Plastic surgery in Korea is considered the best in the world. It attracts both local and international patients, making it a great destination for it.
Koreans invest a lot of money into beauty and plastic surgery as well. Because of this, plastic surgery is very advanced and is improving every year.
With this guide, we want to give you a brief outline of plastic surgery in Korea. We will cover topics such as:
- KPop and Korean plastic surgery
- Is Korean plastic surgery foreign-friendly
- Cost of Korean plastic surgery
- And much, much more
This guide will give you everything you need at the start of your journey to plastic surgery in Korea.
Table of Contents
Korea And Plastic Surgery
Korean plastic surgery is a huge industry that is growing every year. The popularity of it is growing not only among locals but among foreign patients as well.
First, Korea is known for its high standards and advanced medical industry – including plastic surgery.
Secondly, Korean beauty standards are among the highest in the world. And, with the help of plastic surgery, many strive to achieve the Korean standard.
Korea has the highest per capita rate of plastic surgeries in the world. In Seoul alone, there are more than 500 plastic surgery clinics.
And with so many clinics, this has also made the prices low, making plastic surgery very affordable in Korea.
In 2020, Reuters estimated that the Korean plastic surgery market is worth over $10 billion. The amount of money invested in plastic surgery is why it is so advanced in Korea.
KPop Plastic Surgery
Everyone has heard of KPop and its popularity in Korea and elsewhere. This is why it’s no surprise that it affected plastic surgery in Korea so much.
In Korea, KPop stars are among the most beautiful people, setting the Korean beauty standard very high.
Some of the most popular KPop plastic surgeries focus on the face. These are surgeries like:
- Rhinoplasty
- Double eyelid surgery
- Chin reduction
- Cheek/Zygoma reduction
These surgeries are also among the most popular in Korea. If you want to get them, we have guides available for all of them.
Plenty of KPop stars had the surgeries we mentioned above. For that reason, they are also among the most popular.
If you want any of those, Korea is the best place for it. Because of their popularity and high beauty standards, Korean surgeons are extremely experienced and skillful.
We have a whole article/guide on KPop plastic surgery available here.
Is Plastic Surgery Common In Korea?
Plastic surgery is extremely common in Korea. Itis known worldwide as the plastic surgery capital of the world.
Walk around the streets of Seoul or into a subway station and you will find a ton of huge billboards, advertising plastic surgery. Here is an example:
There are over 500 plastic surgery clinics in Seoul. You can imagine how fierce the competition between them is.
Clinics really have to ”compete” for patients and they do so with competitive and affordable prices.
Some are also saying that at least 20% of all Korean women already had plastic surgery. As for the men, at least 50% support the idea of it and a lot already had it.
Popular Procedures In Korea
We did some research and came up with some of the most popular plastic surgeries in Korea. These include everything from smaller, easier procedures to those more complex.
The majority of popular plastic surgeries in Korea focus on facial features. Some of these procedures are:
- Rhinoplasty
- Double eyelid surgery
- Anti-aging
- Facial contouring
As for facial contouring and anti-aging, we know that this is a more general term. Head on to our archives of facial contouring and anti-aging procedures– you have the guides on the most popular ones there.
Of course, face-related procedures are not the only popular ones. Among women, breast augmentation and liposuction are quite popular. As for men, gynecomastia is not so uncommon.
Men And Plastic Surgery
Most people associate plastic surgery with women. However, that is not the case in Korea.
In Korea, plastic surgery is popular among both men and women. Of course, different procedures come into play, but the popularity is high in all cases.
Most Koreans draw their wishes from male KPop stars. They greatly affect plastic surgery there. Procedures, popular among male KPop stars, are also popular among Korean men and foreign patients.
In recent years, there has been a trend in Korea where men get very similar procedures to those women get. These include anti-aging procedures and lots of facial contouring surgeries.
Another popular procedure among men in Korea, is a breast-related one, gynecomastia. Great option if you lost weight and still struggle with saggy breasts.
You don’t have to worry about having plastic surgery in Korea as a man. There, this is normal and very common. You can even find clinics focusing on male plastic surgery.
Korea: Foreign-Friendly Plastic Surgery?
So, as we already mentioned, Korea has extremely high standards for plastic surgery. This is why it attracts local and foreign patients.
Yearly, over 100.000 patients fly to Korea for plastic surgery and they plan to raise this number higher in the future.
