I lived in Asia for 7 years, and I can attest that there's more of an emphasis on looks there. I didn't spend a lot of time in Korea, but several friends did. One friend said there were little mirrors inside the bathroom stalls (even the squatty potties) so girls could "fix themselves" before going to class. This was at a Jr. High school. She said she's never been in a place that emphasized looks more than Korea.