured in a magazine, but she hopes that the publication will open up a new market and encourage clothing companies to cater to different body types. She says Korean women don’t feel as stressed out while shopping in the U.S. simply because there are more sizes available.
Using her personal savings, Kim printed 1,000 copies of the first edition of 61000, and so far, it’s been well-received.
“Beauty is not about whether a person is fat or not,” her motto states. “It’s about having the confidence to know you are beautiful the way you are.”
Thanks to reader Tami Jackson for the tip!
