Soldiers in South Korea can now skip shaving while off duty

I run into this a lot, but I never understood why not being shaven means you don't look presentable. And what even is "presentable?" Are we supposed to act like we're on the high rungs of society and dine only in five star restaurants and be impeccably groomed at all times while speaking with an arrogant inflection and holding our pinkies up every time we take a sip of imported champagne?
Or are we talking about clean decent enough to be seen in public? I can rock my full beard and still be fully showered, deodorized, and put on a uniform without being considered a hobo. South Korea doesn't live in a bubble of self-importance. They know Americans like their beards, they've seen enough of our media to know all about beards. I would say it's insulting to South Koreans to assume that they would turn their noses up at us for simply letting our hair grow a little bit.

And on that, has anyone actually ever asked a civilian what they think about the military and beards? Because I have. And most can't fathom why we can't have them. Men with beards, and yes, this is scientifically proven, specifically by psychologists across the world (to include the University of Northumbria) appear more masculine, more aggressive, and more competent. A bunch of baby-faced soldiers rushing at you ain't gonna scare you much. But a bunch of freaking Vikings? You ain't winning that battle.

Your partly right, within reason of course. A Soldier acting like a Soldier is presentable in itself, but lets be serious it is Korea and more Soldiers get in to trouble there than anywhere else so as a whole we have already burned the bridge of respecting the hosting country. With that said, you can be presentable without shaving, it's the attitude of the individual that makes them non-presentable.