Surgery buddies next year? Lets share our journey
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Hello everyone,
I’m also Vietnamese and live in Texas. In 2019 I had visited banobagi for ptosis correction, rhinoplasty and buccal fat removal. I am planning to visit Korea again this ( Jan- March 2021) for facial contouring. I can go any of those months. It would be great if we can go together. My Kakaotalk/ Instagram is iamtracyt.
I’m also Vietnamese and live in Texas. In 2019 I had visited banobagi for ptosis correction, rhinoplasty and buccal fat removal. I am planning to visit Korea again this ( Jan- March 2021) for facial contouring. I can go any of those months. It would be great if we can go together. My Kakaotalk/ Instagram is iamtracyt.
Thanks a lot for sharing thisYou can join us here.
Korean Plastic Surgery 🇰🇷
#plasticsurgery #plasticsurgery korea #koreanplasticsurgery #rhinoplastyopen.kakao.com
People who are going next year are in this room
***FYI - deleted my original post and reposting to clarify some of the prices that I was quoted***
Hi everyone!
I've been following all the threads on purseforum and kakaotalk for a while now, and have received so much helpful info from everyone else that I feel like I should share my experience. I honestly don't know how to start a new thread so I'll just reply here!! I hope this bit of info can be helpful and encouraging for everyone going to Korea for PS in the future!!
Preface:
I have been planning on getting rhino for 3-4 years now. It was really the pandemic and WFH order that pushed me to get it done now. I figured, now is the best time to heal in private while not having to take any days off. But the problem is that there is LITERALLY a pandemic and quarantine requirement in Korea. So, I really had to suck it up and get it done, knowing that this quarantine order won't be lifted soon. I started planning in June for a trip in November, thinking that quarantine would be lifted by then.
The Plan:
I had reached out to a handful of medical tourism companies as well as individual clinics to compare the prices. For me, some quoted me almost $2-3k more than the rest. The rest in comparison are maybe less than $1k difference. I was quoted for rhino for around 4-5mil krw (before discounts). Since it was my first time going to Korea and I didn't speak Korean, I thought it would be best to go to an agency DESPITE MANY MANY MANY people telling me not to. Also, I was traveling by myself and have never gotten surgery before, so I wanted an easy trip for myself and someone to care for me.
Prices:
Rhinoplasty - $4-5 mil krw (before discounts)
Discounts varied throughout the clinics, some gave me 20% and some 25% due to the relationship with the agency I had gone with. View gave me the biggest discount out of all the clinics, especially with the many procedures that I needed for my rhino (osteo, rib cartilage, silicone, and alar reductions) - so I went with them!
My Recommendation:
Personally, I wouldn't recommend going to an agency (after experiencing it myself) unless you REALLY REALLY don't trust yourself to recover on your own post-surgery. I feel like everything before surgery: consultation, research, etc, can be done on your own and it's not difficult at all. In terms of translation, I didn't really need it because ALL clinics have English consultants. My recommendation is that you find a GOOD clinic that would take care of you (my English consultation person probably helped me way more than my agency person - making hair appointments, spa appointments, messaging me the day before surgery to see how I'm doing). I felt like I didn't receive the treatment I wanted from the agency (that I've seen from Youtube videos). That being said, it was reassuring to know that at least there are people "supervising" me while I'm getting surgery....alone. So at the end of the day, it is really up to your comfort level! I'd recommend it for first timers who would like a friend during their time there, as my manager person was really kind to me and helped me with questions I had while I was in Korea (i.e. food recs, getting a subway card, etc). Again, this is based on my own experience but going with an agency did not ruin or enhance my experience in any way, if that makes sense.
The Clinics:
I got quotes from ID, Banobagi, Nana, and View Plastic Surgery. Each consultation took about 5-10 minutes (they were super quick). And to my surprise, all the doctors recommended VERY different procedures for me (some said osteo, some offered different silicone height, some suggested dolly vs. straight, rib vs. ear cartilage). Because of that, I was very confused. Not only I had to pick a trustworthy surgeon but I also had to choose my own surgery plan, which was very overwhelming. I ended up going with View because of the following reasons:
-The surgeon I had consulted with was Dr. Jeong. He is fairly new to View and I've seen videos of great rhino results from a previous Doctor, Dr. Lee, who I believe works elsewhere. To that, I was hesitant to go with a different surgeon. However, my meeting with Dr. Jeong was the longest consultation in comparison to other clinics. I had around 15-20 questions and he patiently answered each one, and asked me if I had any additional questions afterwards. Meanwhile, the other clinics would "end" the meeting by closing the folder or getting up after taking a 30 sec look at the photos of noses that I wanted.
