Nearly half of the teenage boys in Seoul think they could go under the knife to make themselves look better, a poll showed Thursday, in a growing sign of their liberal attitude toward a once-taboo subject.

According to the survey by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, 49.4 percent of the male adolescents between 15 and 19 in Seoul said "yes" when asked if they would get surgery to enhance their looks. Only 16.9 percent answered "no."

It marks a sharp turnaround from 2007, when 38 percent rejected cosmetic surgery as an option, compared with 32 percent who favored it.

A survey conducted by the city government in 2011 showed that looks were a top concern among male youths, ranking fourth after academics, future careers and relationship issues.

According to the latest poll conducted last year, more males aged 15 and older viewed plastic surgery in a positive light than they did before. About 33 percent of them considered nip and tuck a possibility, outpacing the 29.5 percent that didn't.

That compares to seven years ago, when only 16.8 percent considered cosmetic surgery a real option, much lower than the 58.9 percent who rejected it.

More young men in Seoul also believed that they are being judged based on their looks. Last year, nearly 8 percent of men between 20 and 24 said people were being discriminated against based on looks, the fourth-biggest reason after education, income and occupation, according to the findings. (Yonhap)