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Makeup artist Nam Vo has just returned to New York City after eight days in Seoul. For Vo, and the four friends who joined her, the vacation involved classic girl’s trip fare: spa days, gossip sessions, and sampling the local cuisine. But the main activity on the agenda: getting snatched.
Vo and her friends all had unique aesthetic goals, and Seoul—specifically the Gangnam neighborhood where many of its beauty clinics are located—seemed like the ideal place to achieve them. South Korea’s beauty industry is one of the most competitive, experimental, and advanced in the world, with a seemingly unlimited supply of transformation providers. Equally appealing for Western tourists: plastic surgery, aesthetic procedures, and skin-care treatments are typically priced far lower than they are in their home countries. (Think $500 for one Sofwave tightening treatment instead of $2,500.) And in many cases, some of the technology being used isn’t yet available elsewhere in the world, making it a playground for beauty enthusiasts.
Vo—who is known for her work with celebrities like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Chrissy Teigen and her community of glowy-skin loving #dewydumplings on social media—visited Seoul for the first time last year. Her friend Eunice Park, MD, a New York City-based board-certified plastic surgeon who was born in South Korea and still visits often, had acted as her guide. “That trip was so relaxing and more spa-like, with lots of pampering,” says Vo. “This time I went in hard. I wanted to see a visible change in my face.”
On the top of Vo’s wishlist was a stem-cell fat grafting procedure. “I’d heard through the grapevine and on social media that this is what Korean celebrities are doing instead of fillers,” says Vo. “An influencer friend, who will remain unnamed, got it right before I did, and her results were amazing.”
Vo, however, didn’t want to take TikTok’s word for it when her face was on the line: “A lot of beauty tourists want to go budget friendly. But the idea of going to a ‘factory clinic’ made for a TikTok clientele, to a doctor whose qualifications you don’t know, who will herd you in and out like you’re on a conveyor belt, was not a path that made me feel safe,” she says. “I'm not saying that you can't get good results that way, but I’d personally cut costs by staying at a cheaper hotel, or skipping Michelin-starred restaurants. Anytime there's a needle or laser involved, I want to know that the people who are working on me are highly qualified.”
Vo recommends using a reputable concierge, like Jennifer Seo, the Korean-American founder of Aneue Concierge. After doing the same for herself during annual trips to Korea, in 2019 Seo began curating bespoke itineraries for beauty tourists as a side gig to her day job as an investment banker. (Last year, Seo pivoted to making Aneue her full-time business.) Seo’s concierge service is priced at $500 per category of treatment: non-surgical skin care (including tightening treatments like Ultherapy), medical exams (like allergy and hearing tests), and beauty services (head spas, nails, massages).
Over the years, Seo (who is based in California) has built a network of trusted clinics and doctors in Seoul, all of whom are board-certified by the Korean Dermatological Association. Many are renowned in the Korean dermatology world, with large and loyal followings to show for it. But “most importantly, these doctors have delivered effective, excellent results and aftercare,” says Seo.
No matter where you may be in the world, complications following aesthetic procedures are always possible. And with cosmetic tourism becoming more mainstream, reports of patients dealing with these challenges while abroad have become more common—especially if the providers are unvetted. The situation can be complicated further when a patient is navigating an unfamiliar medical system, has to overcome a language barrier, or takes a flight soon after an operation.
The U.S. Embassy in Korea asks visitors to consider purchasing emergency travel insurance including Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) coverage. On Seo’s end, she makes sure her clients are aware of side effects and risks prior to any procedure—and if concerns arise, her team acts as a liaison between the client and the doctor. For those concerned about a language barrier, Seo also offers translational services. (Vo says most doctors and providers at the facilities she visited were proficient in English and translation was provided if needed.)
Vo and her friends all Zoomed with Seo about a month before their trip, then left it up to her to make the appointments with providers who specialize in treating the areas they identified as concerns. Each woman received an itinerary nearly 10 pages long, with the date, time, and location for each appointment; the services they would be getting; the name and qualifications of the doctor or provider (complete with their picture); and an estimate of the cost. There were also details like whether the facility accepted credit cards and if cancellation fees applied.
Below, in her own words, Vo takes Allure along for the highlights of her South Korean beauty field trip.
“I went to Seoul with four of my childhood friends, and we all had different needs. One wanted eyelid surgery, one wanted MRI scans and internal medicine, another needed dentistry. We got everything from hair treatments and manicures to plastic surgery and all kinds of lasers and innovation that I've never seen in America.
