Surgery · Lifting

Best Midface Lift in Korea: Choosing a Clinic

Best midface lift in Seoul, weighed on the approach, the fixation and the recovery

Gangnam, Seoul | Board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Jonghwan Choi
KHIDI-registered for international patients · Apgujeong Rewind

Choosing a Midface Lift Surgeon Choosing a Midface Lift Surgeon Choosing a Midface Lift Surgeon Choosing a Midface Lift Surgeon 
Midface

Choosing a midface lift

How do you choose a clinic for a midface lift in Korea?

The short answer

Choose the clinic whose surgeon examines the whole area from the under-eye down to the smile lines and tells you whether the problem is descent of the midface, a bulging under-eye fat pad, or both. Ask how the lift is approached (inside the lower lid or through its skin), what holds the tissue once it is raised, who operates, and for a quote that shows a lift alone, a lift with fat repositioning or a lift added to lower-eyelid surgery as separate lines.

A midface lift covers a narrower area than a full facelift. A surgeon who explains where the operation stops, and what it will not change, gives you a clearer picture than photos of a dramatically younger face.

Facts about Rewind on this page come from the clinic's apple-cheek lifting page, its under-eye aftercare sheet, its price sheet and its registration details.

The midface is where tear troughs, under-eye bags and a flattened cheek tend to appear together. Several operations in Seoul claim to treat it, from threads to full facelifts. Comparing clinics starts with how each one defines the area and reaches it.

Consultation with Dr. Jonghwan Choi at Rewind Plastic Surgery
Fig. 01 — The under-eye and cheek are assessed together at consultation
Check

Before you book

Best midface lift in Seoul: five things to pin down first

You can ask all five by message, with front and side photos, before you commit to travel. Written answers let you compare clinics on the same terms.

check 01
Descent, fat or both?
Ask whether your midface has dropped, whether the under-eye fat pad bulges, or both. The answer decides whether a lift, fat repositioning or a combination is proposed.
check 02
Which approach
Ask whether the lift is reached through the inside of the lower lid or through the skin below the lashes, and where any visible line would be.
check 03
What holds the lift
Ask how the raised tissue is fixed and what happens to the fixation device over time. The way the lift is secured is part of how long it is expected to hold.
check 04
Who operates
Ask for the operating surgeon's name and which specialty certification that doctor holds, and whether the same doctor sees you at review.
check 05
Registration and the written quote
Ask for the clinic's KHIDI number for international patients and a quote listing the lift and any eyelid or fat work as separate lines, with VAT.
Types

Comparing providers

Four kinds of provider treating the midface in Seoul

The midface is treated in very different settings. Each may suit someone; the point is to know what to ask first in each.

01Specialist

A plastic surgery clinic offering lifts and eyelid surgery

The surgeon can lift the midface, reposition under-eye fat or operate on the lower lid. Ask how that surgeon decides which of these your face needs, and whether a full facelift would cover more than you need.

02Cosmetic

A cosmetic practice offering threads, fillers and devices

Non-surgical options may be proposed for the same area. Ask what each can do for tissue that has dropped, and how long the effect is expected to last.

03Centre

A large centre with several surgical teams

Consultation and surgery may be handled by different doctors. Ask who designs the lift, who performs it, and who sees you when the dressing comes off.

04Agency

A booking organised by an agency

An agency is not the medical provider. Ask it to name the clinic and the operating surgeon, and compare its price with the clinic's own listed prices for each midface option.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi discussing a surgical plan with a patient at Rewind Plastic Surgery
Fig. 02 — Where the operation starts and stops is agreed first
Rewind

The same checks, applied here

How Rewind answers the midface lift checklist

These are the clinic's published answers to the checks above, laid out so you can compare them with what you are told at consultation.

01Area

From under the eye to the smile lines

Rewind calls its midface lift apple-cheek lifting and describes it as covering the area from beneath the eye down to the smile lines, which is narrower than a full facelift. Dr. Choi, a board-certified plastic surgeon, examines that area, operates and attends your reviews.

02Approach

A small incision below the eye

The clinic's three steps are an individual design and a small incision below the eye, lifting of the midface tissue including the fascial layer, then fixation of the descended fat to the periosteum and careful closure. Rewind states that making the incision inside the lower lid keeps the scar to a minimum.

