Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** South Korea’s antitrust watchdog has fined three Gangnam plastic surgery clinics for failing to disclose that patient reviews were incentivized with surgery discounts. The case underscores growing regulatory scrutiny over undisclosed paid endorsements in the medical aesthetics industry.
South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has penalized three plastic surgery clinics in Seoul’s Gangnam district for posting post-operative reviews written by patients in exchange for surgery discounts, without disclosing the financial relationship. The reviews were published on internet bulletin boards and the clinics’ official websites.
On July 12, the KFTC announced corrective orders and public disclosure of the penalties against three clinics: View Plastic Surgery, DA Plastic Surgery (both in Gangnam-gu), and AB Plastic Surgery Clinic (in Seocho-gu). According to the KFTC, from 2018 to May 2026, these clinics selected promotional models on their official websites and offered surgery discounts in exchange for posting pre-surgery consultations and post-operative experiences on beauty medical apps and internet bulletin boards. However, the clinics did not require the reviews to disclose the financial relationship, such as receiving surgery discounts. Additionally, when the clinics collected and edited multiple reviews from models into a single post on their official websites, they failed to indicate that compensation had been provided.
The clinics systematically managed promotional models for review advertising. They selected models through document screening on their official websites and signed advertising contracts that included providing post-operative reviews. Using the messaging app KakaoTalk, the clinics managed models to write regular reviews on beauty medical apps and internet bulletin boards during the contract period, from pre-surgery consultation to post-surgery. They specified the length of the text and required the inclusion of before-and-after photos.
The KFTC determined that these practices constituted “deceptive display and advertising” prohibited under the Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising, as they misled consumers into believing the reviews were voluntarily written without financial interest, thereby hindering rational choices. To prevent recurrence, the KFTC held a meeting in June with the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and the Korean Medical Association to explain current labeling and advertising regulations and violation cases. Suspected violations of the Medical Act identified during the investigation were reported to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
(c) KOREA WAVE/AFPBB News