We stayed at the Josun Palace, which is a five-star hotel; it’s more affordable than its counterparts in the U.S. [Ed note: Rooms start at around $330 per night.] Every day, we were out getting treatments like it was our job; each morning we would go off to our laser or fat-dissolving appointments. At night, we would all have a kiki in the hotel room to share our experiences and results, and then we would swap treatments and change our itinerary after seeing what the others had done.
There are more skin clinics than Starbucks in Korea. If I get PRP in New York, I'm booking two months in advance, filling out all kinds of paperwork, and if I cancel, it's a big boo boo. There, it’s like getting a nail polish change. It's so casual, easy, and accessible. In Korean culture they get glutathione IVs, facials, or a new chin or eyelid like it’s nothing. It's very common practice, and nobody is ashamed to be walking around with bandages or stitches.
I’ll admit, the beauty standards are ridiculous. One of my friends was getting eyelid surgery to address loose skin and look like her younger self. The doctors couldn't believe that she wanted to still look like herself when they could make her look “beautiful.” She had to convince them that she really just wanted her old eyes. That's something you have to be careful about; they might want to make you look like a doll. Their standard of beauty is AI perfection.
Day 1:
On the first day, after the 14-hour flight, I got a facial at Chaum, a five-story medical and aesthetic center that does everything from facials and massages to plastic surgery. Dr. Kang Jung Im, the founding director of Chaum’s Evercell Skincare Center and a professor at Cha University of Science and Technology, performed the treatment, which involved microneedling a cocktail of stem cells, growth factors, and exosomes that’s said to help strengthen the epidermal barrier. I also got a sculpting and lifting microcurrent treatment. I'm really big into face-sculpting massages and so are the Koreans, and there was a lot of that in this facial, as well as oxygen. I added on a One Thera treatment to help with skin elasticity and lines; it’s a device that delivers high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in long-pulse waves, which makes it less spicy than Ultherapy, which I’ve heard can be painful. The facial ($933, including all the add-ons) was gifted because I had posted on social media about a treatment I got at Chaum in October 2024, and my #dewydumplings gave them a rush of new business.
After that, I got an IV ($170) because I was exhausted and jet-lagged, and also wanted a boost before the next few days of procedures. They customized my IV to include a high dose of vitamin C for an immune boost, a bump of antioxidants, and collagen. There was also glutamine, which is said to support gut health and absorption; glutathione for its supposed antioxidant action, immune support and hyperpigmentation benefits; and a placenta injection, which I was told helps with skin regeneration.
Day 2:
I went to YJ Spa for a full body lymphatic drainage massage, which was intense! It lasted for three hours, they used five devices, and two to three therapists worked on me at once. The devices included an InMode radiofrequency tool to tighten and subtly melt fat on the abdomen. One suction device felt like it was literally ironing my fat out. The therapists also used their hands to very skillfully knead me like dough. This was an 8/10 in terms of pain. It’s an intensive deep tissue massage and the devices are painful as well. My stomach was completely black and blue after they were done. Two of my friends that did it also both have a high pain threshold, and even they found it painful. But then you wake up the next day, it seems like all excess fluid has left your body, and you look more snatched.
They also treated me to a facial ($750 total for this and the massage) using the head esthetician's famous “face lift facial” technique, which included a plasma device with several functions: one is an air jet type technology to push products deeper into the skin for better absorption, another injects small amounts of collagen into the skin.
What's interesting is, because they didn't speak English, we were only communicating through Google Translate. They'd be like, “Okay, now we're gonna put a warm compress on your stomach.” And I would Google Translate and reply, “Okay, it's getting too hot!”
Day 3:
This was the big day. I was scheduled to get a stem cell fat transfer treatment at Jeunex Clinic. A doctor I know and trust implicitly recommended Jeunex because the doctors here have been studying stem cells for 20 years. They use stromal-vascular fraction (SVF) or cell-assisted lipotransfer, which involves liposuctioning the patient’s own fat, processing it to isolate stem cells and other beneficial components, and then reinjecting the fat in the desired area. I wanted to focus on my undereyes, where I had been noticing hollowing.
This procedure is not available in the U.S., even though it sounds very much like a fat transfer, which loads of American plastic surgeons offer. [Ed note: The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) regulates stem cell therapies as well as cosmetic laser devices in South Korea.] It’s much more effective and specialized because of the stem cells.
[Vo’s surgeon, Dr. Kisu Sung (also known as Dr. Kasey) explains the difference: “Grafted fat tissues need new blood vessels to survive, which in the traditional fat grafting process, take four to five days to develop after grafting. With this method, stem cells are grafted together with the fat and may work quicker to develop these vascularization processes, resulting in better outcomes for the survival of fat cells. They also work for the rejuvenation of the skin around the area, resulting in a youthful look with better skin texture.”]
