South Korea has more board-certified cosmetic surgeons per capita than any other country, with procedure costs 30 to 70% below US and UK prices.
Results draw international patients from over 90 countries every year to Seoul's Gangnam district alone.
South Korean plastic surgery is safe, affordable, and medically advanced for international patients.
- South Korea performs more cosmetic surgeries per capita than any country globally, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
- Rhinoplasty in Seoul starts at $2,300, compared to $7,000 to $15,000 in the United States
My 1Health is a global medical tourism company partnered with four of the best hospitals for plastic and cosmetic surgery in Seoul to assist international patients access specialised care at no additional cost.
We coordinate hospital matching, visa documentation, cost estimates, and airport transfers for every patient. The hospital covers our coordination fee, so the service costs you nothing.
This guide covers 2026 procedure costs, Korean government accreditation, honest profiles of four partner hospitals, the C-3-3 medical tourist visa, and recovery planning by procedure.
By the end, you will know exactly what to budget, which hospital fits your needs, and what to do next.
Speak to a patient support specialist about your plastic surgery options in Seoul.
Jump to your hospital:
1. JK Plastic Surgery Centre, Seoul
3. Samsung Medical Centre, Seoul
How Much Does Plastic Surgery Cost in South Korea? (2026)
Plastic surgery in South Korea costs between $2,300 and $18,000 in 2026, with most facial procedures 40 to 70% cheaper than in the US or UK.
Rhinoplasty starts from $2,300. Eyelid surgery from $2,700. Facial contouring from $6,981 at government-accredited clinics in Seoul.
| Procedure | South Korea (2026) | United States | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhinoplasty (bridge and tip) | $2,300–$7,200 | $7,000–$15,000 | $6,000–$14,000 |
| Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) | $2,700–$3,900 | $6,000–$10,000 | $5,000–$9,000 |
| Facial contouring (jaw, cheekbone) | $6,981–$10,000 | $15,000–$25,000 | $12,000–$20,000 |
| Breast augmentation | $6,000–$9,500 | $8,000–$18,000 | $7,000–$15,000 |
| Facelift (SMAS) | $8,900–$10,000 | $15,000–$30,000 | $12,000–$25,000 |
| Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) | $9,000–$18,000 | $12,000–$25,000 | $10,000–$20,000 |
Final pricing varies by clinic, surgeon, and case complexity. USD amounts based on KRW/USD exchange rates.
One figure that surprises most international patients: foreigners often pay 10 to 20% more than Korean nationals for the same procedure.
This is because dedicated international patient services (translation, coordination, insurance processing) carry an additional cost.
At government-accredited clinics with fixed international pricing, including JK Plastic Surgery Centre, you receive a written cost estimate before any commitment.
Why South Korea Leads the World for Plastic Surgery
South Korea did not simply become popular for plastic surgery. It became the global benchmark.
1. Mandatory board certification for every practising surgeon
The Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons requires a rigorous 2 part examination. Board certification is mandatory.
2. The highest surgeon density per capita in the world.
Seoul's Gangnam district has more board-certified plastic surgeons than most entire countries. A surgeon performing 500 rhinoplasties a year is measurably more skilled than one performing 50.
3. Government accreditation specifically for foreign patients.
The KAHF programme requires clinics to pass 120+ criteria, verified through physical inspection by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
4. Procedures cost 30 to 70% less than in the US or UK.
High surgical volume drives efficiency and better quality of results. The quality of plastic and cosmetic surgerie due to lower costss in South Korea is not compromised.
5. Surgeons are globally published academics, not just practitioners.
Dr. Man Koon Suh at JW is a Springer textbook editor and ISAPS global Top 50 rhinoplasty expert. Professor Jong Woo Choi at Asan developed the Surgery-First Orthognathic Approach, now adopted internationally.
6. Safety infrastructure that goes beyond standalone clinics.
JK has a university hospital cooperative system, an in-house anaesthesiologist on every case, and dantrolene stocked on site. JW caps each surgeon at 3 procedures per day.
The 4 hospitals profiled in this guide
My 1Health selected these 4 hospitals based on their
- International patient infrastructure
- Verified accreditation
- Procedure volume
- What they offer foreign patients that others cannot
They represent 4 distinct types of care:
- A government-accredited cosmetic specialist (JK)
- A rhinoplasty and revision specialist (JW)
- A reconstructive surgery centre in the global top 30 (Samsung)
- An academic medical centre offering cosmetic surgery within a full tertiary hospital setting (Asan)
1. JK Plastic Surgery Centre, Seoul
View Full Profile: JK Plastic Surgery in Apgujeong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Founded on facial contouring since 1998
From day one, the specialism was facial bone contouring clinic- square jaw reduction, cheekbone reduction, and chin correction.
That founding specialism still defines what JK does best, 25 years of concentrated facial bone surgery experience.
