Surgery · Choosing a clinic

Best Plastic Surgery in Korea: How to Choose a Clinic

Best plastic surgery in Seoul, judged on six facts you can check before you book

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

Choosing Plastic Surgery in Korea Choosing Plastic Surgery in Korea Choosing Plastic Surgery in Korea Choosing Plastic Surgery in Korea 
Choose

Choosing a surgeon in Korea

How do you choose a plastic surgery clinic in Korea?

The short answer

Choose on facts that can be confirmed in writing. Find out which specialty certified the doctor who will operate, check that the clinic is registered to treat international patients, learn who examines you, who operates and who sees you at review visits, ask which devices or materials would be used, and get an itemised quote before you pay a deposit. Each of these can be asked by message before you travel and confirmed again at consultation.

Rankings, star counts and photo galleries are easy to find for plastic surgery in Seoul, and none of them answers those questions. A ranking does not say who would operate on your face. The six checks on this page do.

This checklist applies to any consultation you attend. Facts about Rewind on this page come from the clinic's own pages, its price sheet and its registration details.

Patients travel to Seoul from many countries for eyelid, nose and facelift surgery, and the number of clinics in Gangnam alone can make the choice feel endless. It narrows quickly once you ask the same plain questions of every clinic and compare the written answers side by side.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi assessing a patient's jawline at a consultation at Rewind
Fig. 01 — The examination is where general advice turns into a plan for one face
Result

Before & After

Reading before-and-after photos when choosing plastic surgery

Photos help most when each pair names the operation that produced the change. The three Rewind cases below were each operated with no second procedure in the same session, so the caption describes the whole of what was done. Look for the same habit wherever you are comparing: a named operation, the same person in both frames, and a note on anything performed alongside it.

Rewind patients — single-procedure cases

Before a sub-brow lift carried out as the only procedure in its session at Rewind After a sub-brow lift carried out as the only procedure in its session at Rewind BEFOREAFTER
case 01
Sub-brow lift, with nothing else done in the session
Individual results may vary.
Before a medial epicanthoplasty carried out as the only procedure in its session After a medial epicanthoplasty carried out as the only procedure in its session BEFOREAFTER
case 02
Medial epicanthoplasty, with nothing else done in the session
Individual results may vary.
Front view before buccal fat removal carried out as the only procedure in its session Front view after buccal fat removal carried out as the only procedure in its session BEFOREAFTER
case 03
Buccal fat removal, with nothing else done in the session
Individual results may vary.

All three pairs are Rewind patients, photographed by the clinic unretouched and published with written consent. Results vary between individuals and no particular outcome can be promised. Each of these operations carries its own risks, among them bleeding, infection, swelling, asymmetry, altered sensation and a scar that stays visible; the surgeon examines you before anything is decided.

Check

Before you book

Best plastic surgery in Gangnam: six checks before you book

Each check concerns a fact a clinic can state plainly. Send them as one message before you choose dates, and keep the replies so you can compare them.

check 01
The operating doctor's specialty
Ask which specialty certification the doctor who will perform your operation holds, and which professional societies that doctor belongs to. A clinic name containing "aesthetic" or "beauty" does not state the specialty of the person holding the scalpel.
check 02
Registration for international patients
A Korean clinic that recruits patients from abroad registers for that purpose through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI). Ask for the registration number and keep it with your booking records.
check 03
The same doctor from consultation to review
Ask whether the doctor you meet at consultation operates on you and attends your review visits. Continuity matters most when you are only in Seoul for a short stay and questions come up after you fly home.
check 04
Devices and materials, named in advance
Ask what would be placed or used: a fixation device for a lift, cartilage for a nose and where it comes from, or no implant at all. A material that is named before surgery can be looked up before you agree to it.
check 05
An itemised quote, VAT stated
Ask for every line in writing: the operation, any additions and whether VAT is included. Listed prices and parts quoted after examination should be shown separately, so you know which figures can still change.
check 06
Aftercare for someone who lives abroad
Ask how many review visits the operation needs, how long you should stay in Seoul, and how questions are answered once you are home. The answer should match the operation, since an eyelid and a facelift need very different stays.
Types

Comparing clinic types

Four kinds of plastic surgery provider you will meet in Seoul

The clinics you find in a search for plastic surgery in Korea fall into a few broad kinds. None of them is right or wrong in itself; each raises a different question, and knowing the kind tells you which question to ask first.

