Three Chinese women are stranded at a South Korean airport because their passport photos do not match their faces. The women just had cosmetic surgery to change their looks. The surgery changed their faces so much that passport control officers could not confirm their identity. Their faces were swollen from the surgery and were bandaged. Photos of the women went viral. A website reported that the women were not allowed on their return flight to China. They were held for questioning by airport authorities. It is still unclear when the women can return to China.
South Korea is the cosmetic surgery capital of the world. Cosmetic surgery tourism from China is booming. More than 500,000 Chinese people go to clinics in South Korea every year. Many clinics specialize in making clients look more "Western". Cosmetic surgery is also very popular with South Koreans. Around half of women under 30 in Seoul have probably had surgery. Many parents encourage their children to have surgery to get a "competitive edge" in the job market. There are even hugely popular TV shows that feature before and after transformations.