[Dr. Park shares her opinion from the perspective of a U.S.-based surgeon: “The FDA does not currently approve isolating or manipulating stem cells for this purpose outside of controlled clinical trials, so physicians must rely on minimally manipulated fat that contains naturally occurring stem cells. While they cannot legally isolate or culture stem cells for cosmetic use, techniques like nanofat grafting allow them to utilize the regenerative properties of adipose tissue in a compliant, minimally manipulated way. Standard fat transfer procedures—when performed with meticulous technique—are already effective and self-sufficient for restoring volume and improving contour. Many U.S. plastic surgeons use adjuncts like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or energy-based devices to support fat graft take and skin regeneration, offering an FDA-compliant alternative to experimental stem cell therapies. Countries like South Korea and Japan, with more permissive regulations around stem cell research, are exploring more advanced methods—such as cultured stem cell-enriched fat transfers or exosome therapies—which could offer enhanced outcomes in theory. These approaches are still under investigation and not yet validated for widespread use.”]
You might have watched a hundred TikToks on popular Korean procedures and not heard about this one, because it’s extremely expensive. The specialized clinics that offer it don’t perform it for free on influencers in exchange for posting, and influencers don’t want to pay for it. I didn't want to pay $18,000 either, but I figured I haven't paid for beauty treatments in 10 years, it was my birthday, and I'm not a spring chicken at 44. So I splurged. I don't think I could do this every year, though a lot of wealthy people do.
I knew that I didn't want plastic surgery or fillers, not that there’s anything wrong with either, and I liked the idea of working with my own raw materials. My undereye area was beginning to look tired, and the doctors told me I was smart to do it exactly when I started to notice the decline. I didn't wait for a deep wrinkle or for the bags to get crepey. I have a fix-it-before-it's-broken mindset.
When I got there, I had a 45-minute consultation with three doctors who analyzed me and determined that I had good cheekbones and great skin quality on my face. They, too, noticed I was starting to hollow and decided to strategically place more dense fat underneath the eye. They also decided to inject the fat all over the face more superficially, for a little boost. They explained the entire procedure to me and warned me that I’d puff up and be scared when I saw myself after a few days, but then the swelling would go down and I’d be on my way to being smooth and flawless over the next four weeks.
They were so funny; they said I hit the lottery on my face, but my arms were big and flabby, and suggested I liposuction out the fat from my arms. I was dying laughing because I’m Vietnamese, and in my culture too, they show love this way, by pointing out your flaws. I wasn’t offended because no lies were told. I do have flabby arms. I said to them that I’d go home and do Pilates, but for now let's work on my face.
Then they put me in the operating room, and I was under sedation for about 45 minutes while they did the procedure. When I woke up, I felt sore on my abdomen, like I was heavily bruised. My face was very sore and bumpy, like I had mosquito bites all over. When I woke up, they started joking with me again, asking me, “What about your arm? You want to lipo your arm?”
Like I said, I didn’t have a frame of reference for this procedure since influencers aren’t posting about it. I thought they were just going to put a needle in my tummy and extract some fat. But they liposuctioned the fat out. I actually have regrets—if I knew they were going to do lipo, I would have asked them to take a lot more out and bank it, and leave me with a flat stomach. But they only took enough to do the harvesting process. I found out later they did bank some of my stem cells, so if I need a touch up in the future, they can take it out of the bank.
In 2019, I had an accident where my dress caught on fire from a candle. I have a keloidal scar and lots of discoloration on my back, so they ended up injecting the stem cells all over my back, too. They did my back for free.
One of the reasons why my procedure was so expensive is because I also got a stem cell IV. After I woke up from the sedation, they put in an IV with the same stem cells extracted from my blood. This is said to help boost the body’s natural healing abilities. [Dr. Sung says, “They work as regenerative power, helping with immunological balance, anti-inflammatory reactions and neovascularization. When there is damage or degenerative changes in any body part, the cells focus more around those parts in what’s called the ‘homing effect.’ Many conditions are known to be helped by stem cells, like atopic dermatitis, degenerative osteoarthritis, scars, wound healing, erectile dysfunction, autoimmune conditions, COPD, and more.”]
I didn't really have any illnesses, but I noticed that I became so energized right afterwards. The doctor did warn me that there would be a very serious side effect of these treatments: a new boyfriend.
This treatment is for a very particular person. Even though it’s very expensive, it's not gonna move the needle the way plastic surgery will. If you have marionette lines, it's not gonna take them away. It's just gonna soft focus everything, perk you up, refresh you, make you look like you exercise, eat vegetables, drink water, and sleep well. And that's all I wanted. Fat grafts can last for years, even a lifetime, because it’s not a foreign substance like filler—it’s your body’s own fat that’s been transplanted. I’m still going to age, of course.