01Specialist

A clinic led by a board-certified plastic surgeon

The operating doctor holds board certification in plastic surgery. Ask to see that the certificate and the society memberships belong to the doctor who will actually operate on you, and that the doctor is named on your consent form.

02Cosmetic

A cosmetic clinic offering surgery alongside skin treatments

Some cosmetic practices combine injections and laser care with some surgery. Ask which doctor performs the operations, which specialty certified that doctor, and where the surgery itself takes place.

03Centre

A large centre with several surgical teams

Bigger centres may run several operating rooms at once. Ask who your operating surgeon will be by name, whether that name can change on the day, and who sees you at each review visit.

04Agency

A booking made through an agency or an app

An agency arranges your visit but is not the medical provider. Ask it to name the clinic and the operating doctor, check the clinic's KHIDI registration yourself, and confirm that the price you were shown matches the clinic's own written quote.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi and the surgical team during an operation at Rewind Plastic Surgery
Fig. 02 — Whatever the kind of clinic, the useful question is who will be in the operating room
Rewind

The same checks, applied here

How Rewind answers the plastic surgery checklist

The checks above apply at Rewind too. These are the clinic's published answers, so you can hold them against what you are told in person.

01Specialty

Dr. Jonghwan Choi, board-certified plastic surgeon

Dr. Choi examines you, operates and attends the review visits. He is a member of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, the Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, and he has ten peer-reviewed papers.

02Materials

Fixation devices and grafts named before surgery

Rewind's apple-cheek midface lift and endoscopic forehead lift use the Endotine fixation device, and the nose price list names donated rib cartilage as its own line. You hear which of these your plan involves at examination, before a date is set.

03Quote

Listed prices first, the rest written after examination

The main operations carry published prices, shown in the table below. Anything that depends on what the examination finds is written into the quote before you confirm, and the clinic registration number, M-2025-01-08-09288, appears on that paperwork.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi presenting at an academic session
Fig. 03 — Credentials are worth most when you can look them up yourself
Apgujeong

The clinic

Where plastic surgery at Rewind takes place in Apgujeong

Operating room at Rewind Plastic Surgery, Apgujeong

Fig. 04 — The operating room is in the same building as the consultation

Reception desk at Rewind Plastic Surgery, Apgujeong

Fig. 05 — Reception, where every visit starts

Rewind Plastic Surgery occupies the fourth and fifth floors of the Richro Building in Apgujeong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Consultation, surgery and review visits all take place there. The clinic sees patients by appointment on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00 to 19:00 and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 16:00, and is closed on Thursdays and Sundays.

Operating surgeon named at the first reply
KHIDI registration number in writing
Device or graft named before a date is set
Listed and quoted items kept apart
Review dates set by the operation performed
Messages answered as soon as possible
Dr. Jonghwan Choi, board-certified plastic surgeon, during a consultation at Rewind

Board-certified plastic surgeon

Dr. Jonghwan Choi, board-certified plastic surgeon, carries out the consultation and the operation himself. KHIDI registration for international patients: M-2025-01-08-09288.

Quote

Pricing

Plastic surgery prices at Rewind, and what a quote should show

Published prices let you compare like with like before travelling. The figures below are Rewind's listed prices for some of its main operations; your own quote names the exact operation once you have been examined.

Partial-incision double eyelidEyelid crease through a short incision
₩1,800,000
Under-eye fat repositioningLower-lid fat moved into the groove below the eye
₩1,600,000
Basic rhinoplasty, openBridge and tip
₩3,500,000
Endotine forehead liftEndoscopic lift with a fixation device
₩4,500,000
Transconjunctival midface liftApple-cheek lift as a standalone operation
₩4,000,000
Full faceliftListed as a full facelift on the price sheet
₩9,000,000

All prices are shown excluding VAT (10% VAT is added at payment). Ask for the full quote in writing, with every additional line named, before you confirm a date.

Timing

Readiness

Ready for plastic surgery in Korea, or better to wait?

Signs you are ready to book

  • You can name the feature you want changed, in your own words
  • Your travel dates leave room for the stay the operation needs
  • You have sent your medical history and current medicines in advance
  • You have the six checks answered in writing
  • You are willing to change the plan if the examination points elsewhere

Better to wait when

  • The trip leaves no time for review visits before your flight home
  • You take anticoagulants, or are pregnant or nursing, and have not discussed it yet
  • An earlier operation on the same area is still settling
  • The main aim is to copy a photograph of another person
  • You feel rushed into a date by a discount or a deadline
Stay

Planning the stay

Plastic surgery aftercare to plan before you fly to Seoul

The length of stay differs by operation, so ask for it at the first reply. The clinic's own aftercare instructions give a sense of the range.

