migookinamja

No one here knows exactly what YOU will look like with a fat graft. If it were me I don't know that I would make any decisions this close to surgery unless my surgeon, that I fully trusted was adamant that it would be wise to do more stuff. I sympathize with your anxiety as your date is coming up but I'd want to be at peace with my decisions I've made now and regret NOT having more stuff done then regret having something done. Just my opinion.

 

Do the math on one surgery per day and consider their overhead. Are there only 2 surgeon's at Vip? Even at 10K a surgery (average is probably lower), assuming he's fully booked, that's 3 mil a year per surgeon. Overhead for that building and staff, supplies, medical equipment (not cheap, even in Korea).

 

I'm there from June 23rd to July 2. Sounds like you are going to do it all in one shot, consult and surgery? I don't have an aliased email address (only one with my real name). Post your email if you have an aliased one. I'm about to get PM ability tomorrow.

 

When I think of fake noses I think of the kpop girl group Rainbow. Just watch some of their music videos, they just look fake. However, I think fake ideal looking noses look good on women. You guys are supposed to look good.

I liken it to teeth whitening. Those of you in the US know we're big on teeth more than the other facial features. I got my teeth whitened to the point that they were nuclear glowing white. It looked pretty unnatural but people
kept complimenting me on them, wondering where they could get it done.

If you're an Asian guy that needs significant augmentation that's a weird straddle because fake usually does not look good on a guy.

For an extreme example of one of the members of Rainbow check out jisook:

http://popseoul.com/2010/10/10/rainbows-jaekyung-is-the-same-but-jisook-gives-hope-to-ugly-ducklings/

 

Try this:

https://www.onlinefilefolder.com/1scGRb3Ub3QuzE

 

Kellyz,

Alright this non ability to send PM's is really bothering me. I'm going to leave this up for today. Kellyz, since you're dates are aligning with mine, you can give me a call and I'll tell you what I know about VIP/Korea. This link is a text file with my number.

https://www.onlinefilefolder.com/1sTipzmUl7el4L

 

Kellyz, Korea is very hard to get around without knowing the language. It's not like you'll starve and you maybe be able to get to this or that subway stop, but finding places once you are there is a PITA. I think they have an address system similar to Japan. They organize it in districts and then there are blocks within the district. Sometimes the address is a specific building, not a number you read off the street. Don't go expecting to see 502 directly follow 500. Very little writing is in English. Taxi driver's don't speak English. If you are the right race or pretty expect some of the kindest treatment anywhere - people to go out of their way to help you. Otherwise...

see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ave6yOWKlj4

 

I think we need more before and after pics. Active posters, can you share? Do you need help annonymising your pics? If you send them to me I'll send them back to you with your other features blocked out. Send me a PM because I don't have an aliased email address that I want to post here (so there will be an element of trust on both our parts).

 

For you guys that want it perfect and are paying revision prices, are you going to rely on a translator? Maybe I'm too conservative but I want to be able to feel like my surgeon understands exactly what I want.

 

I don't think so. My profile looks something like this. You're welcome to some of this material if you need it

I am interested in how he's going to get rid of the bump without creating another one further down.

 

Cool. #1 in the US, #2 on google.co.kr. I figured my searches were getting messed up when some of the top entries were for stuff in LA.

 

I don't like the way my nose looks. He's going to raise the tip and eliminate the bump.

 

When are you going? Tell him I said hi. Are you doing consults first and then returning or doing it all in one shot?

 

Yes, Park Yang Soo at Dream. 박양수 in Korean. He's specilized in noses as my Korean friend pointed out. I've searched for him in Korean. 성형외과 is plastic surgery in Korean. Dream shows up as #2 when you google it. I also saw he was an invited speaker at some conference on advocating closed rhinoplasty (what I'm going to have with him). All this stuff is circumstancial unless you speak Korean fluently. Everything I've seen points to that this guy knows what's he's doing. It's still a risk.

Edit: Hey, does Dream show up as #2 in anyone elses google for 성형외과? Because now it's showing up as #1. Just wondering if google is tayloring the searches because I've been googling the hell out of Dr. Park and Dream.

 

I would go to VIP because Joann would take care of me Not knowing anyone in Korea and not knowing how to get around, if there was an emergency, etc... I remember my first time in Korea, it's pretty frustrating when you can't figure out the basics.

