How to book a skin clinic in Seoul as a foreigner (no agency needed)

Many first-time visitors assume they need an agency, a broker or a "medical concierge" to get an appointment at a clinic in Seoul. At LIV Plastic Surgery (LIV) you don't. You message the clinic directly in English, receive a written estimate, pick a date that fits your flights, and pay from the same published price list as Korean patients. No deposit is needed to reserve a consultation, and no third party is involved.

LIV is a non-surgical anti-aging clinic in Gangnam, one minute from Sinsa Station (Line 3, Exit 4) and next to Garosu-gil. The work here is lifting, skin tightening, botox, filler and skin boosters — treatments that take 30 to 90 minutes and need no hospital stay, which is why many patients are treated on the same day as their visit. This guide is the full process, from the first message to the follow-up after you fly home.

Booking directly, in short

• Message the clinic, not a middleman. WhatsApp, LINE, WeChat or the live chat on this site — in your own language.
• Get an estimate before you commit. Send a few photos and your concern; the clinic suggests suitable treatments and sends a clear price estimate. Replies come within one business day.
• Reserve without a deposit. Choose a date that fits your itinerary. No deposit is required to reserve a consultation, and international patients pay from the same price list as local patients — there is no foreigner surcharge and no extra charge for language support.

Three things worth checking before you book anywhere

Because you are booking without an agent, you are also doing the checking yourself. Three things are worth a look at any clinic, and here is how they stand at LIV.

1. Are the devices genuine? LIV is an official Ultherapy Prime certified clinic and a Thermage FLX partner clinic, and treats only with genuine, certified handpieces (tips). You are welcome to verify this before your treatment.
2. Who plans and performs the treatment? Every treatment at LIV is planned and performed under Dr. Sooyoung Kim, a board-certified plastic surgeon with SCI-indexed research publications. Credentials are listed on the staff page.
3. Are prices published? Yes — the price list is public, per session and excluding VAT, and the same list applies to everyone. The exact figure is confirmed after your consultation.

Which channel to use, and what to send

The photos matter more than the wording. Clear pictures of the area you want treated — front and side, in daylight, without heavy makeup — let the team suggest suitable treatments and a realistic estimate before you fly. If you don't know which treatment you want, say so; describing what bothers you ("my jawline looks softer than it used to", "fine lines around the eyes") is enough to start.

A first message you can copy

The five steps, from first message to follow-up

1. Contact us. Message on WhatsApp, LINE, WeChat or the live chat on this site, in your language. You hear back within one business day.
2. Remote consultation and estimate. Share your concerns and photos. The clinic suggests suitable treatments and sends a clear price estimate — the same prices as the price list, per session and excluding VAT, with the final figure confirmed at your in-person consultation.
3. Schedule your visit. Pick a date and time that fits your travel plans and reserve the appointment. No deposit is required to reserve a consultation, so if your plans change — a delayed flight included — just let the clinic know through the same channel as early as you can.
4. Visit and same-day treatment. Meet the surgeon for a final in-person consultation, then receive your treatment the same day in most cases.
5. Remote aftercare. After you return home, the clinic follows up and answers your questions through your messenger or chat.

What the day itself looks like

• Arrive. Sinsa Station, Line 3, Exit 4 — the clinic is a one-minute walk, on the 4th floor of the Jaeun Building.
• In-person consultation. The surgeon confirms the plan from your remote consultation. Consultations are available in English, and if you prefer an interpreter, one is arranged free of charge — just say so when you book.
• Preparation. Depending on the treatment, a topical anesthetic cream may go on first: for Ultherapy Prime it stays on for about 30 minutes, while Thermage FLX is done without anesthesia (vibration reduces discomfort). Botox needs no anesthesia, or cream on request.
• Treatment. Most non-surgical treatments take 30 to 90 minutes in total — Ultherapy Prime 60–90 minutes, Thermage FLX 45–60, botox 10–20 — with no hospitalization.
• Before you leave. You receive a written aftercare guide in English.

Getting here and opening hours

Address: 4F, Jaeun Building, 80 Naruteo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea

Hours: Monday–Friday 10:00–19:00 · Saturday 10:00–16:00 · Sunday closed. The clinic is generally closed on Korean public holidays as well (including the Seollal and Chuseok holiday periods), so if your trip overlaps a holiday, check the available days on chat first.

If your dates are tight, give two or three possible slots in your first message — it makes scheduling around your flights much easier.

Paying, language and aftercare

Payment

International cards — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB and UnionPay — are accepted, as is cash in Korean won (KRW). There is no deposit and no foreigner surcharge; you pay the published price at the clinic. A 1:1 consultation on its own costs KRW 10,000, and the fee is fully deducted from the treatment cost if you proceed with treatment on the same day. If you have a question about payment, ask during your consultation.

Language

Consultations are available in English, Japanese and Chinese. If you prefer an interpreter, one is arranged free of charge, and there is no extra charge for language support. Messaging before your visit is in your language too.

After you fly home

Send photos through the same messenger or chat and the clinic reviews your progress and guides your aftercare. You also leave with a written aftercare guide in English, Japanese or Chinese. More answers for international patients are on the medical information page.

Before you message

Everything above is the general flow. The exact plan — which treatment, how much of it, and what it costs — is confirmed in your consultation. Send your dates and a couple of photos, and the clinic takes it from there; the messenger buttons are on the international patients page.

This guide is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Suitability and the final plan are decided at your in-person consultation. Prices are per session, exclude VAT, and are confirmed after consultation.