Foreign plastic surgery patient number South Korea 2009-2023

In 2023, around 114 thousand foreign patients were at plastic and cosmetic surgery departments in South Korea. This represents a significant increase compared to the previous year, and it also shows it recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2020, the number of foreigners traveling to South Korea in order to access medical services related to plastic and cosmetic surgery had been steadily increasing, after international patients were first allowed in 2009.

International patients travelling to South Korea

Patients from Japan and China made up the largest proportion of all foreign medical tourists to Korea, followed largely by patients from the United States and other parts of Asia or Eurasia, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Mongolia. Among Japanese patients, who accounted for around 31 percent of all foreign patients, the share of female patients in their 20s and 30s visiting plastic surgery departments or dermatologists was high.

K-beauty worldwide

In South Korea, the beauty-related industry developed greatly, with people generally very interested in beauty regardless of gender. According to a global survey, K-beauty was one of the most popular emerging trends of South Korea behind K-pop, food, IT industry, and drama. People in Southeast Asia and the Middle East were especially interested in Korean beauty products, while Chinese people had a lot of interest in beauty services such as plastic surgery. Additionally, a significant number of respondents stated that good quality was the biggest factor in using Korean beauty products.