Now, I know hangul which is really helpful sometimes because a bunch of stuff is written in English but in Korean script. I know a few words to read off of signs and can speak a word or two. I know how to say I hurt, I'm cold/hot, thirsty. Seems like pretty important stuff to me if going for surgery. That's why I would not choose Dream or any of the other Korean clinics if I didn't already have someone that knew these things. I also know many people in Korea, more as business aquantances but they are all very kind and I'm sure would help me out. I wouldn't have that going alone my first time.

No, this is my first rhino. I'm going to Korea because it's cheaper and I believe they know what they're doing. I'm not even Asian! Their volume of experience and knowing that that society doesn't value half-assing it like ours (America) does helped me. Still I probably wouldn't be going there if I couldn't use my miles for free first class tickets.

 

You can probably tell from the romanization that 치과 are dentists. Still,
Dream is definately not back alley.

 

As for accomodations...

I'm looking at some of these cheapo tiny rooms to stay in the area that cost like $30-$40 a night. Obviously, no services with that. I'm a little concerned that a disgruntled guy lit one of these places up on the same street that the surgery clinics are on and a bunch of people died. Just not sure what I'm getting into.

I've stayed at the renaissance hotel maybe a month in total and it is a great deal compared to comparable options. Seems like everyone there who isn't cleaning toilets lived in an English speaking country for awhile and are really helpful. I know the priceline price for this hotel is $120/night including fees so if I can go 1/2 with someone I'm definately going for that option.

My thinking goes like this... God forbid this should happen. One of us finds the other non-responsive. Calling emergency in Korea would be pretty pointless, but one of us could call the front desk who would definately know how to handle this.

It is a 45 minute walk from the hotel to apgujung area (I know because I did it several times).

 

BTW- I asked the guy who works with my company in Korea (point being native Korean) about Dr. Park and he said this:

Dr. Park is very famous astethic clinic in Gangnam area. Especially, many actor and actress like 소녀시대, bigbang etc. they had a surgery from him.
Nose and eye is his strong field. I did’nt know that he is such famous in idol groups.

Granted he's a 45yo dude that knows nothing about PS and I don't know where he gets this info from but it's making me feel better about my choice.

 

I got the same feeling that others have about VIP, probably competent but overpriced. I didn't find Joann to be pushy though. She spent ALOT of time with me but she's a very subtle saleslady. As someone who does sales like she does it was pretty interesting to see the moves being put on me.

Transport from/to the airport is actually one of the easiest things in Korea. The bus runs often and is 15,000 KRW each way. Lots of stops.

Can I ask why you are going to Korea? Because if it were my first time I probably would only go to VIP, even knowing that they are overpriced. Maybe some will disagree, but Korea is not Mexico(safer though). English proliferation is not high except in the expensive hotels. Once you factor that plus airfare you might not come ahead pricewise or you'll be near the price of VIP that offers free accomodations or the price of having it done in the US.

Like I said in my post I had problems even getting into the Korean for Koreans clinics and I know my way around Seoul pretty well for someone who doesn't live there. I can't have a conversation in Korean but I know how to ask for the doctor that does noses.

If you want to talk to Dr. Park at Dream I would email him directly. Staff doesn't speak English there but Dr. Park is very proficient in it.

Hi email at Dream is :

[email protected]

If you're really serious about it I would be specific and mention dates you're thinking of coming. I know he gets a lot of email and it might pay to portray yourself as a serious.

Your dates are working well with mine. I'm going to be in Seoul from the 23rd with surgery on the 28th so if you want to check me out before hand that's fine. I also live in the SF bay Area and will be in San Diego and LA next week if you are in California.

I'm 33, so not a student. Just vacation and ticketing for the flight works out this way.

 

Kelly,

Those dates are realistic but you have to get on the ball about it. Here is a post I made about my visit to some clinics last week.

# My counselor at Dream said to contact her 2 weeks before (although this was when I told her I was thinking of coming back in September).

Joann at VIP said I should make plans with her this week if I were to come back in June. Not sure if she's right but it's believable because they are pretty busy.

Maybe you'll be there when I am. Like I said in my post, ideally I'd like to be around someone the first night.

Also, I should mention that my surgery is on June 28th and my flight is on July 1st. I got first class tickets before I knew which days would work. The day I arrive, June 22nd, Dr Park is on vacation in the US! I emailed Dr Park about this and he said flying 3 days later is no problem and I can see their affiliated Dr Kim in Los Angeles for my followup and stitch removal. Having someone in the US to go to at least nominally affiliated with Dream was a big plus in making my decision.

