Oli London is a British-born internet personality who has gained fame and controversy for his multiple plastic surgeries to look like Jimin, a member of the South Korean boy band BTS. London has also identified as non-binary and Korean, sparking backlash from many people who accused him of cultural appropriation and racism. But how did London look before his surgeries? And what motivated him to undergo such drastic transformations? Here is everything you need to know about Oli London before surgery.
Oli London’s Early Life and Interest in Korea
London was born on January 14, 1990, in England. His father is an interior designer and his mother is a housewife. London’s interest in South Korea began in 2013, after arriving in Seoul to teach English for a year. London’s partner, a Korean, taught him many Korean phrases; but according to London, he forgot almost everything he was taught due to his poor memory. He also began researching the country’s culture, and became familiar with many South Korean music groups. He became particularly interested in BTS, and began idolising popular member Jimin. London said that he was attracted by Jimin’s round face, beautiful eyes, and smile.
Oli London’s First Surgeries and Media Attention
London began having surgeries designed to make his face resemble Jimin in 2013. He spent more than $100,000 on cosmetic procedures, including rhinoplasty, jawline surgery, chin implants, cheekbone reduction, eyelid surgery, and skin whitening injections. London said that he wanted to have white skin because it is considered a sign of perfection or beauty in Korea. He also said that he felt unhappy with his appearance and identity, and that he wanted to escape from his reality.
London first hit headlines in 2018, when it was revealed that he had spent more than $100,000 on cosmetic surgery to resemble Jimin . He appeared in a 2018 episode of the Barcroft TV documentary series Hooked On The Look, which presented his multi-surgery process to look like Jimin. He also appeared on other TV shows, such as Dr. Phil and Botched, where he received criticism and advice from experts and celebrities.
Oli London’s Career and Controversies
In 2019, London began his K-pop career by releasing the single “Perfection”, a bilingual English-Korean song revolving on the euphoria he felt after getting his surgeries. The song received negative reviews from music critics for its excessive autotune. In 2020, London released a Christmas song called “Christmas in Korea”. Like his other song, he received backlash, this time for cultural reasons.
In 2021, London starred in the partially fictionalised short documentary film Gangnam Beauty. It was screened at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, and London starred in two roles: as himself and as a sculptor forced to make fourteen different masks to save their village from the gods’ wrath .
In June 2021, London announced that he had undergone more surgeries, including a facelift, a brow lift, a temple lift, an eye surgery—a canthoplasty—and his teeth done. He also said that he had transitioned to a non-binary person who identifies as Korean and Jimin. He shared a video on YouTube and a revised image of the South Korean flag with rainbow stripes on Twitter. He asked people to refer to him as they/them, Korean/Jimin. He said that he felt more connected to Korean culture than the U.K.’s, and that he finally felt beautiful and happy.
London’s announcement sparked outrage from many people who accused him of disrespecting Korean culture and identity. Many people also questioned his mental health and expressed concern for his well-being. Some people defended him and said that he had the right to identify as whatever he wanted.
FAQ
- How old is Oli London?
- Oli London is 35 years old as of 2023.
- What is Oli London’s net worth?
- Oli London’s net worth is estimated $1 million as of October 2023.
- What is Oli London’s religion?
- Oli London has not revealed his religion publicly. However, he has said that he converted to Christianity in 2020 and was planning to receive baptism in the Catholic Church. He has also shown interest in Buddhism and Hinduism.
