SEOUL, South Korea — Government guidelines aimed at promoting more diversity in South Korea's K-pop world have been withdrawn after critics said they amounted to state censorship of a booming industry. The guidelines issued last week complained that K-pop stars looked too alike, saying "the problem of ... uniformity among singers is serious", and noting most idols were thin and wore identical make-up and skimpy outfits. South Korea's K-pop world is a multi-billion-dollar business, but so too is the plastic surgery industry in the image-obsessed country, and tens of thousands of people go under the knife every year in pursuit of the perfect look. "It is truly surprising that South Korea is doing what communist dictatorships, like China and North Korea, would consider doing," one online critic said. The ministry alluded to the impact TV celebrities have on young people in the guidelines.

Source: Philippine Star February 20, 2019 07:07 UTC