 

Hi,

I was in Seoul last week. I've been to Korea 8 times for business, but never thought about plastic surgery there until now. Interested in a rhinoplasty I came across this forum on a google search. I checked out some of the clinics frequently discussed on this forum as well as *tried* to go to some of the more Korean clinics. I've chosen to go back to Seoul at the end of June and have my surgery at Dream with Dr. Park Yang Soo.

I went to Dream, OZ and VIP.

1.)Went to OZ first. This clinic is on the main shopping street in Gangnam, not exactly far, but not near the other clinics that are all clustered near the apgujung subway station. This clinic suprized me that it was kind of small and not really busy. I saw Dr. Park pretty quickly. He speaks pretty decent English, we talked about my nose and I liked what he had to say, not trying to make my nose perfect (I'm a guy). Price was pretty good at 3.5 mil won which is about $3300

2.)Went to VIP next which is in the Apgujung area (might technicaly be in shinadong but right on the border). I met Joann who has a great personality and is charming and funny too. She talked to me a lot about what the surgery would consist of including more detail about what Mr Park talked about. This impressed me and concerned me at the same time because she was not the doctor but was telling me what seemed like a lot of details about the surgery. I met one of the doctors, but Joann told me that he would not be the specialist working on me - I would have to come in the next day when he was available. I felt fine talking to this doctor (I forgot his name, but I think there are only 2 there). The next day I came in and talked to Dr. Lee in his penthouse office that actually looks pretty sweet. Joann accompanied us. I felt pretty good about Dr. Lee but Joann speaks better English than he does and they were both telling me about how my nose was messed up and they could make it better. They said I had a septal deviation that they could fix, but I didn't even know my nose was crooked. I breathe great but they were assuring me I could breathe better! Joann told me the cost was $4700 (quoted in dollars) and I could stay there some days for free in their officetel if they had room. I felt pretty good about the competency and the operation they were running there, but it seemed like there was a bit of an upsell as I didn't feel I needed or wanted a septal correction. Lots of people moving through here, I heard the employees speaking Chinese and one of them had an American accent.

I tried to hit some of the other Korean places. Some of them are in huge buildings that take up the entire thing which pictures of all the doctors working there. I know I went to Clinic 9 and Grand which have some of the hottest chicks I've ever seen working the front desks. Unfortunately they speak less English than any one I've seen in Korea (which is saying something). And I couldn't even get past the first line of defenses to see the doctor.

Finally I came across Dream which I don't know why I did, but I think I may have seen it mentioned in passing in this forum. Again the staff did not speak English, but they tried to understand what I was saying instead of just right off the bat rejecting me. They gave me a form to fill out which was all in Korean. Fortunately these were words I knew and I specified that I was there for my nose. BTW- waiting room here was pretty busy. After awhile I met the counselor who said I would have to come back to see the nose guy in about an hour. When I came back I met doctor Park and had a wonderful consultation. Maybe he could see that I had a little bit of a deviated septum and he asked "do you have trouble breathing?" I said no and he said "ok, good that means we don't have to go deep and we can do a closed rhinoplasty" (good no upsell). I also asked him if he did a lot of caucasian noses. Instead of telling me "yeah, yeah no problem" he said "honestly we don't see a lot of caucasians, but the ideal nose is similar, but the starting point is different". Dr. Park explained everything in the perfect amount of detail without trying to sound overconfident (as I've had surgery in the past I'm on the look out for the overconfident ones). I searched him online and the clinic comes up #2 on google when you search for plastic surgery in Korean. His price was also $3300 (3.8 mil won discounted to 3.5 mil won). So I'm going there!

As far as accomodations. I don't believe there are any full service English speaking hotels in the Gangnam area that are cheap (like $50 or below). I stayed at Fox hotel for a night which is in gangnam near Seoul National Uni for $70 a night and it was pretty cool with free wifi and free snacks. I think you can go cheap with short stay apartments that I'm guessing run $30-$40 a night if they have availability. If anyone is interested in sharing a room let me know! I really would like someone close by the first night in case something happens. I'm thinking I'll get a room near cha hospital which is maybe a mile down the road from apgujung. I've had experience going to that hospital and I heard it's well known in Korea (although more for baby deliveries).