Because of foreign patients, many clinics are adapting their ways of working. Clinics try to accommodate foreign patients as much as possible. They do this by offering:
- Translators
- Concierge services (from and to the airport)
- Accommodation or good deals for hotels
Also growing every year is the number of surgeons speaking English. This makes for an even more pleasant experience for the foreign patients.
And, as a foreign patient, you might get lucky with some very nice deals. It’s a bit harder to find those specific for foreigners but there are out there. Just check the clinic’s social media, they will advertise it there.
''Traps'' Of Korean Plastic Surgery
With all the positives about Korean plastic surgery, there are also some negatives. However, these are all avoidable and we will tell you how.
Firstly, you should be aware of different pricing for foreign patients. Some clinics raise their prices depending on where you come from.
An easy way to avoid this is by going to multiple clinics and getting quotes from them. This way, you can determine which clinic raised their prices for you.
You should also check reviews and different forums. We recommend Google reviews and a website calledPurseForum.
Secondly, some clinics are not friendly to foreigners. These are extremely rare and are also avoidable. Just look at reviews, there are bound to be some about those.
We believe the biggest issue is pricing, as it can affect your decision. However, you can avoid this with proper research before booking surgery and demanding quotes from clinics.
Cost Of Plastic Surgery In Korea
Cost is probably one of the most important factors when deciding about having plastic surgery in Korea. Even though we don’t believe it should be the deciding one, it is a crucial one.
Here is the good news. Compared to other countries, the cost of plastic surgery for most procedures is lower in Korea.
Let’s give you an example of a procedure:
Above you can see the comparison for double eyelid surgery, a popular procedure in Korea. Prices in other countries are double what you can expect in Korea.
However, there are lots of factors you need to consider regarding cost. Here are a few key ones:
- Clinic reputation:This one is quite common in Korea, as more reputable clinics charge more.
- Difficulty of the surgery:If surgery is more difficult because of certain demands, you can expect to pay a little more.
- Location:Clinics in certain areas tend to be on the expensive side. The majority of clinics are in Gangnam, Seoul, an exclusive location with only the best clinics.
- Surgeon experience: Sometimes surgeons with more experience charge more
But, no matter what, good research is key to finding the best deal for you. That is why, later in this guide, we will give you some valuable tips to help you find the best one yourself.
As for the overall cost, you should account for travel expenses too. Keep that in mind when planning your trip.
We recommend you contact clinics ahead and try to arrange an online consultation. Don’t worry, because plenty of them offer it.
At the consultation, demand a price quote and a breakdown of the cost. This will make it easier for you to plan everything.
Cost Of Some Popular Plastic Procedures In Korea
We already talked about which plastic procedures are popular in Korea. Now, let’s discuss the average costs of them.
Here is what you can expect to pay:
- Between 2,800,000 KRW (= 2,100$) and 4,700,000 KRW (= 3,500$) for Rhinoplasty
- Between 2,000,000 KRW (= 1,500$) to 3,350,000 KRW (= 2,500$) for double eyelid surgery
- Between 6,600,000 KRW (= 5,000$) to 14,700,000 KRW (= 11,000$) for breast implants
- On average around 7,500,000 KRW (= 5,500 $) for liposuction
At this point, we want to emphasize that these are only ball-park figures. There are a ton of factors influencing the final prices.
If we take liposuction as an example, a full-body lipo costs more than liposuction of just your thighs. Read our guide on liposuction in Korea to find prices for different types of lipo.
The same goes for Rhinoplasty. The prices above are for a standard nose job. You can find prices for more types of nose jobs in our guide to pricing for Rhinoplasty.
Prices for the majority of plastic surgery procedures are lower in Korea compared to other countries. This is especially evident in the US, where prices can be almost double those in Korea.
Lower Your Cost With These Tips
Lastly, we want to help you save even more money on plastic surgery in Korea.
We did some research and came up with great ways to save money. Using these tips, you can shave a least a few bucks of your final cost.
If you want to research this yourself, we recommend you check out forums like PurseForum or Quora. You can also ask around in Korea, as some locals might have great advice.
However, with these tips, we can almost guarantee you will get at least some of the money paid back.
Tax Refund
This one only applies to you if you are a foreign patient. The only requirement here is that you are not a Korean citizen.
