Clinic Journey — In Korea
Before You Go In
5 things worth sorting out before you sit down with the doctor.
Confirm interpretation in advance
English-speaking staff is not guaranteed even at clinics that advertise it, and the person who answered your DM is not always the one at the desk that day. Ask which specific day and time has English support, and have a translation app installed as a backup, not a plan A.
Bring your consultation notes
Write down what is bothering you in one or two sentences, since when, and what you have already tried. Consultations move fast, and walking in with just “my skin has problems” tends to get a generic answer back.
Questions worth asking
How many sessions this actually takes, what happens if redness has not settled before your flight, and whether a lighter option gets you most of the result for less. A clinic that answers these plainly is usually a good sign.
There’s a foreigner price. Find out if you’re paying it.
Two people can book the same treatment and walk out with two different prices. Korean clinics usually run a new promotion every month, so ask whether one applies, and check whether you are paying the same price a Korean patient would for the same treatment.
The best clinics don’t use WhatsApp
If a clinic is used to foreign patients, WhatsApp usually works fine. The places real Koreans go to often only take bookings through KakaoTalk and Naver, not Instagram or WhatsApp. Get both apps before you try to book one.