My Experience In Seoul, April 2015

[nilesy]

I had my surgery in April 2015 earlier this year. OK, yes, I'm aware it's a few months late and perhaps long overdue. I have to admit that right now I don't remember everyone's names off the top of my head, but to those who were in my Kakao group (in particular, Koreasaurus, hi!), K Couture and anybody else who's answered my questions and provided me with information and advice... Thank you. Also, sorry for disappearing but I've been busy with life and have just wanted to distance myself from anything to do with cosmetic/plastic surgery as I just don't feel it's very healthy for me.

Also please note that for my own reasons, owing to privacy, as much as I understand and as curious as some of you may be, it's unlikely I'll be sharing pictures. In any case, I didn't really take profile/oblique/side profile photos that would properly show any changes anyway.


Flights/Accommodation
I booked a package deal for a return flight + hotel on Expedia, though I did so a bit later than I perhaps should have so my advice to you is that you book well in advance (at least two months) to save yourself some money. Book your flight first then your accommodation.

Initially, my first thoughts were to book a place to myself via AirBnB but as I was going alone, I felt more comfortable having people around me even if they didn't speak English. I ended up staying at Valt Hotel, Seoul in Gangnam-gu. It's located south-ish of the Apgujeong district.

Travel
One of the things I do like about Seoul is how comparatively cheap public transport is; when you first get into a taxi, the meter is set to ₩3,000 and slowly ticks up but I found that my fares never went over ₩8,000-10,000 just travelling around Gangnam. These were all 'regular' taxis i.e. bright orange or silver. They're all the same vehicle make/type. I didn't use the subway but I've heard that it's, like,
₩1,000 per journey regardless of your destination or the distance travelled but don't quote me on that. In either case, it has air-con and WiFi, shops with clothes and food and there was also a hairdresser's salon in one of them.

Food
Food is also very cheap. I was berated for eating Burger King (the portions are pitifully small) and I ended up eating a lot of baked goods from Paris Baguette/Tous Le Jours because it was cheap and convenient. If you like those odd sausage buns, you'll feel right at home. The bread is sweeter than you'd probably be used to if you're from the States or Europe.

Money
I imagine most people will be using credit/debit cards to pay but I used cash. Before I flew off, I converted around ₩100,000 so that I'd have some money for transport to get to my hotel and also food with the intention of converting the rest the next day at one of the local banks.

I was tired when I arrived in Seoul so I ended up just taking a 'deluxe' taxi that cost me ₩80,000. If you're strapped for cash and are feeling particularly ballsy (or have done your research), take the subway or take a shuttle bus.

Don't expect the airport staff to know English; there was a stand with a lady who was supposed to be able to assist people with directions and instructions on how to get to their destination. Her English wasn't very good. The lady at the counter outside selling bus tickets also didn't know English so we ended up having a broken conversation in Korean.

Can't remember how but I ended up having barely enough money to get breakfast the next day.

IF YOU ARE DOING THE SAME, the ideal solution would be to locate a Korea Exchange Bank branch before you travel so you know where to go as I believe you're more likely to have an easier time conversing in English. The conversion rates are, depending on the time of year and the markets, better by a fair margin. Unless you're desperate, I'd advise against using the booths at Incheon Airport and wait til you get to Seoul proper.

Please check the rules and regulations of your country of origin and South Korea, regarding any caps on the amount of cash you allowed to carry with you and whether or not you need to declare it. Before you exit Arrivals at Incheon, there is a designated area where you can fill out a little slip for declarations of any kind. I told them how much, showed them the money and was allowed to leave.

I had around £7,000 with me in cash. As scary as that might sound, I felt a lot safer once I'd flown off and left London. Seoul is very safe imo and the people are polite and generally mind their own business. Nobody gets in your face or is particularly rude or aggressive, though some are curious and ask questions (like why I have a black eye). Obviously, common sense dictates that you don't wave your money around or leave it exposed.

WiFi
Owing, in part, to Seoul's love affair with coffee shops, there is open WiFi at 4G speeds more or less everywhere. Obviously, don't use public networks if you're accessing things like email or your bank account.

I preordered a sim card to put into my phone before I flew off, using: http://egsimcard.co.kr/

It's very simple and cheap. I ended up collecting it at the bookstore which is on the ground floor (I think?) of Incheon Airport. Basically, IIRC, you come out of Arrivals and turn left and basically just go left forever until you see KBooks which should also be on your left.

Other
You should also consider writing down the addresses and contact details of the clinics you want to visit, your accommodation and wherever else you want to go in ENGLISH and HANGUL/KOREAN. Write it down on paper, have it on your phone and have it on an iPad if you have/bring one with you. Also have screenshots with maps of the areas.

Consultations
Please leave at least 2 hours in between each of your appointments. You may have to wait or you might get stuck in traffic or get lost etc so allow time for that.

 

[nilesy]

Dream Medical Group
The interior is very nice. It was a tad confusing as I wasn't sure if the elevator was working but the way up via the stairs didn't work either because the door was locked so, basically, take the elevator.

