How to find and compare Korean plastic surgery clinics as an international patient (without a broker)

There are hundreds of cosmetic clinics in Seoul alone, and most of them advertise to foreign patients. Choosing well is less about finding the "best clinic" and more about finding the right surgeon for your specific procedure, at a clinic with proper safety systems, at a price you understand. This checklist is what we suggest international patients go through — from finding candidate clinics to comparing them and consulting the doctor — before booking.

Where to find Korean clinics that treat international patients

• Platforms that list clinics with international-patient support. Mimi lists licensed Korean clinics with their own procedure pages translated into English, Japanese and Chinese, starting prices, doctors, before & after cases and reviews, and lets you message each clinic directly. Browse by category (eyes, nose, facial contouring, breast, body, skin, hair, dental, vision) and compare clinics side by side.
• Official registries. The Korean government's Medical Korea site lists medical institutions registered to receive foreign patients, and specialist societies let you check a surgeon's board certification. Our verification guide shows exactly where to look.
• Clinic websites and social media. Useful for a clinic's own cases and doctors, but remember they are advertising; treat claims as questions to ask, not facts.

1. Check that the doctor is a specialist in what you want

In Korea, any licensed physician may perform cosmetic procedures, but a board-certified plastic surgeon (성형외과 전문의) has completed a multi-year residency in plastic surgery. For skin treatments, look for a dermatology specialist (피부과 전문의). Doctor pages on Mimi show the doctor's role and specialty; ask the clinic in chat if you are unsure, and ask which doctor will actually operate.

2. Look for experience with your exact procedure

A clinic that does hundreds of rhinoplasties a year is not necessarily the right place for facial contouring. Check the clinic's procedure pages and the doctor's "procedures performed" list, and look for before & after cases of patients whose starting point looks like yours. Clinics on Mimi publish their own cases and Mimi patients publish theirs.

3. Ask about anaesthesia and emergency preparedness

For anything under sedation or general anaesthesia, ask whether an anaesthesiologist is present for the whole operation, whether the clinic has emergency equipment and protocols, and whether recovery is monitored. Good clinics answer this without hesitation.

4. Read reviews with the right filter

• Prefer reviews that describe the consultation, the surgeon's explanation and the recovery, not only the result photo.
• Read reviews in more than one language if you can; international-patient reviews often mention interpretation quality and follow-up.
• Clinic pages on Mimi show public Google ratings where available, alongside reviews written by Mimi users after their consultations.

5. Understand the revision policy

Ask what happens if the result needs a revision: within what period, at what cost, and whether the same surgeon does it. Some procedure pages on Mimi display a "revision support" badge where the clinic offers full or partial revision support.

6. Compare quotes for the same plan

Get at least two quotes for the same method and the same anaesthesia, and check what each includes. Our cost guide lists what is usually bundled and what is billed separately, and the quotes guide explains how to get comparable quotes from several clinics with one request.

7. Talk to the doctor before you fly

A video consultation with the surgeon before you book is the single most useful step. You confirm the plan, hear the risks in your own language through interpretation, and see whether the doctor's aesthetic matches yours. Chat consultations with the coordinator are good for logistics; the medical plan should come from the doctor. See how online consultations work.

8. Plan enough time in Korea

Ask the clinic how many days you should stay for post-operative checks and stitch removal, and whether follow-up can be done remotely after you return home. Our trip planning guide covers typical stays by procedure.

Warning signs

• Pressure to pay a large deposit before you have spoken to the doctor
• Prices quoted only through an agent or "sponsor" and not by the clinic itself
• Vague answers about who operates and who monitors anaesthesia
• Before & after photos with different lighting, angles or makeup
• Unrealistic promises ("no swelling", "guaranteed result")

How Mimi fits in

Mimi lists only clinics and doctors whose credentials have been checked, shows the clinic's own procedure pages in your language, and lets you chat with the clinic or video-consult the doctor with real-time interpretation. There is no broker in between and no brokerage fee.