-The English speaking staff at View is literally.......... the best people to ever exist. I love them so much. Shout out to Rachel, Judy, and Jasmine because..... oof. I remember crying SO MUCH on surgery day and as they were laying me on the hospital bed. They literally held me hand as I cried and waited for me to fall asleep from anesthesia. I just felt so cared for. After surgery, they took photos of me and texted my friends and family to let them know that I'm ok, and got me everything I needed until I left the hospital. I literally could not have done it without them. I have so much nice things to say and the funny thing is I'm not even a ~sponsored influencer~. Just a regular gal who has gotten so much good info from people who have shared their experiences so I really wanted to do the same - hope I'm not going on a tangent.
-The pricing is pretty much the same throughout all clinics, but Rachel from View was so accommodating to me due to me having to spend $1,600 in quarantine and coming all the way here on my own for surgery. All the procedures are broken down in prices (i.e. osteo, silicone, rib cartilage, alar reduction, etc) so everything was explained to me and I didn't feel pressured to take any recommendations outside of my budget. It was a pretty good conversation on what I can afford to get the results that I want.
Anyway, surgery is pretty standard, took about 2-3 hrs. I was so anxious leading up to surgery but literally knocked out in 2 seconds and then woke up with pressure on my nose and an IV. I had general anesthesia so it was SO ROUGH on my body. I literally couldn't pee but felt like I had to pee ALL THE TIME. I also wanted to throw up after surgery. It was not a good time, and that lasted maybe 2-3 days. Sure, there is absolutely no pain to rhinoplasty but the discomfort was so bad I wanted to pull my hair out. This is the timeline post surgery:
Day 1 - Surgery
Day 2 - Check-up (gauze/cotton removal)
Day 7 - Stitches & splints removal / de-swelling treatment
Recovery:
What really helped me was the itinerary that I had made for myself post-surgery. After 2 days of rest, I forced myself to walk and explore Seoul. I literally walked around 8-9 miles a day. It helped with my de-swelling SO MUCH. I thought I was going to be one of those people who had the luxury of not swelling - boy, I was so wrong. I was looking like Avatar for a whole week. The treatment that View gave me really helped. But, I did cried a few times while questioning my sanity for traveling to Korea alone in the middle of a pandemic to get plastic surgery. Like, who does that? But then, after getting it done, I felt so....empowered. Like, I did all this by myself (with some help) and honestly I felt like I could do anything afterwards. The emotional journey after surgery is like no other - it is so hard. I would cry some days waking up to a different face. But, my View consultant always check in on me and answer any questions I had after I left Korea!
The Bottom Line:
Do your research and pick a clinic and surgeon that you trust will take care of you and that you are comfortable with. Whether or not you go through an agency is up to you! I would've been fine without them but that's only because I had such a great experience from View. I definitely recommend this clinic, even if you're just consulting!
I'm going to include some quarantine tips & my experience below for those hoping to travel during the beginning of next year. I definitely recommend reading the forums and finding a surgery buddy because I miraculously found someone through Kakaotalk and we went to see each other to surgery and hung out during recovery - that helped with my experience as well because I could not have lasted through quarantine, surgery, and recovery ALONE.
Anyway, msg me if you have any questions and have some faith in yourself!!! You can do it!!!
Pre-departure:
I was very nervous to embark on a trip to Korea on my own to get my procedure during a pandemic. Download the Self-check health app: ncov.mohw.go.kr/selfcheck/ - This will save you so much time during immigration.
IF YOU'RE GOING WITH AN AGENCY: Download Whataspp and send your arrival information to them. Make sure you have their contact saved to give to immigration, as they will be calling to verify why you're here. Have your passport #, flight #, Korean contact #, and address you’ll be staying at in Korea - you will need all this information to fill out many forms. If you're not going with an agency, and want to consult with multiple clinics, either find a Korean contact or ask one of the clinics to be your Korean contact for the immigration call!