I had a consultation with Daphne, who's very pretty and was friendly and willing to negotiate on prices with me. Yeah, not much else to say lol. Then there was Jasinee who kind of turned me off Dream, simply because I'd read in one of K Couture's many posts that you could simply ask for a CD copy of the CT scan rather than having to do it multiple times at each clinic (because who wants cancer?).

I was told by Jasinee that I'd need to pay, like, ₩100,000-150,000 for the CD which I thought, frankly, was a bit silly. I mentioned K Couture in passing and her own experience and Jasinee said she'd go ask. Not even one minute later, she came back and changed her story and said she could give me a discount on the CD.... "just for you." It went on like this for a little while til the price was eventually whittled down to about ₩50,000. In the grand scheme of things, it's quite trivial but it did leave a bad taste in my mouth and was part of the reason why I didn't choose Dream. That said, your mileage may vary.

I had consultations with Dr. Park Yang Soo for eyes and nose and Dr. Kim Young Joon for facial contouring. Dr. Kim was friendly, and is apparently very skilled, and I felt comfortable asking him questions.
While I don't doubt Dr. Park's skill, I felt a bit rushed during the consultation, almost as if he wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. That isn't to say he's horrible. I can understand that he's probably answered the same or similar questions many times over but for me, personally, I didn't feel entirely comfortable.

I had to wait a while for my quotes, which resulted in me being late for my next consultation at April31. As I said before, Daphne was willing to negotiate.

Initially I'd wanted to get fat graft, but I'm very skinny. She gave me two quotes based on what I wanted (I have typed out what she wrote down for me and this includes discounts for multiple procedures and it's all in ₩):

A) ₩13.4mil for non-incisional eyes, TCR, closed rhinoplasty with rasping and a chin implant
Rhino - 400,000 > 340,000
Rasping - 80,000 > 60,000 TOTAL: 520,000
SEG - 150,000 > 120,000

TCR - 320,000 > 280,000
Non-incisional - 180,000 > 160,000

Chin implant - 440,000 > 380,000


B) ₩16.1mil for non-incisional eyes, TCR, closed rhinoplasty with rasping and sliding genioplasty
Rhino - 400,000 > 340,000
Rasping - 80,000 > 60,000 TOTAL: 520,000
SEG - 150,000 > 120,000

TCR - 320,000 > 280,000
Non-incisional - 180,000 > 160,000

Sliding genioplasty - 750,000 > 650,000

 

[nilesy]

April31
This was the second clinic I consulted and the one I ended up going to. It's smaller and more 'quaint' than the other clinics. I had consultations with Dr. Kim Jae Hoon for nose, Dr. Park Sung-Wan for facial contouring and Dr. Oh Won Suk for eyes.

Brian is the guy who deals with foreign/international patients and speaks English well. He grew up in Canada, if I remember correctly. He's very friendly, accommodating sat down to talk with me and was one of the reasons I ended up choosing April31, simply because he made me feel comfortable. And there's Daniel (I think his name is Daniel :wondering) as well who took me to the hospital. And Nina the nurse. And the other female consultant who sat in with Brian and myself and told me I had a big nose. She was very nice. There're a lot of friendly people at April31, I have to admit.

Dr. Kim was nicer than Dr. Park at Dream and answered my questions though I think he was a bit busy at the time so I did feel a tad rushed. It was very... standard, so I don't have much else to say lol.

I did like Dr. Park Sung-Wan. He gave me similar vibes as Dr. Lee from JW. The impression I got was that he takes a lot of pride in his work and feels a sense of responsibility towards his patients. He came in to see me and check my chin multiple times post-surgery when I came in to have my dressings and bandages removed and for the deswelling treatment and then just before I left. Yeah, he was very nice.

I don't remember much about Dr. Oh but I am very happy with my eyes and Koreasaurus seemed to think so too. She gushed about how they were "perfect"!

April31 was the most expensive of the three clinics I saw. I think my quote came out to something around ₩16mil-17mil for non-incisional eyes, open rhinoplasty and sliding genioplasty. While that is 'expensive', I am more or less 75% happy with my face now (but honestly, that's more to do with my own state of mind and emotional wellbeing regarding my relationship with myself and my self-image) and it was comparatively much cheaper than if I'd chosen to have those same three surgeries done in London. That's my reasoning for going to Korea; doctors who, by default as a result of their location and work, know more about the anatomy and structure of Asian faces + it's cheaper.

BE AWARE that if you've had any non-surgical rhinoplasty i.e. fillers like Juvederm, Teosyal, Restylane etc. injected into your nose and if there is any residue, it is considered a revision rhinoplasty at April31, it would seem. I'm not sure about the other clinics so you'll probably have to ask.