The clinic has treated patients from 112 countries. It has recorded zero medical accidents in 25 years.
It holds KAHF certification for 3consecutive terms. As of 2026, it remains the only plastic surgery clinic in Korea to have achieved this. These are verified by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare.
What separates JK from a standard cosmetic clinic
3 things at JK are worth naming specifically because no other clinic in Seoul advertises them.
- Dantrolene- Malignant hyperthermia is a rare but potentially fatal reaction to general anaesthesia. Dantrolene is the only effective treatment.
- The anaesthesiologist is in-house and not outsourced. They monitor each patient from before the first incision through full recovery.
- Operating rooms run on a dedicated uninterruptible power supply. A power interruption during surgery will not interrupt the procedure.
All surgeons at JK carry 24 -36 years of specialty experience. Facial contouring, eye, nose, breast, and body procedures each have dedicated specialist teams.
The post operative recovery programme includes high-pressure oxygen therapy (increasing oxygen levels 2 to 3 times to accelerate healing), 24-hour nursing care, and surgery-specific aesthetic care for bruising and swelling.
Procedures and 2026 pricing at JK
| Procedure | Price (KRW) | Price (USD) | Recommended Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double eyelid (non-incisional) | ₩2,145,000 | ~$1,650 | 3–5 days |
| Double eyelid (incisional) | ₩3,135,000 | ~$2,412 | 4–6 days |
| Upper blepharoplasty | ₩4,290,000 | ~$3,303 | 5–6 days |
| Lower blepharoplasty | ₩4,950,000 | ~$3,812 | 5–6 days |
| Rhinoplasty (bridge only) | ₩4,455,000 | ~$3,427 | 7 days |
| Full rhinoplasty (bridge + tip) | ₩7,920,000 | ~$6,092 | 7 days |
| Square jaw reduction (mandible) | ₩9,075,000 | ~$6,981 | 8–10 days |
| Cheekbone reduction (zygoma) | ₩9,075,000 | ~$6,981 | 8–10 days |
| Chin correction | ₩9,075,000 | ~$6,981 | 7–10 days |
| Breast augmentation (standard) | ₩13,500,000 | ~$10,385 | 3–7 days |
| Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) | ₩23,400,000 | ~$18,000 | 10 days |
| VASER liposuction (abdomen) | ₩15,300,000 | ~$11,769 | 7 days |
USD figures are based on KRW/USD exchange rates.
2. JW Plastic Surgery, Seoul
View Full Profile: JW Plastic Surgery in Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Samseong-ro)
26 years, zero accidents, and a global rhinoplasty authority
Operated for 26 years without a reported surgical accident, performing a maximum of 3 procedures per surgeon per day, a self-imposed cap most clinics in Seoul do not maintain.
Every surgeon holds board certification and is simultaneously a professor at a Korean medical school. Academic accountability is built into how the clinic operates.
JW draws international patients from the USA, UK, Australia, Singapore, UAE, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia, primarily for rhinoplasty and eye surgery.
Its reputation for rhinoplasty in particular, and for accepting complex revision cases that other clinics decline, sets it apart from clinics of similar size
Cost of procedures at JW Plastic Surgery (with stay duration)
| Procedure | Cost (KRW) | Cost (USD) | Recommended Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhinoplasty (bridge + tip plasty) | ₩7,900,000 | $6,083 | 7 days |
| Rhinoplasty (bridge only) | ₩4,900,000 | $3,773 | 7 days |
| Under eye love band | ₩3,300,000 | $2,541 | 2–3 days |
| Canthoplasty (eye corner) | ₩3,200,000 | $2,464 | 5–7 days |
| Ptosis correction | ₩5,300,000 | $4,081 | 14–21 days |
| Upper blepharoplasty | ₩44,000,000 | $33,880 | 5–7 days |
| Breast augmentation (implants) | ₩14,000,000 | $10,780 | 1–2 days |
| Male breast reduction (gynecomastia) | ₩58,000,000 | $44,660 | 7+ days |
Final pricing is confirmed after photo consultation or in-person assessment. Talk to the JW Plastic Surgery team
Dr. Man Koon Suh: the rhinoplasty credential that matters
In 2020, the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) named Dr. Man Koon Suh the only Korean surgeon on their global list of Top 50 Rhinoplasty Experts, drawn from five continents.
He is President of the Korean Academic Association of Rhinoplasty Surgeons and has performed 8,000+ rhinoplasty procedures
The INNOFIT and INNORIB 3D rhinoplasty
Dr. Suh co-developed two proprietary rhinoplasty techniques not available elsewhere in Korea.
INNOFIT uses a custom 3D-printed implant shaped from the patient's own CT scan, fitted precisely to their nasal bone and cartilage architecture.
