[Report] The 'Beauty Tour' Craze... From Limousine Pickup to Hotel Reservations [Foreigners Falling for Korean Beauty]

②Korean Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Clinics Become a Must-Visit for Tourists
Rise of "Factory-Type Hospitals" in Korean Dermatology and Plastic Surgery
SNS Marketing and "Foreign Tourist-Oriented Clinics" on the Rise
Hospitals Offer Employment Support for Foreigners... Providing "F-Visas"

"Omataseitashimashita. Goannai itashimasu (Thank you for waiting. I will guide you.)"

On the 15th, a dermatology clinic in Myeongdong, Seoul was bustling with customers from 30 minutes before the consultation started. The kiosk already showed 14 people waiting. This place, located on the entire basement first floor of a building with a hotel attached, has gained popularity among foreign tourists for allowing accommodation and procedures simultaneously. Foreigners pulling their suitcases to receive treatments before departure were also noticeable. The staff naturally took the suitcases like a hotel and organized them, handing out numbered tickets so customers could pick them up after the procedure.

A dermatology clinic in Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul, popular among foreign tourists. Staff members are guiding foreign tourists. Photo by Jin Jeonyoung.

The desk staff wore badges with various national flags to indicate the languages they could speak. A staff member wearing a Japanese flag badge repeatedly called out "OO sama" (a respectful Japanese honorific) to greet customers, while a staff member with an American flag badge chatted naturally with a white couple, saying, "Children are naturally curious," as they guided them to the consultation room. This clinic basically offers services in Chinese and Japanese, and also provides support in Spanish and Portuguese.

There were especially many Japanese customers. Japanese names such as 'Morikawa,' 'Yokogawa,' and 'Saito' were called one after another before Korean names appeared. Middle-aged customers were consulting about lifting treatments, while younger customers in their 20s and 30s were booking contour injections or pore care. Karen, a Japanese woman in her 20s who visited the clinic after shopping in Myeongdong, said, "In Japan, Korean skin is perceived as white and clear," adding, "Korea’s dermatology procedures are affordable and cosmetics are good, so I definitely wanted to experience them when I came on a trip."

The background to Korean dermatology and plastic surgery becoming a pillar of the tourism industry lies in the increase of 'factory-type hospitals.' These are franchise hospitals that attract large numbers of customers and lower unit prices. One reason why even beauty powerhouse Japan deliberately visits Korea is because of these affordable procedure costs.

For example, receiving a picotoning laser for pigmentation improvement in Tokyo costs about 13,000 yen (127,000 won) per session, and usually 6 to 10 sessions must be purchased. Six sessions alone cost 65,000 yen (about 630,000 won), roughly 100,000 won per session. Meanwhile, dermatology clinics in Myeongdong or Hongdae offer picotoning combined with vitamin care and modeling packs for 29,000 won. Additionally, differences in medical systems between Korea and Japan also have an impact. In Japan, some departments like dermatology do not have medical monopolies, so nurses can perform simple laser procedures, but in Korea, only doctors can perform procedures directly. This aspect acts as a trust factor for foreigners.

On the 12th, a plastic surgery clinic occupies an entire building in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

'Korean beauty tours' are trending in Japan. Itineraries are arranged for skin and plastic surgery procedures on no-stay 2-day trips, 1-night 2-day trips, or day trips. There are many related reviews on Japan’s social networking service Ameblo.

One blogger introduced an itinerary in a post titled 'How many beauty procedures can you get in one day? I went on a Korean beauty medical tour,' describing arriving in Seoul by night flight after work and touring dermatology clinics the next day. After staying in Myeongdong, they moved to Gangnam for neck wrinkle fillers, then received a skin regeneration injection called 'Rejuran Healer' at another clinic, ate a soy sauce marinated crab set meal, and returned to Japan. The review included a hospital recommendation link, noting, "The doctor’s skill was good, so there was almost no swelling."

In response, Korean dermatology and plastic surgery clinics are actively using Japanese and Chinese SNS marketing to attract foreign customers. Clinics that were mainly in Gangnam are now expanding to Myeongdong and Hongdae, areas popular with foreign tourists.

On Japan’s X (formerly Twitter) and Ameblo, many posts promote same-day plastic surgery programs with slogans like "Transform like a Korean idol!" Some clinics advertise that patients can arrive in the morning, have surgery the same day, and return home, emphasizing that even liposuction, transplantation, and breast augmentation allow immediate return to daily life. Some offer premium options including limousine pickup and hotel reservations.

Some clinics even provide settlement support funds to attract foreign employees and promote recruitment. They advertise that they guarantee 'F-visa' (residence visa) for foreigners who can speak Korean, expanding their role not only in tourism but also in the employment market.

Yuki Sasaki, a Japanese person who studied in Korea for a year aiming to become a plastic surgery coordinator, said, "Many friends who like Korean idols want to work in Korea," adding, "Especially plastic surgery coordinators can utilize their native language and there is high demand, so quite a few people aim for employment."