'I lost my confidence after I joined showbiz': Hong Ling considered plastic surgery after criticism about her nose and jawline

Do only beautiful people get to enter showbiz?

That was a question on actress Zoe Tay's mind in the latest episode of The Zoe and Liang Show, where she discussed the perks of being good-looking with fellow host Guo Liang and their younger guests, actors Benjamin Tan and Hong Ling.

"I think it makes entering showbiz easier," Benjamin admitted.

Hong Ling agreed: "Appearance may matter more at first. If you don't stand out in terms of your looks, it may take you a longer time [to become famous] or you'll need a special talent or good acting skills."

Benjamin, 30, pointed to auditions, where "the first thing they see is always your appearance" to see if you're fit for a role.

"They'll only see if you have the talent after that. So I think looks are the most important in showbiz," he added.

In an industry where attractiveness is paramount, someone who felt the negative impact was Hong Ling herself.

"I think I lost confidence gradually after I joined showbiz," the 28-year-old said. "I felt that I look okay, but many people criticised my looks and that was the first thing they'd go after."

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She described how some people said her nose bridge was too high, and pointed out the irony in people asking her to consider getting plastic surgery to shave it down when others with a lower nose bridge would get implants "to make it higher".

People also criticised Hong Ling for her "rectangular jaw".

"I'd considered getting it shaved," she admitted. "I was despondent, so I called my good friend who's a makeup artist. They told me that if I got my jaw shaved, I'd look just like an average influencer."

Taking that piece of advice, she didn't get the plastic surgery, and now feels glad that she didn't change that aspect of herself.

Plastic surgery as a confidence booster

Despite choosing not to get the jaw surgery herself, Hong Ling has no issues with people getting cosmetic surgery for the right reasons.

She explained: "If it can help you gain confidence, I think it's fine. But a lot of people fail to solve the real reason behind their lack of confidence even after going under the knife."

Hong Ling spoke about a friend of hers who wanted cosmetic surgery, and she told them to go for it for the aforementioned reasons.

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But despite getting four nose jobs, she noticed that her friend just didn't have the self-confidence and "cosmetic surgery can't help them".

"It's their mindset that needs to change," she added.

Zoe agreed, also being a proponent for cosmetic surgery.

"I used to be strongly against it, but then I watched a variety show from South Korea," the 55-year-old said.

She explained the show to be about a team of plastic surgeons who would find a person off the streets who "did look kind of unsightly" and would completely transform them with surgery.

"So I became more understanding [after watching the show]," Zoe added. "Perhaps cosmetic surgery can help them gain a boost of confidence."

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYoJisNeFSs&ab_channel=Entertainment-Mediacorp[/embed]

ALSO READ: 'It's a never-ending chase': Why Hong Ling plans to retire in 10 years and lead simple life overseas

drimac@asiaone.com

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