INNORIB takes the patient's own rib cartilage (ribs 6, 7, or 8), dices it finely, and shapes it inside a custom 3D-printed mould. The clinical result: near-zero absorption and minimal warping compared to conventional cartilage grafting.
Both use HD endoscopy for precision. Both are relevant particularly for revision rhinoplasty, where previous surgery has altered the nasal anatomy and a standard approach carries higher risk.
JW is one of the few clinics in Seoul that accepts complex revision cases from patients who have had prior surgery elsewhere.
Post-operative care is included in the procedure cost:
- Antibiotics and anti-inflammatories
- Smartlux LED de-swelling treatment on each treatment day
- Hair-washing service for facial surgery patients
- Pain management on request
One dedicated multilingual consultant accompanies each patient from first enquiry through final check-up.
3. Samsung Medical Centre, Seoul
View Full Profile: Samsung Medical Centre in Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Irwon Station, Exit 1)
No. 1 in Korea and No. 3 globally for cancer
Performs 3,700+ plastic and reconstructive surgeries annually across its department.
The international patient programme has been running since 1995 and serves patients from 120+ countries.
Breast reconstruction after mastectomy: 400 surgeries annually
Samsung performs 400+ breast reconstructions a year for patients who have undergone mastectomy for breast cancer.
The methods include autologous DIEP flap surgery, which uses fat and skin from the patient's own abdomen to recreate the breast without sacrificing the abdominal muscle, and implant-based reconstruction.
Planning begins before the mastectomy, not after. The plastic surgery team collaborates weekly with breast oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, and pathology in a multidisciplinary tumour board
Talk to the Samsung Medical Centre team
Microtia and craniofacial reconstruction: Korea's largest programme
Samsung performs 120+ ear reconstructions annually for microtia, a congenital condition where the outer ear is absent or underdeveloped. This is the highest volume of any single hospital in Korea.
The technique uses autologous rib cartilage, harvested from the patient's own chest, sculpted into the shape of an ear, and implanted beneath a skin flap.
Surgical volume matters here: outcomes at 120 cases per year are demonstrably different from outcomes at 10.
What international patients need to know
- No. 1 in South Korea and No. 26 globally (Newsweek World's Best Hospitals 2026).
- No. 3 globally for cancer (Newsweek Best Specialised Hospitals 2025).
- Its Department of Plastic Surgery serves international patients for RECONSTRUCTIVE surgery, not elective cosmetic procedures.
- For rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, or facial contouring: JK or JW are the right options.
- For breast reconstruction after mastectomy, complex craniofacial repair, or reconstructive surgery following cancer: Samsung is one of the best places in Asia.
4. Asan Medical Center, Seoul
View Full Profile: Asan Medical Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul
Cosmetic surgery inside a World Top 30 hospital
Ranks No. 2 in South Korea and within the World Top 30 on the Newsweek World's Best Hospitals list for 2024, 2025, and 2026.
It is the only hospital in this guide that offers cosmetic surgery, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, facial contouring, facelift, liposuction, and breast augmentation, within the full infrastructure of a tertiary academic medical centre
That distinction matters for a specific type of patient: someone who wants cosmetic results but has a co-existing medical condition or a previous surgery complication
The rhinoplasty outcome is not different from one at JK or JW. The institutional backup if something goes wrong is.
Talk to the Asan Medical Center team
The plastic surgery team at Asan
The department is led by Professor Jong Woo Choi, expert in craniofacial surgery and facial contouring, with 1,500+ head and neck microsurgical reconstruction cases at a 98% success rate.
Professor Joon Pio Hong (lymphedema and body contouring, Volume Editor of Plastic Surgery 5th Edition for lower extremity surgery, global authority in supermicrosurgery).
Professor Jin Sup Eom and Professor Hyun Ho Han (both specialise in breast reconstruction using microsurgery and are co-authors in Plastic Surgery 5th Edition).
For international patients, Professor Choi uses 3D cameras and computer simulation to visualise surgical outcomes before any incision is made.
Cosmetic and reconstructive procedures at Asan
Asan accepts international patients for:
- Cosmetic: rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty (upper and lower eyelid), facial bone contouring (jaw, cheekbone, chin), facelift and anti-ageing surgery, liposuction, breast augmentation and reduction
- Reconstructive: cleft lip and palate, microsurgery, breast reconstruction, lymphedema, craniofacial surgery
The department performs 4,500+ microsurgical cases annually, one of the highest volumes globally.
19,482 international patients from 118 countries visited Asan in 2024.
The International Healthcare Centre has full-time interpreters in English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Mongolian, Vietnamese, and Japanese.
Arranges 24-hour airport transfers from Incheon International Airport.
Planning Your Seoul Trip: Visa, Recovery, Accommodation and More
Do you need a visa for plastic surgery in South Korea?