First days
Dressings and rest
After under-eye fat repositioning, the dressing under the eye stays on for three days. After a forehead lift, resting with the head raised helps limit swelling.
First week
Stitches and the first review
Stitches after upper or lower eyelid surgery are typically removed five to seven days later. After buried-suture eyelid surgery or under-eye fat repositioning, saunas and hard exercise are avoided for at least a week.
Two weeks
Bruising fades
For incision eyelid surgery and brow lifts, the clinic's instructions expect swelling and bruising to ease over one to two weeks, with sunscreen used to protect the scar.
One month
Lifts and liposuction
After a facelift, strenuous exercise and saunas are avoided for at least four weeks; after facial liposuction, exercise, saunas and alcohol are avoided for a month.

Risks to discuss before any operation include bleeding, infection, prolonged swelling, asymmetry, altered sensation, visible scarring and, rarely, a need for further surgery. Severe pain or fever after surgery calls for contact with the clinic straight away. Results vary by individual.

Doctor

Professional

When you are choosing a clinic, the doctor's record is the part you can check from home. At Rewind it belongs to the surgeon who examines you and performs the operation.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi, board-certified plastic surgeonRewind,
Journal of Craniofacial Surgery article co-authored by Dr. Jonghwan Choi
Fig. 06 — Published work is a credential anyone can look up

Rewind's Doctor

Dr. Jonghwan Choi Medical Director

Ask me what I would change,
and what I would leave as it is.

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 plastic surgery in Korea: common questions

How can I confirm a surgeon's specialty before travelling to Korea?
Ask the clinic in writing which specialty certification the operating doctor holds, and which professional societies that doctor belongs to. Society memberships and published papers can be checked independently. At Rewind the operating surgeon is Dr. Jonghwan Choi, a board-certified plastic surgeon whose memberships are listed on this page.
What does a KHIDI registration number tell an international patient?
It shows that the clinic is registered in Korea to attract and treat patients from abroad, through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. It is an administrative registration and says nothing about the outcome of any operation. Rewind's number is M-2025-01-08-09288.
How long should I plan to stay in Seoul after plastic surgery?
It depends on the operation. Eyelid stitches are usually removed five to seven days after surgery, while a facelift calls for avoiding strenuous exercise for at least four weeks. Ask for the stay and the review dates for your own operation before you book flights.
What should a written quote from a Korean clinic include?
It should name the exact operation, list any additional items separately, and say whether VAT is included. Rewind's listed prices exclude VAT, with 10% VAT added at payment, and anything that depends on the examination is written into the quote before a date is confirmed.
How should I read before-and-after photos on a clinic website?
Check that each pair names the operation, shows the same person in both frames, and says whether another procedure was done in the same session. The three cases on this page were each operated with no second procedure, and all were published with written consent.
Can I have more than one operation during a single trip?
Sometimes, and the surgeon decides at examination. Combining operations changes the length of surgery, the recovery and the stay you need in Seoul, so ask how the plan and the review visits would change before agreeing to more than one procedure.
Can I send photos and questions before I choose a date?
Yes. Use the form below or WhatsApp to send your concern, a few photos and your travel window, and Rewind replies as soon as possible. The surgeon's view from photos is provisional; the plan is confirmed only after an in-person examination in Apgujeong.
What if I am told surgery is not the right step for me?
That is a useful answer to receive before you travel or pay. A surgeon may suggest waiting for an earlier operation to settle, a smaller procedure, or nothing at all. Ask for the reason in writing, so that you can weigh it against any other consultation you have.
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

Tell us which operation you are considering and when you could travel, and we reply as soon as possible with the answers to your checklist.

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 plastic surgery clinic checklist

The first two systematic reviews concern communication between patient and doctor, with professional interpreters and in a shared language. The third compares two facelift techniques, a reminder that operations with similar names can differ in how they are done, which is worth asking about at consultation. The fourth pools reported complications of lower eyelid surgery, the kind of risk information a consultation should cover. None of these studies included Rewind patients, and what they report applies to groups of people.