Reuters reported on May 29 that South Korea's laser and lifting procedures are driving a new wave of medical tourism. According to the report, foreign tourists are increasingly visiting Korea not just for plastic surgery, but for Botox injections to reduce wrinkles and ultrasound lifting to tighten jawlines.
Maria Ju, a Mexican former flight attendant now working as a consultant in Dubai, has visited Korea at least six times. She said her first trip eight years ago was to explore cafes and parks, but in April she spent time at a Korean dermatology clinic. "I feel safe getting facial treatments in Korea," she said, adding, "Korea is doing really well not only in dermatology but in many fields. My dream is to live in Korea."
Cindy Gu, a 30-year-old social media video editor from the United States, was waiting for a facial lifting procedure at a beauty clinic in Seoul's Gangnam district. "I like that there are various K-beauty procedures that I can't find in the U.S.," she said.
Reuters noted that the hashtag "Korea glow up" is spreading on social media platforms like Instagram. The report cited South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare, which counted over 2 million foreign visitors for medical purposes last year, nearly double the 1.17 million in 2024.
Hong Seung-wook, head of the Global Healthcare Business Division at the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, told Reuters, "The growth rate of foreign patients is outpacing that of foreign tourists. Foreign tourists are spending more on medical services than on tourism in Korea." He expressed hope to continue this trend by promoting procedure services to middle-aged tourists.
Source: Read the original report | Published: May 29, 2026