Tan Yifan cicitan2011@gmail.com SOUTH KOREA, a country with a population of over 50 million, has gradually grown into East Asia’s fashion hub. Each year, millions of fans of Hallyu, the term for Korean fashion, make their pilgrimage to the land, searching for the latest trends. What people are looking for, though, is no longer limited to cosmetics, accessories and clothing. Many people, especially women, are knocking on beauty salon and plastic surgery clinic doors to permanently change their looks. According to the latest data released by the Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) at an event held by Faceseoul, a Shenzhen-based online plastic surgery agency, over 100,000 Chinese received plastic surgery in South Korea last year, and China has topped the list of countries based on the number of patients who seek cosmetic surgery in South Korean hospitals since 2012. The 11,500 plastic surgery clinics in South Korea, mainly in Seoul, have become a major tourist draw for the country, with cosmetic surgery tour packages growing in popularity. But how can someone wanting plastic surgery make sure they are using a safe and reputable surgeon when there are so many plastic surgery tour packages and curbside hospitals to choose from? Jin Dehuan, from Faceseoul, encourages plastic surgery tourists to do thorough research online in advance to decide what kind of operation they want to receive. “Tourists can log onto KTO’s website and leave a message in the chat room, or they can read information already on the website, faceseoul.com.cn,” Jin suggested. “Take note of reports on unqualified hospitals and make sure the hospital you choose is up to par.” OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER: 1. An interpreter Many doctors in South Korea can’t speak fluent English, so it is better to hire an interpreter with at least two years’ experience in interpreting before you go for plastic surgery. Sign a contract with the interpreter beforehand. Many Chinese students in South Korea now provide interpretation services. The average price for a whole day’s language service is around US$80. Be aware of the interpretation agencies in South Korea, though, because many of them have contracts with local hospitals and may not refer you to ideal doctors. Hospitals usually close for lunch from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. You can have lunch with your interpreter, but you don’t necessarily have to pay for his or her lunch. The time you are allowed to stay in a Korean hospital will normally be less than two days. During that time, you can ask your interpreter to pay you constant visits and bring you meals. It is always better to stay either close to the hospital or close to the apartment of your interpreter. The cheapest hotel in Seoul will cost you more than US$25 daily, so you need to set a clear budget beforehand. 2. Transportation You can print maps before landing in South Korea and mark the bus stops or metro exits on it. The best way to tell your taxi driver about your destination is to show him or her the destination on a map rather than writing down the characters. Black taxis in South Korea are more expensive than regular taxis. 3. Booking a place You need to make reservations at a hospital before you go to South Korea; otherwise, it will take you more than one week to get an appointment. Before you meet the doctor, you need to talk to the secretary. The secretary is usually the person who will talk to you about packages and prices, so pay careful attention to the details. Many technical terms may be hard for the interpreter to translate. Carrying pictures of the exact surgery you want might help in these cases. Koreans celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and their Spring Festival on the same days as Chinese. Avoid visiting the country during these periods if you want to have plastic surgery. Your doctor will probably give you very specific follow-up care instructions. Be sure to follow them. Small operations such as nose reshaping, eyelid reduction or double eyelid typically only require a week to recover. | 