Flight:
There was confusion amongst airlines regarding a Visa to fly to Korea at the check-in desk, so I informed them that I do not need a visa to travel and that I plan on staying in gov quarantine for 14 days. I flew in Nov and the flight was 15% full. I had empty rows surrounding me and an entire row to myself. One thing to note is that Korean Air does not have wifi, in comparison to Asiana or Delta. I made sure to use the restroom and get water bottles before exiting the plane, as I was warned that immigration would take hours. I wore double masks, a clear shield, and gloves the entire time. I suggest buying COVID-specific insurance ($50-100) to feel more at ease.
Tip: Other things I've brought that helped include: neck pillow, face masks, & post-surgery supplements (Arnica, Bromelain, Tylenol, Biotin spray). I was glad to have brought snacks/drinks & ramen bowls, as the hotel didn't provide dinner upon arrival. Bringing condiment packets also made my meals in quarantine a lot better!
Immigration:
Upon landing, you will enter a line to fill out forms and at each station, hand in one of the forms (I just gave them everything and they returned what they didn't need). They will check your temp here. You will line up to download the Quarantine App. If you already have it downloaded, proceed to the stations below after showing your phone. You can fill out the info while waiting in line, this will save you time. Add the Airport Address (not your Airbnb/Hotel) to the app: 272 Gonghang-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon, SK
1st station: health declaration form + download app
2nd station: confirming Korean contact (where they input their own code into the app for me, so that I can delete it when I get to the hotel. Do not uninstall ahead of time. There was confusion with me writing down my Airbnb address on the forms. They thought that's where I'm self-quarantining. Explain to them that you are to quarantine at the hotel/gov facility)
3rd station: confirming address (where you will be given a red lanyard to wear. make sure it is not yellow)
4th station: immigration office (picture and fingerprints)
5th station: pick up luggage & customs (hand over customs form)
6th station: exit customs & you will be escorted to benches inside the airport to wait for the bus (there is a 7 Eleven and a currency exchange office here. You can ask the officer to escort you there. I suggest buying food from here as they may not serve you food past dinner time)
7th station: escorted outside and line up for the bus (I asked and they told me what hotel we're headed to beforehand)
Hotel:
It only took me 2 hours to go through all of immigration and arrive at the quarantine facility. You will put your luggage off to the side and take a seat at a desk and fill out the forms. This is where you install the new Quarantine App #2. Someone will come by to input a code. Once you are finished filling out the papers and downloading the app, you will be asked to go the front desk and pay in credit card (AMEX, Visa, Mastercard) or cash (USD or KRW). You will be asked if you have any allergies and food preferences (Korean, Western, Halal, or Vegetarian). I was placed at the Marina Bay Hotel in Gimpo. Other hotels that I've heard people going to: Golden Tulip Gimpo, Ramada Gimpo, Grand Hyatt, and The Splaisir Myeongdong.
Tip: I've seen YT videos where people were placed in hotels without bedsheets, so I brought my own set just in case, as well as an extra pillow and towel, since we are not allowed to ask for additional of either. Each quarantine facility has their own rules and restrictions.
Covid Test: I landed at 5pm and arrived around 7pm at the hotel. I was not given a Covid test until the following morning, when I was given 2 swabs down my nose (not a great feeling) and down my throat (not bad).
Room:
Marina Bay Hotel: My room was on the 14th floor and came with a nice queen size bed and an extra twin bed (with no bed sheets). Because I didn't need the smaller bed, I propped it up on the wall next to the closet to make space for myself to exercise and walk around. I have a nice view of the water. The room came with: fridge, kettle, desk, chair, hangers, hairdryer, & TV.
Tip: I brought my HDMI cable (for TV and Netflix), a yoga mat, Google Home, and some craft supplies to fill my time. I also bought a humidifier because the room can get really dry here in winter time. Food will always be cold. You can warm it up w/ boiled water. Place it in the sink and let it float in the plastic bag for 15 mins.
Meals: usually comes with a carb, some protein, side dishes, rice, water/drink, and snack/fruits. They have a little variety throughout the week, but more or less of the same food items everyday.
Life in Quarantine:
I was given a packet with all of the below info. Deliveries are accepted at my facility, and I used GMarket to order a lot of things (you can confirm hotel address with the front desk). You cannot order food delivery, but can get packaged snacks / drinks. I was provided with necessities like toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, 4 towels, and shampoo.
Electronics: Outlets in Korea are all 220V - bring a converter or request one from the hotel, otherwise you’ll fry your device.