03Fixation

Endotine with five prongs

The lifted tissue is held with Endotine, a device whose five prongs grip the tissue at several points. The clinic states the material is approved by the Korean drug authority and the US FDA and is absorbed over roughly nine months.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi operating with surgical loupes and a headlight
Fig. 03 — The midface is reached through a small opening below the eye
Apgujeong

The clinic

Where midface lift surgery at Rewind takes place

Surgery underway in the operating room at Rewind Plastic Surgery

Fig. 04 — Lifting operations take place in the clinic's own theatre

Private room on the treatment floor at Rewind Plastic Surgery

Fig. 05 — The dressing is checked in a private room at review

Rewind Plastic Surgery is on the fourth and fifth floors of the Richro Building in Apgujeong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The consultation, the operation and the reviews for a midface lift are all held there by appointment, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00 to 19:00 and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 16:00.

Individual design before surgery
Small incision below the eye
Midface tissue lifted with the fascial layer
Fat fixed to the periosteum
Absorbable five-prong Endotine
Messages answered as soon as possible
Dr. Jonghwan Choi, board-certified plastic surgeon at Rewind

Board-certified plastic surgeon

The midface lift at Rewind is performed by Dr. Jonghwan Choi, board-certified plastic surgeon. KHIDI registration for international patients: M-2025-01-08-09288.

Quote

Pricing

Midface lift prices at Rewind

The midface lift is listed three ways, depending on what else the examination finds. The line in your quote is the listed figure for the plan agreed.

Transconjunctival midface liftOn its own, through the inside of the lower lid
₩4,000,000
Midface lift with fat repositioningWhen the under-eye fat pad also bulges
₩6,000,000
Midface lift added to lower blepharoplastyLifted in the same session as lower-lid surgery
₩7,000,000

Prices are listed excluding VAT (10% VAT is added at payment). The written quote names the option chosen at examination and every additional line before a date is fixed.

Fit

Suitability

Who a midface lift tends to suit, and when to look further

Often a good fit when

  • Tear troughs or dark circles are marked
  • Under-eye fat bulges forward
  • The area from under the eye to the cheek has sagged a lot
  • The lower lid turned outward after earlier eyelid surgery
  • You want the midface treated without a full facelift

Worth looking further when

  • The sagging is mainly along the jaw and neck
  • Volume loss, more than descent, is the main finding
  • You expect one operation to change the whole face
  • Your trip leaves no room for the three-day dressing and a review
  • You have a bleeding tendency, eye inflammation, or are pregnant or breastfeeding
Stay

Planning the stay

Midface lift aftercare to plan around your trip

Because the lift is reached through the lower eyelid, Rewind's under-eye aftercare sheet applies. The surgeon confirms your review dates after the operation.

First three days
Dressing stays on
Leave the dressing under the eye in place for three days, and keep the area clean and dry.
One to two weeks
Swelling and bruising
Early swelling and bruising usually ease over one to two weeks. Do not rub or press the eye area, and use sunscreen from the start.
At least a week
No sauna or hard exercise
Saunas, steam rooms, pools and strenuous exercise are avoided for at least a week.
About a month
No strong pulling
Avoid pulling firmly on the operated area for about a month, and keep alcohol, smoking and saunas out of that period.

Risks to discuss include bleeding, infection, swelling, asymmetry, altered sensation and scarring. If the lift is reached through the lower-lid skin, a line may show below the lashes depending on skin elasticity. Results vary by individual; Rewind's page records an effect that can last more than five years.

Doctor

Professional

A midface lift depends on the approach and the fixation. At Rewind the surgeon who plans both is the one who operates.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi, board-certified plastic surgeonRewind,
Peer-reviewed paper by Dr. Jonghwan Choi in the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery
Fig. 06 — The surgeon's lower-lid research can be looked up

Rewind's Doctor

Dr. Jonghwan Choi Medical Director

Lift the cheek from beneath the eye,
and hold it where it belongs.

Board-certified plastic surgeon and medical director, author of ten peer-reviewed papers in craniofacial surgery and medical science journals.

