The Hidden Cost of Korea’s Beauty Industry

The most cases per capita of cosmetic surgery cases are done here in Korea.

Microneedling,

non-invasive lifting

and stem cell extraction.

These cutting-edge treatments are putting South Korea at the top of the beauty game.

K-pop, K-movies...

the brand image of Korea has increased

to show what we have here.

Since the government began promoting medical tourism in 2009,

South Korea has seen a steady influx

of foreign patients.

It reached a record high

of over 600,000 in 2023,

with more than half of them

getting aesthetic treatments.

We traveled to Seoul

to connect with tourists seeking rejuvenation.

I want my skin to look younger.

And to hear from leading doctors and businesses on what’s driving this growth.

While the cosmetic medical market thrives,

this contrasts sharply with the critical shortage of doctors

in essential fields like pediatrics and internal medicine.

What is the true cost of chasing beauty and fortune

in a country grappling with urgent health-care shortages?

It’s the big day.

I’m heading out to Korea today.

Let’s go!

I live just outside New York City with my husband and my son.

It’s my first trip to South Korea.

46-year old Julie Miller came to Korea

to experience its renowned beauty treatments.

Korean skincare is a big thing.

I realized that people are also getting a lot of services done,

like lasers and peels and all kinds of things

all the way through plastic surgery.

The biggest draw was people were very satisfied with their results.

And that combined with a better price than we have in the US,

it’s like a no-brainer.

With the help of a medical tourism agency,