Health: Thermometer will be provided and you must submit your temp in the app once a day. Someone will come by to check your temp as well.
Tip: Confirm your departure date while you check in. Rule of thumb, if you check in on a Monday (regardless of time), you check out 2 Mondays from the date or arrival (either at 12:00am or 6-7:00am).
***if you msged me, I can send you photos of the documents with the above information for my hotel specifically!
Leaving Quarantine:
3-4 days before you leave, you will be given a form to fill out with your passport info, your phone # or a # they can reach you by (Korean contact), which district you’ll be in (ex: Seoul, Gimpo, etc), and you will select what time you would like to leave (12:00am or 6-7:00am). Make sure to relay this information to either your agency or clinic, as well as sure Airbnb/Hotel address written in Korean so they can book a private driver for you. You need driver contact to fill this form out, but you don't if you're taking the BUS. On the day of departure, they will give you instructions on how to exit the facility, wait inside until they let you know. Outside, your driver will be waiting with your name. Confirm your address with them. Make sure your hotel/Airbnb has early check-in, as quarantine departure times are usually early in the morning!
Note: I was told that we would be given 3 Covid tests throughout our time here, but I was only given 1 during my entire time there, it was on my second day. They do not let you know if you are negative, you will have to call the front desk to find out, usually within 24 hours. It was such a ****en terrible experience taking the test. I cried during it. But then again my pain tolerance is below zero.
Helpful apps to download:
Naver Maps or Kakao Map, KakaoTalk, Shuttle (Korean food delivery app in English, takes US cards), Currency Converter, Naver Dict (translations).
While this has been a long journey, I am glad to have made this trip during this time, and felt really safe with the way SK has been handling COVID. Good luck!
Hi everyone!
I've been following all the threads on purseforum and kakaotalk for a while now, and have received so much helpful info from everyone else that I feel like I should share my experience. I honestly don't know how to start a new thread so I'll just reply here!! I hope this bit of info can be helpful and encouraging for everyone going to Korea for PS in the future!!
Preface:
I have been planning on getting rhino for 3-4 years now. It was really the pandemic and WFH order that pushed me to get it done now. I figured, now is the best time to heal in private while not having to take any days off. But the problem is that there is LITERALLY a pandemic and quarantine requirement in Korea. So, I really had to suck it up and get it done, knowing that this quarantine order won't be lifted soon. I started planning in June for a trip in November, thinking that quarantine would be lifted by then.
The Plan:
I had reached out to a handful of medical tourism companies as well as individual clinics to compare the prices. For me, some quoted me almost $2-3k more than the rest. The rest in comparison are maybe less than $1k difference. I was quoted for rhino for around 4-5mil krw (before discounts). Since it was my first time going to Korea and I didn't speak Korean, I thought it would be best to go to an agency DESPITE MANY MANY MANY people telling me not to. Also, I was traveling by myself and have never gotten surgery before, so I wanted an easy trip for myself and someone to care for me.
Prices:
Rhinoplasty - $4-5 mil krw (before discounts)
Discounts varied throughout the clinics, some gave me 20% and some 25% due to the relationship with the agency I had gone with. View gave me the biggest discount out of all the clinics, especially with the many procedures that I needed for my rhino (osteo, rib cartilage, silicone, and alar reductions) - so I went with them!
My Recommendation:
Personally, I wouldn't recommend going to an agency (after experiencing it myself) unless you REALLY REALLY don't trust yourself to recover on your own post-surgery. I feel like everything before surgery: consultation, research, etc, can be done on your own and it's not difficult at all. In terms of translation, I didn't really need it because ALL clinics have English consultants. My recommendation is that you find a GOOD clinic that would take care of you (my English consultation person probably helped me way more than my agency person - making hair appointments, spa appointments, messaging me the day before surgery to see how I'm doing). I felt like I didn't receive the treatment I wanted from the agency (that I've seen from Youtube videos). That being said, it was reassuring to know that at least there are people "supervising" me while I'm getting surgery....alone. So at the end of the day, it is really up to your comfort level! I'd recommend it for first timers who would like a friend during their time there, as my manager person was really kind to me and helped me with questions I had while I was in Korea (i.e. food recs, getting a subway card, etc). Again, this is based on my own experience but going with an agency did not ruin or enhance my experience in any way, if that makes sense.
