A Brazilian man named Xiahn Nishi, formerly known as Max, was so fascinated by Korean culture after studying abroad in South Korea that he underwent 10 plastic surgery procedures costing around $31,000 to make his appearance more Asian.
Brazilian Man Has 10 Surgeries to Look Korean
When Max, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Brazilian of German descent, traveled to South Korea for a student exchange program, he had no idea it would completely transform his life—or his face.
The young man from Novo Hamburgo in southern Brazil spent a year studying at Dongseo University in Busan. By the time he left, he'd made a decision that would capture global headlines: he would undergo extensive plastic surgery to look more Korean.
The Transformation
Over the course of multiple procedures, Max—who now goes by Xiahn Nishi (sometimes styled as Xiahn Gaúcho Oriental)—spent approximately $31,000 on 10 separate surgeries. The procedures focused primarily on reshaping his eyes.
The skin around his eyes was injected with hyaluronic acid to give them a different shape. He described his vision for the transformation in characteristically direct terms: "I put my fingers inside the eye and pulled. That was the way I wanted to have my eyes."
Beyond surgery, Xiahn committed fully to his new aesthetic. He dyed his blonde hair dark brown, switched to black contact lenses, and completely reinvented his look.
Why Korea?
Xiahn had been fascinated by Korean culture since he was 19, but his time at Dongseo University cemented his desire to transform. He observed something curious while walking the streets of South Korea: many Koreans wore sunglasses and surgical masks following cosmetic procedures.
"Koreans have many surgeries to modify the shape of their eyes and become more like Westerners," he noted, finding a certain irony in his reverse journey.
South Korea consistently ranks among the top countries globally for plastic surgery procedures per capita. In a culture where cosmetic enhancement is remarkably normalized, Xiahn found inspiration for his own transformation.
The Aftermath
When Xiahn's story broke in 2014, reaction was intense—and mixed:
- Some praised his newfound confidence and said he looked more attractive
- Others questioned whether this represented a form of "racial dysphoria"
- Many pointed out the cultural irony of reverse ethnic cosmetic surgery
Xiahn himself has remained philosophical about the criticism. "I think I look handsomer like this," he told the Korea Herald. "Maybe some people think it's not, but I think it is."
He's been clear about one thing: he doesn't consider himself Asian or Korean, but rather "something in between." His father supported his choices; his mother was less understanding.
No Regrets
Despite the backlash, Xiahn has expressed no regrets about his transformation. "You have to be who you want to be," he wrote on Facebook after the story went viral.
He stated he had no plans for additional procedures and seemed content with the results. His stated goal was to eventually move to South Korea permanently—the country that had so completely captured his imagination during that fateful exchange year.
The case of Xiahn Nishi remains one of the most unusual examples of reverse ethnic cosmetic surgery—a man so enchanted by another culture that he literally reshaped his face to match.