Korean plastic surgery, booked with an interpreter beside you
Korean plastic surgery draws patients from all over the world, and Gangnam alone has hundreds of clinics. Picking one from abroad, in a language you can't read, is the hard part. KCODI sends you 2–3 written quotes from surgeons who do your procedure daily, books at the local rate, and assigns a medical interpreter who stays with you from consultation to discharge. Free for patients.
- Interpreter at your consultation and on surgery day, free
- Local partner rate, itemised quote before any deposit
- A recovery plan for the week the swelling goes down
Plastic surgery procedures and typical Seoul prices
- Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty
Bridge, tip and hump work. Splint and stitches off around day 7.
- Typical price in Seoul
- ≈ $2,500 – $6,500
- Stay in Korea
- 7–10 days
- Double Eyelid Surgery
Double Eyelid Surgery
Non-incisional or incisional crease. Stitches out in 5–7 days.
- Typical price in Seoul
- ≈ $870 – $2,500
- Stay in Korea
- 5–7 days
- Facelift
Facelift
SMAS, deep plane or mini lift. Plan two weeks in Seoul.
- Typical price in Seoul
- ≈ $5,800 – $14,000
- Stay in Korea
- 10–14 days
- Liposuction
Liposuction
Priced per area. Compression garment and 5–7 days in Seoul.
- Typical price in Seoul
- ≈ $1,800 – $5,800
- Stay in Korea
- 5–7 days
- Breast Augmentation
Breast Augmentation
Implant type, size and incision decided with you. 7–10 days.
- Typical price in Seoul
- ≈ $5,800 – $11,000
- Stay in Korea
- 7–10 days
- Facial Contouring & Jaw Surgery
Facial Contouring & Jaw Surgery
V-line, cheekbone and jaw work. CT planning, two-week stay.
- Typical price in Seoul
- ≈ $4,300 – $14,000
- Stay in Korea
- 10–14 days
- Under-Eye Fat Repositioning
Under-Eye Fat Repositioning
Eye bags and tear troughs, often with no visible scar. 5–7 days.
- Typical price in Seoul
- ≈ $1,100 – $2,500
- Stay in Korea
- 5–7 days
- Revision Surgery
Revision Surgery
Second operations on nose, eyes or contour. Records reviewed first.
- Typical price in Seoul
- ≈ $3,600 – $11,000
- Stay in Korea
- 7–14 days
Market estimate, not a quote. Your written quote comes after a free consultation.
Why book plastic surgery in Korea through KCODI
01
Your interpreter is assigned before you fly
You get her name and photo with your booking. She has sat through nose, eyelid and contouring consultations many times and knows the terms surgeons use.
02
She is there when the surgeon marks your face
On surgery day the surgeon draws the plan on your skin. She translates every line of it, and your last-minute "a little less, please", before you go under.
03
Local rate, itemised in writing
Surgeon fee, anesthesia, implant type, aftercare visits and what is not included. You see all of it before any deposit. No foreigner markup.
04
A recovery week planned by locals
A hotel within 10 minutes of the clinic, soft food delivered while your face is swollen, and a pharmacy that stays open late.
Booking direct vs booking with KCODI
Same clinic, same surgeon. What changes is who is on your side of the desk.
What clinics offer differs. Ask us about the clinic you have in mind and we tell you what applies there.
What patients worry about before surgery in Korea
How do I know my surgeon actually does the operation?
"Ghost surgery", where another doctor operates once you are asleep, has been a real scandal in Korea. By law the consent form must name the doctor who performs your surgery, and any change has to be given to you in writing. Your interpreter reads the form with you and confirms the name with the surgeon before you sign.
Is there CCTV in Korean operating rooms?
Since September 2023, operating rooms used for surgery on unconscious patients, under general anesthesia or sedation, must have CCTV. The clinic records your surgery if you request it beforehand, with a few legal exceptions such as emergencies. Your interpreter fills in the request form with you before surgery day.
What if I'm unhappy with the result after I fly home?
Swelling hides the final shape for months, so most surgeons won't judge a result until about six months or later. Get the clinic's revision policy in writing before you pay. Your interpreter asks for it. If a dispute can't be settled, K-MEDI, Korea's medical dispute mediation agency, accepts cases from foreign patients.
What you can hold us to
Quote first, deposit later
You never pay a deposit before you hold a written, itemised quote.
A name and a face before you fly
You know who your interpreter is, and which language she speaks, before you board.
You pay us nothing
No booking fee, no interpreter fee, no fee for asking. The clinic pays our coordination fee.
Recovering in Seoul after plastic surgery
Plan to stay until your stitches or splint come off. For most face surgery that is 7 to 10 days. A facelift or contouring needs closer to two weeks. The first three days are the hardest: swelling peaks, and you want your bed close to the clinic. Your surgeon decides when you are fit to fly.
- Book a hotel within 10 minutes of the clinic. You go back for check-ups three to five times.
Eat soft, low-salt food for the first 3 days. Pumpkin porridge (hobakjuk) is what Koreans order after surgery, and it delivers.
Sleep with your head raised on two pillows, and walk a little every day.
No alcohol, smoking, sauna or jjimjilbang until your surgeon clears you.
Skin
Eyes
Dental
Hair
Checkup
Hanbang
The people who sit next to you
View all
English deskJeongil Seo
Korean · English
English deskDaeun Lee
Korean · English
English deskJisoo Yoo
Korean · English
English deskSooyeon Lee
Korean · English
Japanese deskSomin Park
Korean · Japanese
Japanese deskSanga Lee
Korean · Japanese
Mandarin deskKyungsook Moon
Korean · Mandarin
Mandarin deskSua Yoon
Korean · Mandarin
Guides from our interpreters
All guides
Plastic SurgeryHow to check a medical tourism clinic license in Korea before you send a deposit
Three different licenses matter when you book a Korean clinic from abroad. Here is what each one is, who holds it, and how to check it from your phone.
8 min read
Plastic SurgeryKorean plastic surgery before and after photos: how to read them, and what to ask for instead
Why we do not publish before-and-after promises, how photos get flattered without anyone lying, and the way to see a surgeon's real cases at your consultation.
8 min read
Plastic SurgeryKorean boob filler: why careful Seoul surgeons refuse it, and what they offer instead
Injectable breast filler is marketed online as a no-surgery boob job. Here is why board-certified surgeons in Korea turn it down, and an honest comparison of fat transfer and implants.
7 min read
Plastic SurgeryKorean BBL: what Seoul surgeons actually do, and the questions that keep it safe
The Korean version of a BBL is a modest hip and buttock fat transfer paired with liposuction. Here is who it suits, the safety rules to confirm, and why the flight home needs planning.
8 min read
Questions patients ask us
Is plastic surgery in Korea safe for foreigners?
How much does plastic surgery cost in Korea?
How long do I need to stay in Korea?
Can I have the consultation and the surgery in the same trip?
Is Korean cosmetic surgery the same thing as Korean plastic surgery?
Do Korean plastic surgeons speak English?
Send your photos. Get 2–3 written quotes.
Tell us what you want changed and when you can travel. Replies come in about 10 minutes, 09:00–22:00 KST. Surgery-day interpreter slots fill first, so message early and we hold your date free while you compare quotes.