Board-certified plastic surgeon (Plastic Surgery)
10 peer-reviewed publications
Medical Director, Rewind Plastic Surgery
Korean Society of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons
Former chief director, Apgujeong Y&T Plastic Surgery
Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
J Craniofac Surg · JKMS · Arch Craniofac Surg
Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association
Ask

Questions

Choosing a midface lift surgeon: common questions

How is a midface lift different from a facelift?
A facelift lifts the face as a whole. Rewind's midface lift covers the area from beneath the eye to the smile lines, so it suits people whose concern sits in that band. Which fits depends on where your sagging is.
Will there be a visible scar?
Rewind states that an incision inside the lower lid keeps scarring to a minimum. If the lift is reached through the lower-lid skin, a line may show below the lashes, depending on skin elasticity.
What is Endotine and does it stay in my face?
Endotine is a fixation device with five prongs that holds the lifted tissue at several points. Rewind states that the material is approved in Korea and by the US FDA and that the body absorbs it over roughly nine months.
How long should I stay in Seoul?
Plan around the three-day dressing and a review on a date the surgeon sets. Swelling and bruising usually ease over one to two weeks, so allow for that if you have events soon after returning.
Can the midface lift be combined with under-eye fat repositioning?
Yes. Rewind lists a combined operation for when the under-eye fat pad bulges as well as the midface having dropped, and a separate add-on line when lower-eyelid surgery is already planned.
Can it help if my lower lid turned outward after earlier surgery?
A lower lid that turned outward after lower-eyelid surgery is on Rewind's list of findings for this operation. The earlier surgery is examined first, and the plan follows from what is found.
How long does the result last?
Rewind's page records an effect that can last more than five years, varying between individuals. The face keeps ageing afterwards.
Can I send photos before booking?
Yes. Send front and side photos of your under-eye and cheek area through the form below or WhatsApp, and Rewind replies as soon as possible. Any view given from photos is provisional until the in-person examination.
Voices

Google Reviews

What our patients say.

G 5.0 ★★★★★ 51 Google reviews · Rewind Plastic Surgery, Apgujeong — live-synced from Google Business Profile
★★★★★

Came to REWIND to get my facial treatment and i'm absolutely obsessed about it💞 the doctor is so kind and is an expert! Everyone must visit!

YunHee Hong2 weeks ago
★★★★★

There are just way too many cosmetic clinics in Korea and I'm so happy I found Rewind Clinic in Gangnam. Dr. Choi was so kind and patient while explaining the different face-lifting options, from threads to mini-lifts to deep-plane lifts…

J. S.5 months ago
★★★★★

I found Rewind clinic through a Korean chat forum and many local clients highly recommended it. The clinic is brand new, featuring large, clean rooms and many private waiting areas so it doesn't give off that "factory" clinic vibe. All the…

J. Siou5 months ago
★★★★★

Really nice environment. Doctor is easy to communicate and understands my visions. Waited two weeks to make a review and I confirm the results exceeded my expectations and I am super happy with it. Can't wait to come back!! :))

Kristie Chu5 months ago
★★★★★

I received a thread lift at Rewind Plastic Surgery. The clinic was clean and the atmosphere was comfortable. The consultation was thorough, and I felt confident because they kindly explained everything tailored to my facial condition. They…

한주연2 weeks ago · Translated by Google
Booking

Reservation

REWIND,booking

Send front and side photos of your under-eye and cheek area, with any earlier eyelid or filler treatment, and we reply as soon as possible.

Visit

REWIND,visit

For international patients — interpreter-assisted, from your first message to your follow-up.

Location
Apgujeong, Gangnam
4F & 5F, Richro Building,
812 Nonhyeon-ro,
Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Hours
Mon·Tue·Wed·Fri 10:00–19:00
Sat 10:00–16:00
Closed Sundays & Thursdays
Lunch 12:00–13:00
Consultation
In your language
WhatsApp · Instagram
Interpreter-assisted
consultations available
Registration
KHIDI Registered
Registered institution for
international patients
Reg. M-2025-01-08-09288

Scientific evidence

Research behind the midface lift clinic checklist

The first two papers report transconjunctival midface lifting, one over nine years; the third describes an Endotine-assisted subperiosteal midface lift; the fourth reports a midface lift combined with release inside the lid to repair a lower lid turned outward after eyelid surgery; the fifth reports complications after cosmetic surgery abroad. Their patients were not Rewind patients, and their findings describe groups rather than any one person.