The Clinics:
I got quotes from ID, Banobagi, Nana, and View Plastic Surgery. Each consultation took about 5-10 minutes (they were super quick). And to my surprise, all the doctors recommended VERY different procedures for me (some said osteo, some offered different silicone height, some suggested dolly vs. straight, rib vs. ear cartilage). Because of that, I was very confused. Not only I had to pick a trustworthy surgeon but I also had to choose my own surgery plan, which was very overwhelming. I ended up going with View because of the following reasons:
-The surgeon I had consulted with was Dr. Jeong. He is fairly new to View and I've seen videos of great rhino results from a previous Doctor, Dr. Lee, who I believe works elsewhere. To that, I was hesitant to go with a different surgeon. However, my meeting with Dr. Jeong was the longest consultation in comparison to other clinics. I had around 15-20 questions and he patiently answered each one, and asked me if I had any additional questions afterwards. Meanwhile, the other clinics would "end" the meeting by closing the folder or getting up after taking a 30 sec look at the photos of noses that I wanted.
-The English speaking staff at View is literally.......... the best people to ever exist. I love them so much. Shout out to Rachel, Judy, and Jasmine because..... oof. I remember crying SO MUCH on surgery day and as they were laying me on the hospital bed. They literally held me hand as I cried and waited for me to fall asleep from anesthesia. I just felt so cared for. After surgery, they took photos of me and texted my friends and family to let them know that I'm ok, and got me everything I needed until I left the hospital. I literally could not have done it without them. I have so much nice things to say and the funny thing is I'm not even a ~sponsored influencer~. Just a regular gal who has gotten so much good info from people who have shared their experiences so I really wanted to do the same - hope I'm not going on a tangent.
-The pricing is pretty much the same throughout all clinics, but Rachel from View was so accommodating to me due to me having to spend $1,600 in quarantine and coming all the way here on my own for surgery. All the procedures are broken down in prices (i.e. osteo, silicone, rib cartilage, alar reduction, etc) so everything was explained to me and I didn't feel pressured to take any recommendations outside of my budget. It was a pretty good conversation on what I can afford to get the results that I want.
Anyway, surgery is pretty standard, took about 2-3 hrs. I was so anxious leading up to surgery but literally knocked out in 2 seconds and then woke up with pressure on my nose and an IV. I had general anesthesia so it was SO ROUGH on my body. I literally couldn't pee but felt like I had to pee ALL THE TIME. I also wanted to throw up after surgery. It was not a good time, and that lasted maybe 2-3 days. Sure, there is absolutely no pain to rhinoplasty but the discomfort was so bad I wanted to pull my hair out. This is the timeline post surgery:
Day 1 - Surgery
Day 2 - Check-up (gauze/cotton removal)
Day 7 - Stitches & splints removal / de-swelling treatment
Recovery:
What really helped me was the itinerary that I had made for myself post-surgery. After 2 days of rest, I forced myself to walk and explore Seoul. I literally walked around 8-9 miles a day. It helped with my de-swelling SO MUCH. I thought I was going to be one of those people who had the luxury of not swelling - boy, I was so wrong. I was looking like Avatar for a whole week. The treatment that View gave me really helped. But, I did cried a few times while questioning my sanity for traveling to Korea alone in the middle of a pandemic to get plastic surgery. Like, who does that? But then, after getting it done, I felt so....empowered. Like, I did all this by myself (with some help) and honestly I felt like I could do anything afterwards. The emotional journey after surgery is like no other - it is so hard. I would cry some days waking up to a different face. But, my View consultant always check in on me and answer any questions I had after I left Korea!
The Bottom Line:
Do your research and pick a clinic and surgeon that you trust will take care of you and that you are comfortable with. Whether or not you go through an agency is up to you! I would've been fine without them but that's only because I had such a great experience from View. I definitely recommend this clinic, even if you're just consulting!
I'm going to include some quarantine tips & my experience below for those hoping to travel during the beginning of next year. I definitely recommend reading the forums and finding a surgery buddy because I miraculously found someone through Kakaotalk and we went to see each other to surgery and hung out during recovery - that helped with my experience as well because I could not have lasted through quarantine, surgery, and recovery ALONE.
Anyway, msg me if you have any questions and have some faith in yourself!!! You can do it!!!