I had to wear a belt-like compression garment on my tummy every night for about a week after the lipo to help the swelling. The clinic provides after-care in the form of massages, red light therapy, and check-ins every couple days, so they like you to stay local for seven days after the fat transfer. You need to factor that into the cost.
Day 4:
I was told to drink lots of water and avoid alcohol and spicy food. I did everything except stay away from spicy food. We ate all the Korean specialties, like miyeokguk, kimchi jjigae, and Josun Palace’s famous strawberry bingsu. We literally ordered everything on the menu at Gangnam Myeonok and it was all delicious. We also loved the Italian food at Brera.
I was quite sore but I wasn’t in extreme pain, so I was still running around, shopping, eating, and living my best life for the next two days, even though my face was swollen and bumpy. I got a blowout at Woosun Hair and Makeup ($37).
Of course I went beauty shopping at Olive Young and got makeup products for cheeks, lips, and eyes. I love the mousse-y, matte textures that are popular in Korea, and the colors are just what I love: fairy-like, glowy, pinky-peach tones. The lashes, brushes, and tools are also really great. Everything is between $10 and $16, and I got a huge haul for around $520. The one thing I don't bring back is foundation: I’m too dark for most of the foundations because everybody there tries to be more milky and white.
Day 5:
The cost of my stem cell fat transfer included aftercare, so I went back to Jeunex and they put me under LED lights and massaged my stomach where I got the lipo. My tummy still felt bruised.
Day 6:
This is when I started to get scared. My face was so swollen and puffed up, I looked like those people who have really gone “filler blind.” My agent, who was also in Seoul, saw me and started yelling at me for getting the treatment. I was like, ‘It's gonna calm down!’ But I was freaked out too, so I went back to Jeunex being a drama queen. They were like, ‘Girl, we already told you, you're gonna swell up like a balloon, and then you're gonna calm down.’ And I did a few days later, thank God.
By this point, I was getting tired; the beauty stuff was beginning to feel like a job.
Day 7:
I was gifted a follow-up facial at Chaum ($700) to reduce the swelling and facilitate the success of the fat transfer. I also went to the Amorepacific pop-up store in Seoungsu—which people call the Brooklyn of Seoul—and had an AI robot custom-mix a Hera foundation for me, which was a perfect color match. They can also custom mix two flavors of the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask together, and it looks really cute swirled together—but there was a three-month waitlist!
My friends were still really busy during this time. Three of them don't typically do a lot of treatments. So their philosophy was like, ‘Don't be shy, stack up the treatments, just level us up.’ They got fat-dissolving injections in their chin and back. They did Onda Coolwaves, which destroys fat with microwave technology. They got Sofwave, which uses ultrasound to tighten the skin, for around $500—it’s almost $2,500 in the U.S. Of course, they got all kinds of lasers. And in Korea, they're not scared to stack lasers.
With everything my friends did, they probably spent around $5,000 to $7,000 each, and they did a lot. Eyelid surgery at a top-tier surgeon, for example, was $2,000.
Day 8:
I went back to Jeunex to get JuveLook Collagen Skinbooster injections, which is a Korean bio-stimulator. They injected small droplets of poly-D L-lactic acid (PDLLA) and hyaluronic acid into my skin to help with texture, firmness, and brightening. I didn’t pay extra for this, it was part of the $18,000 package. At this point, my face was still a bit swollen, but it wasn’t painful. My tummy, too, was swollen and bruised, but not actively hurting. It didn’t stop me from walking five miles a day.
We left Korea two days later, all more snatched and more broke. It was the best kind of bonding experience, comparing our results and mimicking treatments from each other's itineraries.
It’s now been three and a half weeks since the stem cell fat transfer procedure. My stomach was healed after about seven days. My face looks the most refreshed, healthy, and glowy that it’s looked in years without makeup. I didn’t need a dramatic change, I just wanted a subtle improvement in the volume loss under my eyes, which was achieved with this surgery. Many people may not notice a dramatic difference, but for me, I saw a dramatic improvement in my skin quality, and the slight volume improvement in my undereye area that I think makes me look youthful, bright-eyed, and refreshed. I don’t need to wear concealer anymore.
In total, I spent $18,207 on my treatments, but received $20,590 worth of services since a couple of things were comped. If I had to do it all over again and spend all my own money, I’d definitely do the stem cell fat transfer plus the IV and JuveLook. Those treatments really moved the needle.”
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