With all of its advances in medical aesthetics, believe it or not, the U.S. isn’t the only country in the world with an active and impressive medical aesthetics market. This year, the amazing Vanessa Lee, RN, of The Things We Do Beauty took a highly publicized trip to South Korea with celebrities known for their investment in their own personal brands, including their aesthetic treatments and resulting beauty: Kim and Khloe Kardashian, La La Anthony, and Stephanie Suganami.
Vanessa shared with Entertainment Tonight (ET) she took the opportunity to help guide the group with her medical aesthetics expertise and was especially interested in Korea’s hyperpigmentation technologies, body tightening devices, and biostimulator boosters.
The beautiful and talented Dr. Lanna Cheuck also posted on her LinkedIn being invited to travel to South Korea and speak at multiple conferences, including the World Anti-Aging Aesthetics Symposium. According to Cheuck: “Being welcomed to the stage in Korea is more than just an opportunity, it’s a bridge. A bridge between East and West traditions and innovations.
I’m excited to connect with other global innovators and thought leaders and my mission has always been to connect the best minds and the best practices from around the world. I’m excited to bring that knowledge, artistry, and innovation back to the U.S. and beyond.”
But why is South Korea becoming a mecca for beauty insiders? According to a recent New York Post article, the claim is that not only are the beauty treatments in Korea “better,” but they are also “cheaper.” Hmmm.
According to the Post article, ” ‘The US and the rest of the world are at least five years behind,’ claimed Y. Lee, a 20-something who lives in NYC [and is not related to Vanessa] who posts about her “glow-up” trips to South Korea on TikTok on her @taxinoodle account, attracting millions of views.” Her initial vault into the social stratosphere was thanks to a viral post in 2024 where she detailed the 15 “non-invasive” treatments she had in one trip to South Korea.
“I really liked the results and liked the entire experience,” she said “It’s really expensive here compared to Korea.”
Lee goes on to claim that with jaw Botox, which aims to create a slimmer jawline, she’s paid about $100 in Korea. In the U.S., she estimates it would be about $700.
So, should patients be cautious about this new trend? I mean, always, right, but as far as wellness travel is concerned, South Korea is a good gamble, according to Dr. Roy Kim, a plastic surgeon ASPS member with offices in San Francisco and Beverly Hills, telling the Post: “Korea has very high standards of medical care, sanitation, cleanliness and ethics,” he told The Post: “The Korean government is quite aware of the economic gains of foreign citizens coming to Korea for medical and surgical care, and the same high standards for Korean citizens are the same for non-Korean citizens.”
It is critical, as with utilizing medical aesthetic practitioners in the States, for patients to do their homework and be fully aware of all aspects of getting procedures in South Korea before booking the flight. However, it looks like this new trend may provide the results patients are seeking without breaking the bank (although there is a little girl math involved … a roundtrip direct flight there, luxury accommodations, amazing food, but cheap treatments.) It’s the same way I see my next trip to Italy … the table wine is so high quality there, I would save gobs of money, lol.
Thank you for reading Christensen Consulting’s 2025 Medical Spa Year in Review series. Please click on the links below to read in full, and subscribe to my newsletter for more news and insights as 2026 plays out!
Read past installments of this report:
Part I: New Indications, Approvals, and Entrants Into the Market
Part II: A Focus on Pumping Up Filler Futures
Part III: The Incredible Journey of GLP-1s
Part IV: The Dangerous Impact of Problem Practitioners
Part V: Tariff Scares: What Really Happened and What the Future Holds
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