So, if you are not Korean and had plastic surgery, you are eligible for a VAT refund when leaving Korea.
However, not all plastic surgery clinics qualify for it. You can find the list of clinics that qualify for it here. Don’t worry, the list has around 1000 clinics that qualify for it!
Another way of checking if a clinic qualifies for it is by asking the clinic directly before going there. Or, if you are already in Korea, clinics usually have signs saying they qualify for it.
Keep your receipts and don’t forget about this tip. You can sort this out at major Korean airports, so look out for tax refund machines.
Paying In Full
Clinics prefer you pay for your surgery in full since some of them offer payment in monthly installments.
Picking payment in full can get you a discount of up to 10%. Sometimes, paying in cash is also preferred by clinics, so think about that too, as it can lower your price too.
And don’t worry about paying with credit cards. Clinics mostly accept all types of credit cards. Ask them upfront so you can get the cash prepared.
Modeling For The Clinic
Another great way you can shave something off your final cost is modeling for the clinic.
Korean clinics like to show off their results to attract customers. If they like you, they might invite you to model for them. This can get you some nice discounts on your final price.
In rare cases, clinics might offer you a procedure free of charge. They sometimes advertise these opportunities online, so go through their website and social media.
So, if you are okay with it and are a good candidate, this is a great way of saving money on plastic surgery in Korea. Don’t be shy and try volunteering for it, you might get lucky.
Additional Procedures
Getting multiple procedures done simultaneously can get you a pretty nice discount. However, this can also increase your overall cost, so think about it before doing it.
Additional procedures are a good way to get a discount and a great way to get better results. Plastic procedures often complement each other, so this is something to consider.
Above is a great example of combing surgery. This patient had a Rhinoplasty and chin augmentation done simultaneously – both go amazing together. You can notice the difference immediately.
So now you already know that chin augmentation goes great with a Rhinoplasty. As for other procedures, check out our guides for them – you will find great combinations there.
And of course, do check with your surgeon before the surgery. They will tell you if you can benefit from having multiple procedures done together.
Writing Positive Reviews
This one might sound a bit weird at first. However, a positive review can go a long way in Korean plastic surgery.
This is why clinics go as af as to offer patients a discount if they write a positive review. They only do this if you are happy with your results.
Clinics greatly appreciate every positive review as it helps them attract more customers. You can also try offering to write one and they might offer you a discount for it.
Why Pick Korea For Plastic Surgery
We are now down to the final stretch of this guide. It’s time to look at some of the reasons why Korea is the best choice for plastic surgery.
We already mentioned how Korea has the highest per capita rate of plastic surgery in the world and that the plastic surgery industry is worth over $10 billion.
However, we don’t believe this is why someone should pick Korea for plastic surgery. So, here are a few important reasons why Korea is your best pick for plastic surgery:
Experienced And Specialized Surgeons
Let’s start with the most straightforward one. Korean surgeons are among the most experienced in the world.
The number of surgeries they perform is enough to see they have plenty of experience. Annually, Korean surgeons perform over 1,000,000 plastic procedures.
Since the demand for plastic surgery is so high in Korea, it’s no wonder their surgeons are so experienced and skillful.
This demand also creates competition between surgeons, encouraging them to improve and ”better” their competition. And of course, they earn a lot so this motivates them extra.
As for specialization, most Korean surgeons are specialized in certain plastic procedures. These are especially fields of plastic surgery that are popular in Korea, such as:
- Eye surgery
- Nose surgery
- Facial contouring (jaw surgery, facelift, …)
- Body contouring (liposuction, tummy tuck, …)
- Breast augmentation
Specialized surgeons mostly perform procedures from their specialty. This is why they are at the top of their fields and the best choice for you.
Cost
We won’t go into much detail here since we already covered the cost of plastic surgery in Korea.
If we compare the prices of different plastic surgeries in Korea to other countries, Korean plastic surgery is cheaper. Not only is it cheaper, but the price-to-value is very good in Korea.
Korean prices are, for the better part, all-inclusive and presented upfront. Prices include everything from start to finish (anesthesia, surgery, necessary aftercare, …).
Yes, you do have to account for travel expenses such as flights and accommodation. However, the quality of care and amazing surgeons should outweigh all that.
Cost should not be your deciding factor, but it is important. Do thorough research before deciding on anything.
Quality Of Care
Korean plastic surgery clinics put a lot into providing you with the best care possible. That includes pre-op and post-op care.
