Independent guide for foreign patients

Getting treatment in Korea, explained by someone who isn't selling it

Procedures, paperwork and cost structure for foreign patients. We do not refer you to a clinic, take a commission from one, or arrange anything on your behalf — which is exactly why the numbers here come with sources and dates.

Find your treatmentWork out the total cost

What are you coming for?

Cosmetic surgery & skinWhat the consultation actually covers, how quotes are structured, and how long you need to stay.DentalImplants, crowns and whitening — visit counts, waiting time between steps, cost structure.Eye surgeryLASIK and SMILE: eligibility tests, same-week timelines, follow-up you cannot skip.Health checkupsPackage tiers, fasting rules, one-day vs two-day formats, how results are delivered.Cancer & serious illnessSecond opinions, records to send ahead, deposits, and realistic stay lengths.Korean medicine & rehabHerbal medicine, acupuncture and rehab — what is and is not covered.

Tools to keep open while you plan

Total cost calculatorProcedure estimate plus stay, flights and interpreting — and the date your nights take you to. Remembers your numbers; share them as a link.Open the calculator →Trip checklistWhat to get in writing, pack and collect, in the order it happens — with the phone numbers worth saving. Your ticks are remembered.Open the checklist →Korean phrase cardsTap a phrase and the Korean fills your screen for the taxi driver, pharmacist or front desk. Plus the words printed on quotes and receipts.Open the phrase cards →

How it works, whatever you are having done

Start here: how treatment in Korea worksThe order things happen in (enquiry, quote, deposit, arrival, procedure, follow-up) and the four decisions that change your total cost more than the procedure price does.

Money

Paperwork and planning

On the ground

If something goes wrong

Recently updated

More

ComparisonsCities and procedure types side by side — how long each keeps you in Korea and what that does to the bill.Stay & transportWhere to sleep relative to your follow-ups, and how to get around afterwards.Ask a questionSend a question about the process. We answer about procedure and paperwork; we do not recommend clinics.