Foreigners Everywhere at Dermatology Clinics... Hospitals Compete to Attract Tourists with Lowest Prices

Surge in Foreign Patients Due to K-Beauty Craze
Competition Through Weekend Consultations and Special Offers
Cosmetic Surgery Patients Eligible for VAT Refund

On the 3rd, a dermatology clinic in Jung-gu, Seoul was visited. Although the visit was timed to coincide with the hospital's opening hours, it was already filled with foreign patients. Announcements in Japanese and Chinese echoed throughout the hospital. Except for conversations among medical staff, Korean was hardly heard.

The hospital coordinators wore uniforms with badges of national flags indicating the languages they could speak. Kim (26), whom we met at the hospital that day, said, "I just stopped by briefly for some errands, but I was surprised to see only foreigners here," adding, "It was confusing whether this place was Korea or a foreign country."

The dermatology clinic sign in Jung-gu, Seoul, displays information in Chinese and Japanese.
Photo by Yeom Dayeon

Recently, due to the K-beauty craze, foreign patients have been flocking to dermatology and plastic surgery clinics. Based on advantages such as prices cheaper than overseas and a variety of cosmetic procedures that allow for quick recovery, it has become easier for hospitals located in Seoul to attract foreign patients than domestic ones. 'Beauty tourism' and 'medical tourism' have gained fame mainly through social networking services (SNS), leading to an increase in foreigners visiting Korea for these purposes.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 678,799 foreign patients visited Korea last year, marking the largest number since the statistics began to be collected. Among them, 353,134 patients visited dermatology and plastic surgery clinics, accounting for 52% of the total. The number of foreign patients in dermatology and plastic surgery has been steadily increasing, except during the COVID-19 period. In particular, the number of dermatology patients has increased about tenfold compared to ten years ago. Among foreign patients who visited dermatology clinics last year, Japanese patients numbered about 120,000, the highest, followed by Chinese and American patients.

Because of this, hospitals are fiercely competing to attract foreign patients by offering special promotions and weekend consultations. For example, this month's event offers Botox, normally priced at 40,000 won, at a discounted price of 10,000 won, or provides a '3+1 area' event for fat-dissolving injections. Many hospitals have started promoting themselves by emphasizing the lowest prices while providing high-quality procedures at affordable rates.

A dermatology clinic in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, keeps its doors open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Many clinics also offer consultations on Saturdays and Sundays. A hospital official said, "Recently, it seems that more foreign patients come than domestic ones," adding, "We have interpreters who can speak various languages and provide weekend consultations to pay close attention to services and attract more customers."

In the past, there was a tendency to overcharge foreign patients, charging higher fees for the same treatment, but such concerns have now disappeared thanks to related legislation and competition among hospitals. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has prepared laws such as the Medical Overseas Expansion Act since 2016 to increase trust in Korean medical services and attract more foreign patients through market transparency.

Additionally, a value-added tax (VAT) refund system is implemented so that foreign patients receiving cosmetic surgery can know their medical expenses. This system was temporarily implemented in April 2016 but has since been extended until next year through amendments to the Restriction of Special Taxation Act. Foreign patients receiving cosmetic surgery can get a VAT refund at duty-free zones such as airports after paying their medical bills. Dermatology and plastic surgery clinics also specify on their websites that they charge "reasonable fees without discrimination between domestic and foreign patients," issue separate receipts for tax refunds, and guide patients through the procedures.

A Ministry of Health and Welfare official said, "The number of foreign patients visiting dermatology and plastic surgery clinics has recently increased, especially from Japan, China, and Southeast Asian countries," adding, "With the VAT refund system and fierce competition among hospitals, tourists are actually benefiting from various advantages in terms of price and other aspects."