Hi all, I’ve been a longtime lurker here but wanted to share my experience with Rhinoplasty at Eight Plastic Surgery with Dr. Hanjo Kim. I had my surgery on December 26th, so it’s been just over 5 weeks now.
Note: The photos are from 1 month post op. You may notice marks on my nostrils, these are from a previously performed alarplasty. My rhinoplasty at Eight comprised of a tip augmentation with ear cartilage and osteotomy.
Initial Consultation:
I found Eight Plastic Surgery through Reddit, PurseForum, and the Gangnam UNNI app. After contacting them in mid-October, I received a personalized voice message from Dr. Kim suggesting a tip augmentation with rib or ear cartilage and no silicon implant. His recommendations aligned best with my goals (I did not want a silicon implant while all other clinics recommended one)so I booked my consult + surgery for December 26th. Ideally, I wanted to book the surgery after the in-person consultation, but as I was only in Seoul for a week, I bit the bullet and paid the deposit.
In-Person Consultation & Surgery Day:
Prior to the consultation, I met the English translator, took pre-surgery photos, and did a CT scan. Throughout the process, I was moved between different floors and rooms of the clinic, interacting with various staff members. While the experience felt a bit hectic, staff were professional and everything ran smoothly, like a well-oiled machine.
During the first consultation with the advisor, I spoke to the translator in English and she translated in Korean to the advisor. This was when I outlined my main concerns, i.e. my bulbous, undefined tip, my retracted columella, and my droopy tip. In the second consultation with Dr. Kim, he reviewed my CT scan and made specific recommendations: refining my tip with ear cartilage and a minor osteotomy to narrow my bridge. We also had a discussion on what sort of outcome I desired, which he helped visualise while manipulating my nose. Dr. Kim reassured me that I would get a natural, but noticeable result.
After payment was settled, I was escorted to the recovery room where I awaited my surgery. I arrived at the clinic around 11:30am and my surgery was initially planned for 1pm. Unfortunately, surgery didn’t happen until 2:30pm so it was over 90 minutes late which was a bit annoying. Thankfully the room was really warm so I was able to relax my nerves while I waited. In the surgical room before I was put to sleep Dr. Kim apologized to me for the delay which I appreciated. The English translator picked up my medication while I was in surgery, and she briefly explained instructions while I was in the recovery room. I was discharged from the hospital approximately 45 minutes after I awoke from surgery, and while I was still dazed I felt no pain or discomfort, just numbness. My partner and I were able to walk back to my hotel, located 5 minutes away.
Recovery:
On day 2 post-op, I had a check-up where my ear and nose stitches were cleaned, and I received red light therapy. The first week of recovery was mostly manageable—there was no pain, just discomfort. I experienced swelling and yellow bruising around my nose and cheeks. The toughest part was the constant mouth breathing, nasal drip, and itchy, oily skin from the tape.
I spent days 3-5 post-op traveling from Seoul to Gyeongju and back, and part of that time was spent sightseeing, and walking around with my suitcase. While I didn’t feel weak, wearing a face mask and tape while dealing with a constantly running nose became unbearable. Throughout the first week, I texted the translator about any concerns, and she was quick to respond (usually within the hour), which helped ease my worries about the recovery process.
Day 7: The tape and stitches were removed. Swelling had mostly gone down, though there was still some yellowing on the bridge of my nose. My columella scar was barely visible, and while my nasal drip remained, I could breathe through my nose. I was happy with the improvements to my columella + nasolabial angle, and overall shape, but I knew I needed to be patient for further definition in my bridge and tip, and for my tip to drop.
Days 8-15: Swelling continued to decrease, and I was even happier with the results. My nose tip still looked upturned, and felt hard and foreign on my face. On day 8, my breathing worsened after my 10-hour flight back to Australia. I believe the heat and humidity caused significant internal swelling. By the time I landed, I couldn’t breathe through my nose at all and had to breathe through my mouth. I also noticed slight asymmetry at the tip and nostrils, which the translator reassured me was normal.
Days 15-30: By day 15, swelling had decreased further, and my nose started to feel natural. The asymmetry evened out, and I finally regained nasal breathing. At one month post-op, I’m focusing on scar management with sunscreen and scar gel.
