Is plastic surgery in South Korea considered better than America?

[calmwaters]

I spend a lot of time online and that comes with plenty of reading on forums and social platforms. It seems like most people talk up South Korea as if it is the best place to go for plastic surgery. I think this is true in the case of cost. You won’t find both budget and skill in the same area… But I think there should be stipulations.

For one, Korean doctors are used to working on Korean faces. If you compare the average Korean to the average American, the bone structure is not alike. Many Americans are of European descent and compared to Eastern Asians, there are a lot of significant differences. This is especially true with eye shape.

Another thing to consider is the amount of work these doctors do. Doctors in the US charge much higher prices so they tend to have fewer surgeries per day. They are able to space things out a lot more. In Korea, some doctors are booked solid from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed. So being in a work flow like this can lead to mistakes for people that are non-Korean.

So because of this, I feel like while many surgeries are better suited for value in South Korea, you have to keep in mind that if the work you are getting will be achievable by someone that works primarily on Korean/Asian face structures. For more complex surgeries, especially with eyes, noses, and lips I feel like you are better off sticking with US doctors.

Have you ever thought on this topic at all or is it just me?

 

[tikicat76]

For certain things, it can be. 

But you have to keep in mind that most Americans looking to get work done do not have Asian features. Having European features means for certain surgeries, they are better off sticking with American doctors. 

[glowyyy]

I think this is highly subjective. In terms of quality and care, they are on par IMO. Korea just offers cheaper prices.

[bevinii]

On 10/23/2026 at 10:45 AM, tikicat76 said:

But you have to keep in mind that most Americans looking to get work done do not have Asian features.

I have seen this be brought up online. Some people have mixed feelings about it. Some will say it is nothing to worry about and others will say when it comes to certain work, like eyes for example, they end up doing them how they would for a Korean person so they never look 100% right. I have seen before and afters of non-Koreans and I don't see any issues!