Let's trim our hair in accordance with the socialist lifestyle

Infobox Korean name
context=north
hangul=사회주의적 생활양식에 맞게 머리단장을 잘하자
hanja=에 게 을 하자
rr=Sahoejuuijeok saenghwallyangsige matge meoridanjangeul jalhaja
mr=Sahoejuŭijŏk saenghwallyangsige matke mŏridanchangŭl charhaja

"Let's trim our hair in accordance with the socialist lifestyle" [ [http://news.naver.com/news/read.php?mode=LSD&office_id=001&article_id=0000932536&section_id=100&menu_id=100 _ko. 北, 장발족 또 공개망신] , 2005-03-06, Yonhap (Korean)] was part of a North Korean government propaganda campaign promulgating grooming and dress standards. It was broadcast on the state-run Korean Central Television in the capital of Pyongyang. The television program claimed that hair length can affect human intelligence, in part because of the deprivation to the rest of the body of nutrients required for hair to grow. This is at odds with the mainstream medical understanding that hair growth is unaffected by the amount of previously grown hair that remains attached to the body.

An initial five-part series in the show "Common Sense" featured officially endorsed haircut styles, while a later series went a step further by showing certain men as examples of how "not" to trim hair.

The series is part of a larger media campaign that began in autumn 2004, promoting proper attire and neat appearances in men, appearing in print and radio as well as on television.

The show encourages the state-mandated short hairstyles, such as the flat-top crew cut, middle hairstyle, low hairstyle, and high hairstyle. It says that hair should be kept between 1 cm and 5 cm in length, and recommends haircuts for men every 15 days. The country's official hairstyles also allow men over 50 years old to grow their upper hair up to 7 cm long, to disguise balding.

In the second series, individuals were interviewed about their hairstyles.

Western news articles (see below) reported that people were forced to be interviewed, that their names were displayed on television and that 'bad' haircuts were criticized.

Notes

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4157121.stm BBC report on the show]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/korea/article/0,2763,1388283,00.html Guardian Unlimited article on the show]