What the rules say, and what they do not

Cosmetic care is not insured. Cosmetic-purpose surgery, such as double eyelid surgery, nose surgery and liposuction, and the treatment of its after-effects are outside Korean national health insurance. This applies to Korean residents too. Korean sources call this 비급여 (bigeupyeo), "non-covered" care. Each clinic sets its own prices for it.
Clinics must post their prices. Under the Medical Service Act, a clinic must make its non-insured fees easy to see. The price list must be kept where patients can see it, such as at reception. A clinic with a website must also show the fees there.
A clinic may not charge more than it posted. The same Act says a clinic cannot collect more than the non-insured fees and certificate fees it has posted.
Some items are explained in person. For non-insured items that the Ministry of Health and Welfare designates by notice, the clinic must explain the item and its price to you before treatment.

What the sources do not say: no rule we found names consultation fees, and none covers booking several consultations in one day.

Our own reading, which is an inference and not a published rule: since a clinic may not charge more than its posted fees, a consultation fee that a clinic charges should also be on its posted list. Ask the clinic to show you where it is posted.

Questions to ask each clinic

Ask the same questions at every clinic, so the answers can be compared:

Is the consultation free or paid? If it is paid, is the fee on your price list?
Is the fee deducted from the treatment price if I go ahead? Do not assume that it is.
Who will I see: the doctor or a coordinator? How long does the consultation take?
Is an interpreter available, and is the interpreter there during the consultation? See interpreters and help.
Will you give me a written quote? Does it name the product or device, the amount (units, cc or shots), the area, and whether VAT is included?
Is the quoted price the regular price or an event price, and when does the event end? See event price and list price.
Do you ask for a deposit to book a consultation or a treatment? What are the cancellation terms? See deposits and cancellations.

Quotes only compare when these details match. Our price guides explain the units for Botox, filler, Ultherapy and Thermage.

What a registered clinic must give you

Clinics that want to attract foreign patients must register with the city or provincial governor under the law on foreign patients. A registered clinic must:

display its registration certificate where anyone can see it
give you, in a separate document, the diagnosis, the treatment method and the possible side effects
give you a treatment contract in the Ministry's form, with estimated fees
tell you the dispute-resolution procedure if a medical accident happens

These duties concern treatment, not the consultation itself. You can ask whether a clinic is registered and ask to see its certificate.

Getting help with bookings

The Medical Korea Information Center, which KHIDI runs for the health ministry, helps foreign patients find medical institutions and reserve medical services. As of 29 October 2026 its site lists a call line, +82-2-1577-7129, open daily from 09:00 to 18:00 Korean time, and walk-in desks at Seoul Station and at Incheon Airport Terminal 1. Hours and languages change, so confirm them on its site. Our article on interpreters and help has the details.

Planning the day and the travel between areas

We found no source with travel times between districts of Seoul, so this article gives none. Use the address on each clinic's page in a map app, and check the route for the day and the hour you plan to travel.

Group the clinics by area. Pages for areas such as Gangnam and Apgujeong list the clinics in this directory in each area.
Leave time between appointments, because a consultation can run longer than planned.
Ask each clinic for its opening hours on the day you plan to visit, and confirm the time slot in writing.
Decide after the last visit. Ask for a written quote at each clinic, compare the quotes once you have seen all of them, and check the deposit and cancellation terms before you pay anything.

FAQ

Do Korean clinics charge for a consultation?

It varies, and no official rule we found sets consultation fees. Cosmetic care is outside national health insurance, so each clinic sets its own prices. Under the posted-price rule, a fee that a clinic charges should be on its price list. That is our inference, not a rule that names consultations. Ask each clinic before you book.

Can I book consultations at several clinics on the same day?

We found no official rule that allows or forbids it. It depends on each clinic's schedule and policy. Ask each clinic for a time slot and for how long the consultation takes. Then check the travel time between the addresses in a map app before you confirm any booking.

Who can help me book a clinic?

The Medical Korea Information Center, run by KHIDI for the health ministry, helps foreign patients find medical institutions and reserve services. As of October 2026 its call line is open daily from 09:00 to 18:00 Korean time, and it has desks at Seoul Station and Incheon Airport Terminal 1. Confirm the hours on its site.

Must a clinic give me a written estimate?

A clinic registered under the foreign-patient law must give foreign patients a treatment contract in the Ministry's form with estimated fees, plus the diagnosis, treatment method and possible side effects in a separate document. This concerns treatment, not a consultation. Ask whether the clinic is registered, and ask to see its registration certificate.

How do I compare quotes from different clinics?

Ask each clinic for the same details: the product or device, the amount (units, cc or shots), the area treated, whether VAT is included, whether the price is regular or an event price, and who performs the treatment. Prices only compare when these details match. Our price guides explain the units used for the most common treatments.

Sources

Rules checked on 29 October 2026. They change, so confirm them with the clinic and on the official sites.

Booking several consultations in one day in Korea