Overall, I’m really happy with my results and would highly recommend Dr. Kim and Eight Plastic Surgery to anyone considering rhinoplasty in South Korea. I know how overwhelming it can be to choose a surgery provider in Korea with so many options and an overload of information available online. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Note: The photos are from 1 month post op. You may notice marks on my nostrils, these are from a previously performed alarplasty. My rhinoplasty at Eight comprised of a tip augmentation with ear cartilage and osteotomy.
Initial Consultation:
I found Eight Plastic Surgery through Reddit, PurseForum, and the Gangnam UNNI app. After contacting them in mid-October, I received a personalized voice message from Dr. Kim suggesting a tip augmentation with rib or ear cartilage and no silicon implant. His recommendations aligned best with my goals (I did not want a silicon implant while all other clinics recommended one)so I booked my consult + surgery for December 26th. Ideally, I wanted to book the surgery after the in-person consultation, but as I was only in Seoul for a week, I bit the bullet and paid the deposit.
In-Person Consultation & Surgery Day:
Prior to the consultation, I met the English translator, took pre-surgery photos, and did a CT scan. Throughout the process, I was moved between different floors and rooms of the clinic, interacting with various staff members. While the experience felt a bit hectic, staff were professional and everything ran smoothly, like a well-oiled machine.
During the first consultation with the advisor, I spoke to the translator in English and she translated in Korean to the advisor. This was when I outlined my main concerns, i.e. my bulbous, undefined tip, my retracted columella, and my droopy tip. In the second consultation with Dr. Kim, he reviewed my CT scan and made specific recommendations: refining my tip with ear cartilage and a minor osteotomy to narrow my bridge. We also had a discussion on what sort of outcome I desired, which he helped visualise while manipulating my nose. Dr. Kim reassured me that I would get a natural, but noticeable result.
After payment was settled, I was escorted to the recovery room where I awaited my surgery. I arrived at the clinic around 11:30am and my surgery was initially planned for 1pm. Unfortunately, surgery didn’t happen until 2:30pm so it was over 90 minutes late which was a bit annoying. Thankfully the room was really warm so I was able to relax my nerves while I waited. In the surgical room before I was put to sleep Dr. Kim apologized to me for the delay which I appreciated. The English translator picked up my medication while I was in surgery, and she briefly explained instructions while I was in the recovery room. I was discharged from the hospital approximately 45 minutes after I awoke from surgery, and while I was still dazed I felt no pain or discomfort, just numbness. My partner and I were able to walk back to my hotel, located 5 minutes away.
Recovery:
On day 2 post-op, I had a check-up where my ear and nose stitches were cleaned, and I received red light therapy. The first week of recovery was mostly manageable—there was no pain, just discomfort. I experienced swelling and yellow bruising around my nose and cheeks. The toughest part was the constant mouth breathing, nasal drip, and itchy, oily skin from the tape.
I spent days 3-5 post-op traveling from Seoul to Gyeongju and back, and part of that time was spent sightseeing, and walking around with my suitcase. While I didn’t feel weak, wearing a face mask and tape while dealing with a constantly running nose became unbearable. Throughout the first week, I texted the translator about any concerns, and she was quick to respond (usually within the hour), which helped ease my worries about the recovery process.
Day 7: The tape and stitches were removed. Swelling had mostly gone down, though there was still some yellowing on the bridge of my nose. My columella scar was barely visible, and while my nasal drip remained, I could breathe through my nose. I was happy with the improvements to my columella + nasolabial angle, and overall shape, but I knew I needed to be patient for further definition in my bridge and tip, and for my tip to drop.
Days 8-15: Swelling continued to decrease, and I was even happier with the results. My nose tip still looked upturned, and felt hard and foreign on my face. On day 8, my breathing worsened after my 10-hour flight back to Australia. I believe the heat and humidity caused significant internal swelling. By the time I landed, I couldn’t breathe through my nose at all and had to breathe through my mouth. I also noticed slight asymmetry at the tip and nostrils, which the translator reassured me was normal.
Days 15-30: By day 15, swelling had decreased further, and my nose started to feel natural. The asymmetry evened out, and I finally regained nasal breathing. At one month post-op, I’m focusing on scar management with sunscreen and scar gel.
Overall, I’m really happy with my results and would highly recommend Dr. Kim and Eight Plastic Surgery to anyone considering rhinoplasty in South Korea. I know how overwhelming it can be to choose a surgery provider in Korea with so many options and an overload of information available online. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