To start with pre-op, most clinics offer useful extra services such as transportation from and to the airport, translators, and sometimes accommodation.
As for post-op, you will get everything you need after surgery. You will stay at the clinic until you are well enough to be discharged. Some clinics also have pharmacies inside so you can go and get medicine.
Clinics also have a 24/7 nurse team to care for you after surgery. This is especially important with more difficult surgeries such as a tummy tuck or breast reduction.
Lastly, Korean clinics have to follow strict standards that are the same for the whole health industry in Korea. This is why plastic surgery in Korea is very safe.
Korean Clinics: Finding The Best One
This brings us to the last part of this guide to plastic surgery in Korea – finding the right plastic surgery clinic.
Finding the best plastic surgery clinic for your surgery in Korea is, in our opinion, the most difficult part of your journey.
To get the best possible results, you have to find the best one. As easy as it sounds, there are over 500 plastic surgery clinics in Seoul, so finding the right one is difficult.
We won’t talk about which is the ”best” overall because it is impossible to select one. We will try and help you find a clinic, that suits you the best.
Go and check out our list of recommended plastic surgery clinics in Seoul.You can help yourself with this list or use our tips and do your own research.
Reviews
Customer reviews are a great way of getting some information about the clinic right away.
We recommend you only look at those relevant to your procedures. Focus on reviews that are a bit more detailed. Here is an example:
This review is about JK Plastic Surgery, a large clinic based in Seoul, believed to be the best for international patients.
This is a good example of a positive review that tells a lot about the writer’s experience with the clinic. You get a good view of how the clinic treats foreign patients and the level of care it provides.
Check reviews from different websites and not only from Google. For research, we recommend using websites like PurseForum, WhatClinic, or Reddit.
Keep in mind, that sometimes clinics offer discounts to patients if they write a good review. Don’t decide based on just one review as you might run into one.
Specialized Clinics
Plenty of Korean plastic surgery clinics are specialized. This means that they primarily focus on certain types of procedures.
However, not all clinics say directly which surgeries they specialize in. You can figure this out by looking at the surgeons, reviews, and procedures they offer.
Let’s take a look at JW Plastic Surgery, one of our recommended clinics as an example:
They have 6 surgeons 3 of whom specialize in eye surgery and two in Rhinoplasty. Based on this and their reviews, we can say that JW Plastic Surgery specializes in nose and eye surgery.
Picking a specialized clinic for your plastic surgery is important.You are more likely to get better results and a more pleasant experience at specialized clinics.
Checking reviews on Google and different forums is a great way of learning about the specialization of Korean clincis.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Korea is a great place for plastic surgery.
Plastic surgery is extremely popular in Korea, among men and women. Because of great results and affordable prices, Korea is a popular destination for international patients.
There are over 500 plastic surgery clinics in Seoul and a majority are very friendly towards foreigners.
With experienced surgeons, high-quality care, and affordable prices, Korea stands out as a top destination for plastic surgery.
We recommend you choose Korea for plastic surgery. You will get amazing results and great care for a price lower than in Western countries.
If you have any questions about plastic surgery in Korea or need help with anything, feel free to contact us. We will do our best to get back to you as soon as possible!
FAQ
Is plastic surgery common in Korea?
Plastic surgery is very common in Korea. According to an ISAPS report from 2021, Korea had the highest number of plastic surgery cases per capita in the world.
It’s common among men and women, and a lot of Koreans have it before they turn 20.
How much does it cost to get plastic surgery in Korea?
Prices for plastic surgery in Korea range anywhere from 135,000 KRW (= 100$ to around 13,900,000 KRW (= 15,000$).
However, prices for plastic surgery procedures in Korea depend on lots of different factors. We recommend doing good research before settling on one clinic.
Is going to Korea for plastic surgery better?
Korean plastic surgery is known to be at the very top of this field. It is considered the best in the world when it comes to safety and results.
High competition between clinics and surgeons is driving them to constantly improve. Because of this competition, prices in Korea are also much lower than in Western countries.
Can foreigners go to Korea for plastic surgery?
Korea is a foreign-friendly country when it comes to plastic surgery so yes, foreigners can go there for plastic surgery. The number of foreign patients in Korea is growing rapidly every year.
However, there are a few things to watch out for as an international patient such as different pricing and language barriers.