Pre-departure:
I was very nervous to embark on a trip to Korea on my own to get my procedure during a pandemic. Download the Self-check health app: ncov.mohw.go.kr/selfcheck/ - This will save you so much time during immigration.
IF YOU'RE GOING WITH AN AGENCY: Download Whataspp and send your arrival information to them. Make sure you have their contact saved to give to immigration, as they will be calling to verify why you're here. Have your passport #, flight #, Korean contact #, and address you’ll be staying at in Korea - you will need all this information to fill out many forms. If you're not going with an agency, and want to consult with multiple clinics, either find a Korean contact or ask one of the clinics to be your Korean contact for the immigration call!
Flight:
There was confusion amongst airlines regarding a Visa to fly to Korea at the check-in desk, so I informed them that I do not need a visa to travel and that I plan on staying in gov quarantine for 14 days. I flew in Nov and the flight was 15% full. I had empty rows surrounding me and an entire row to myself. One thing to note is that Korean Air does not have wifi, in comparison to Asiana or Delta. I made sure to use the restroom and get water bottles before exiting the plane, as I was warned that immigration would take hours. I wore double masks, a clear shield, and gloves the entire time. I suggest buying COVID-specific insurance ($50-100) to feel more at ease.
Tip: Other things I've brought that helped include: neck pillow, face masks, & post-surgery supplements (Arnica, Bromelain, Tylenol, Biotin spray). I was glad to have brought snacks/drinks & ramen bowls, as the hotel didn't provide dinner upon arrival. Bringing condiment packets also made my meals in quarantine a lot better!
Immigration:
Upon landing, you will enter a line to fill out forms and at each station, hand in one of the forms (I just gave them everything and they returned what they didn't need). They will check your temp here. You will line up to download the Quarantine App. If you already have it downloaded, proceed to the stations below after showing your phone. You can fill out the info while waiting in line, this will save you time. Add the Airport Address (not your Airbnb/Hotel) to the app: 272 Gonghang-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon, SK
1st station: health declaration form + download app
2nd station: confirming Korean contact (where they input their own code into the app for me, so that I can delete it when I get to the hotel. Do not uninstall ahead of time. There was confusion with me writing down my Airbnb address on the forms. They thought that's where I'm self-quarantining. Explain to them that you are to quarantine at the hotel/gov facility)
3rd station: confirming address (where you will be given a red lanyard to wear. make sure it is not yellow)
4th station: immigration office (picture and fingerprints)
5th station: pick up luggage & customs (hand over customs form)
6th station: exit customs & you will be escorted to benches inside the airport to wait for the bus (there is a 7 Eleven and a currency exchange office here. You can ask the officer to escort you there. I suggest buying food from here as they may not serve you food past dinner time)
7th station: escorted outside and line up for the bus (I asked and they told me what hotel we're headed to beforehand)
Hotel:
It only took me 2 hours to go through all of immigration and arrive at the quarantine facility. You will put your luggage off to the side and take a seat at a desk and fill out the forms. This is where you install the new Quarantine App #2. Someone will come by to input a code. Once you are finished filling out the papers and downloading the app, you will be asked to go the front desk and pay in credit card (AMEX, Visa, Mastercard) or cash (USD or KRW). You will be asked if you have any allergies and food preferences (Korean, Western, Halal, or Vegetarian). I was placed at the Marina Bay Hotel in Gimpo. Other hotels that I've heard people going to: Golden Tulip Gimpo, Ramada Gimpo, Grand Hyatt, and The Splaisir Myeongdong.
Tip: I've seen YT videos where people were placed in hotels without bedsheets, so I brought my own set just in case, as well as an extra pillow and towel, since we are not allowed to ask for additional of either. Each quarantine facility has their own rules and restrictions.
Covid Test: I landed at 5pm and arrived around 7pm at the hotel. I was not given a Covid test until the following morning, when I was given 2 swabs down my nose (not a great feeling) and down my throat (not bad).
Room:
Marina Bay Hotel: My room was on the 14th floor and came with a nice queen size bed and an extra twin bed (with no bed sheets). Because I didn't need the smaller bed, I propped it up on the wall next to the closet to make space for myself to exercise and walk around. I have a nice view of the water. The room came with: fridge, kettle, desk, chair, hangers, hairdryer, & TV.
