SEEKING BEAUTY IN SEOUL

What to know before you get a Korean beauty treatment.

- By Diana Tsui

Over the past decade, South Korea has become synonymous with the future of beauty. K-beauty products with cutting-edge ingredients like snail mucin are now an estimated $25 billion industry. But garnering just as much attention are the country's skin care clinics and their treatments. “[Korea is a leader] in innovation, offering everything from advanced skin regeneration therapies to precision facial contouring techniques that are 5 to 10 years ahead of the United States,” says Eunice Park, MD, a facial plastic surgeon in New York. South Korea attracted a record 1.17 million medical tourists in 2024, with the majority focused on dermatology or plastic surgery. “Korean products, devices, and treatments can be shipped or replicated abroad, but the most valuable aspect is each doctor's proprietary technique,” says Jennifer Seo, founder of Aneue Concierge, which creates customized itineraries for those seeking treatments in Seoul. On social media, there are countless posts from makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts that make Korea sound like a beauty playground. “The word is that they do it better and cheaper,” says makeup artist Nam Vo, who visited this year for a glow-up. Here's a guide to navigating the new beauty capital of the world.

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