‘It’s okay to be ugly, not fat’

Hale and hearty: Shamsutdinova struggled to keep up with body acceptance but eventually settled on getting healthier. — Photo courtesy of Alina Shamsutdinova / The Korea Herald / ANN

Tackling body shaming is difficult in South Korea where many are obsessed with dieting and body image.

ALINA Shamsutdinova thinks she can’t dress up to her potential in South Korea. The 23-year-old Kazakhstani arrived in Seoul in 2011, as an international student, in hope of learning about the country of her ethnic origin. Born to third-generation ethnic Koreans in Kazakhstan, she grew up thinking she was beautiful, feeling confident and comfortable in her skin.