Tip: I brought my HDMI cable (for TV and Netflix), a yoga mat, Google Home, and some craft supplies to fill my time. I also bought a humidifier because the room can get really dry here in winter time. Food will always be cold. You can warm it up w/ boiled water. Place it in the sink and let it float in the plastic bag for 15 mins.
Meals: usually comes with a carb, some protein, side dishes, rice, water/drink, and snack/fruits. They have a little variety throughout the week, but more or less of the same food items everyday.
Life in Quarantine:
I was given a packet with all of the below info. Deliveries are accepted at my facility, and I used GMarket to order a lot of things (you can confirm hotel address with the front desk). You cannot order food delivery, but can get packaged snacks / drinks. I was provided with necessities like toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, 4 towels, and shampoo.
Electronics: Outlets in Korea are all 220V - bring a converter or request one from the hotel, otherwise you’ll fry your device.
Health: Thermometer will be provided and you must submit your temp in the app once a day. Someone will come by to check your temp as well.
Tip: Confirm your departure date while you check in. Rule of thumb, if you check in on a Monday (regardless of time), you check out 2 Mondays from the date or arrival (either at 12:00am or 6-7:00am).
***if you msged me, I can send you photos of the documents with the above information for my hotel specifically!
Leaving Quarantine:
3-4 days before you leave, you will be given a form to fill out with your passport info, your phone # or a # they can reach you by (Korean contact), which district you’ll be in (ex: Seoul, Gimpo, etc), and you will select what time you would like to leave (12:00am or 6-7:00am). Make sure to relay this information to either your agency or clinic, as well as sure Airbnb/Hotel address written in Korean so they can book a private driver for you. You need driver contact to fill this form out, but you don't if you're taking the BUS. On the day of departure, they will give you instructions on how to exit the facility, wait inside until they let you know. Outside, your driver will be waiting with your name. Confirm your address with them. Make sure your hotel/Airbnb has early check-in, as quarantine departure times are usually early in the morning!
Note: I was told that we would be given 3 Covid tests throughout our time here, but I was only given 1 during my entire time there, it was on my second day. They do not let you know if you are negative, you will have to call the front desk to find out, usually within 24 hours. It was such a ****en terrible experience taking the test. I cried during it. But then again my pain tolerance is below zero.
Helpful apps to download:
Naver Maps or Kakao Map, KakaoTalk, Shuttle (Korean food delivery app in English, takes US cards), Currency Converter, Naver Dict (translations).
While this has been a long journey, I am glad to have made this trip during this time, and felt really safe with the way SK has been handling COVID. Good luck!
reach out to the clinics first and then contact different agencies to compare the prices, I suggest you bring someone with you because no clinic/agency will stay with you 24/7 for the rest of your trip after surgery!! Don't go alone, if you are - make sure they will give you a translator/worker who will bring you home, buy food, help with other staff or agency person for the same purpose. After the surgery you are simply very weak, you cannot even breathe properly so be aware
Hello, I’m from the US, California specifically. Anyone planning to go in September or later considering the current COVID-19 situation?
Hi, I was also thinking of traveling in Sept or later in 2021 and looking for a surgery buddy but not sure yet. Let me know if you want to connect.
Hi! I am planning to go end of year and I am from SF! What were you planning on getting done and where?
Hi! I am planning to go end of year and I am from SF! What were you planning on getting done and where?
hi Jenny I’m really close by you in the Bay Area in San Jose! Which is close to sf! Have you decided on what month?
Hi! I am planning to go end of year and I am from SF! What were you planning on getting done and where?
Hi Jenny,
I’m in Sacramento so not too far in distance. I want my entire face to be corrected but that’s also depending on affordability. I’m interested in a double eyelid/ptosis correction, facial symmetry as I’ve previously had a medical double jaw surgery that left my face more asymmetrical, and a rhinoplasty with DCF/cartilage if it’s within my budget. Was considering View and Banobagi but not sure yet. What about you? What are you planning to get done and where?
Hi everyone! I'm just starting my research process, I'm looking to get these procedures:
- FC, my goal is to get a smaller and more narrow face, but not a super pointy V-line
- Dimpleplasty, I don't hear much about this procedure and there's not a lot of good info
- Lip and nose filler, though I might do these in my country
Hello
Before getting facial contouring surgery make sure you might need lifting procedures in the future. As for fillers, I believe it is way cheaper in Korea, most of Korean women get fillers and their doctors are pretty good