Most international patients do not. Citizens of over 100 countries can enter South Korea without a visa for stays up to 90 days, which covers the majority of cosmetic procedures.
The C-3-3 Medical Tourist Visa is available for patients who need formal documentation, for instance, to satisfy employer leave requirements or for insurance purposes.
To apply, you need a hospital invitation letter, a copy of your treatment plan, and proof of onward travel. My 1Health coordinates the invitation letter and documentation with the hospital's international patient department.
How long do you need to stay in South Korea after surgery?
| Procedure | Minimum Stay | Recommended Stay | When You Can Fly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) | 3 days | 4–5 days | After 5–7 days (stitches removed) |
| Rhinoplasty (bridge + tip) | 5 days | 7 days | After 7 days (splint removed) |
| Facial contouring (jaw, cheekbone) | 7 days | 10–14 days | After 10–14 days (swelling dependent) |
| Breast augmentation | 2 days | 3–7 days | After 3–5 days |
| Facelift (SMAS) | 7 days | 10–14 days | After 10–14 days |
| Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) | 5 days | 10 days | After 10–14 days |
Flying too soon after surgery is a real risk. Long-haul flights increase the likelihood of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which are blood clots that form in the legs when circulation slows during extended periods of immobility.
Most surgeons recommend waiting at least 7 days after facial surgery and 10 to 14 days after body surgery before flying.
If your recovery extends beyond your planned dates, My 1Health will help rebook flights and accommodation.
Where to stay in Seoul during recovery
JK Plastic Surgery Centre and JW Plastic Surgery are both in Apgujeong and Gangnam, Seoul's most established medical tourism district.
The area is dense with luxury hotels, medical recovery guesthouses, and international restaurants. International patients specifically choose it because post-operative clinic checks are a short taxi ride away.
Recovery guesthouses in Apgujeong and Gangnam typically charge $60 to $150 per night.
Most include medical-grade beds, blackout curtains, meals suitable for post-operative patients, cold compresses, and nursing check-ins. Several are directly affiliated with specific clinics.
For Asan Medical Center (Songpa-gu), the International Healthcare Centre arranges accommodation at partner hotels near the hospital and coordinates 24-hour airport transfers from Incheon.
Samsung Medical Centre is a 5-minute walk from Irwon Station (Subway Line 3) and well-served by Gangnam accommodation.
My 1Health can recommend and book accommodation near your chosen clinic.
Language in Seoul
All four hospitals have dedicated English-speaking international patient coordinators.
- JK Plastic Surgery Centre: full-time translation coordinators for English, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese
- Asan Medical Center: seven in-house interpreters covering English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Mongolian, Vietnamese, and Japanese
- Samsung Medical Centre and JW: English-speaking coordinators within their international patient departments
Beyond the clinic, Gangnam and Apgujeong are among the most foreigner-accessible districts in Seoul. English menus are standard in most restaurants. Major transport signs include English.
For Arabic-speaking or Russian-speaking patients, the clinic interpreters are the primary support channel throughout the stay.
A little about Seoul
Seoul is a genuinely enjoyable city to recover in.
Apgujeong Rodeo, Cheongdam-dong, and Myeongdong are all walkable shopping areas near the clinics. The COEX Mall in Gangnam is a short taxi ride away and entirely climate-controlled, useful in colder months when outdoor activity is uncomfortable post-surgery.
Han River Park (Hangang) is 15 minutes by taxi from Gangnam and a calming environment for a slow walk during the middle stage of recovery.
Most patients with a 7-day minimum stay spend 3 to 4 days resting and 3 to 4 days exploring. Seoul rewards both.
How My 1Health Coordinates Your Surgery in Seoul at No Cost
My 1Health has assisted 54,000+ patients from 95+ countries, including hundreds who have travelled to Seoul for plastic and cosmetic surgery.
The service is entirely free. The hospital covers My 1Health's coordination fee, and patients pay the same price as going to the clinic directly.
We take care of everything, so you can focus on getting better
Trusted by Millions Seeking World-Class Treatment
Instant visa letter
Flight bookings
Airport pickup
Accommodation
24/7 support
How My 1Health assists you, step by step
- Send your procedure preference, any relevant photos, and basic medical history via WhatsApp (+1 718 550 0880) or email ([email protected]).
- My 1Health matches you to the right hospital based on your procedure, budget, case complexity, and any language preferences.
- The hospital's specialist team reviews your information and sends a written cost estimate and treatment plan.
- Your appointment is confirmed. If you want to meet your surgeon before travelling, a video consultation is arranged.
- My 1Health coordinates your medical visa invitation letter, flight timing guidance, and accommodation near your clinic.
- Airport transfer from Incheon International Airport is arranged on arrival and at departure.
- A dedicated patient specialist stays in contact throughout your Seoul stay and after you return home.