 

[nilesy]

JW Plastic Surgery
This was the last clinic I consulted with. I think my consultant's name was Jenny. First off, I don't remember the exact quotes they gave me for the same procedures (eyes, nose, chin) since she did it on her phone and didn't write it down for me but JW was the cheapest, followed by Dream and then April31. Koreasaurus had a very good experience with JW so while I do believe that, to some degree, you get what you pay for, take it with a pinch of salt.

I saw Dr. Suh for nose, Dr. Choi for eyes and Dr. Lee Sang Jun for facial contouring/chin. When I think back on my consultations with all three of them, I have nothing bad to say at all really. They were all very, very, very nice, especially Dr. Lee. They were friendly, polite, took their time and I didn't feel rushed at all. If I hadn't gone with April31, I probably would've picked JW.

Truly, Dr. Lee explained thoroughly what was possible with my chin and how much he could advance it by and shared his opinion (when I asked for it) about chin implants vs genio. Side-note, I hadn't considered genio because it seemed very invasive but all the doctors for facial contouring that day suggested genio over a chin implant.

I really liked Dr. Lee. He was so nice.

 

[nilesy]

Surgery: Pre-Op
After I'd finished consultations on Tuesday, I hurriedly phoned Brian to tell him that I'd be going with April31. I was booked in for a surgery slot the next day and would go in at 10am and then have surgery at 12pm-ish. I had to have my last meal (Burger King ) and water and then fast for about 12 hours, I think.

Got there around 10am or just before and had Daniel take me around to a nearby hospital to have scans and blood tests and all that good stuff. We had a good chat about KPop girl groups and culture and what we liked. Fun times. He's really nice.

Went back to the clinic, changed into errr... scrubs? Patient gown? It was a two-piece affair with a button-up shirt and pants. Gargled with some mouth rinse and washed my face with some foamy green tea(???) face wash. Then I had a fairly quick last-minute consultation with the doctors, during which my face was drawn on and I showed them what I wanted on an iPad. Perhaps not ideal but you'll have to choose for yourself how to communicate what you want.

The IV drip was the scariest part for me because the cannula is obscenely big. Funnily enough, it didn't hurt at all really. The small needles they use for blood tests actually hurt more imo. Brian was talking to me to keep me distracted, which was thoughtful of him. It did 'slip out' and the nurse apologized and said she'd have to reinsert it which was totally cool with me. Actually, I think I was a little excited because I knew it didn't hurt.

Afterwards, they told me it was time to get cut up (I'm paraphrasing) and we went to the surgery room. I lied down, got strapped up and had some sort of cap put on to keep my hair out of my face. Ask the nurse to take care of you in Korean, they find it funny and perhaps a little cringeworthy. Then before I knew it, I was out. The last thing I remember before going under was being on the table and it was moving like it was on a conveyer belt shaped like an 8. Pretty ominous lol.

Surgery: Post-Op
When I woke up, it was really late and dark outside. They kept me in the room I was in when I changed, with my stuff in a locker, a TV and a heated bed. I had a little buzzer thing to press if I needed to call the nurses. My face was really swollen and bandaged up and I felt groggy. I called them for water twice and tried to sleep but I really couldn't.

It was funny that one of them had to carry my IV bag for me as I went to the toilet.

For me, personally, because I couldn't sleep and because I felt like I was imposing or that I was being a nuisance, I ended up asking to go back to my hotel. And it was late, I think, like 11pm. So they called me a taxi and gave me the stuff I needed. I think it was icepacks and a mouthwash to keep it clean and free of infection.

Basically, the first three days or so were absolutely terrible. Because of the swelling, my mouth/jaw was left slightly open and it ached and I couldn't wear my Invisalign. I could move my jaw because I hadn't had anything done to it, I'd just had my chin advanced but the swelling prevented me from opening my mouth very wide so it was hard to eat and drink. Mostly hard to eat. I got sick of pumpkin soup pretty quickly. And I had rice porridge, soups and basically liquid foods for the first few days then when I was able to open my mouth, I ordered stuff like gunmandu, jajangmyeon, kimbap and jeon.

I was very irritable and thought to myself that I would never do this willingly again lol. It varies from person to person but for me, it was very difficult. It was hard to sleep because I was so conscious of the swelling and the discomfort so I sat there watching TV or reading books on my iPad for three days or so and time seems to tick a lot more slowly.

Obviously, follow the after-care instructions given to you but when you feel stronger, go out walking, even it's just around the block once or twice. The air in Seoul feels very fresh, ironically, in spite of all the cars. It was also good to clear my head and destress just a little because I was very anxious about the outcome of my surgeries. I messaged Brian to ask him questions and just talk a little because of that and I was scared and a little lonely. Thanks to the people on Kakao who talked to me and to Brian lol. It was nice to be reassured.

I had issues with payment because I thought initially that what I had in cash was enough but I'd withdrawn a little more onto my card just in case. When it turned out that the cash I had wasn't enough, I tried to pay by card but I couldn't withdraw or see how much was on there because my card didn't work with the machines. I ended up paying the 10% tax because I used my card to pay for some of it. PAY IN CASH IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THE 10% TAX ALTOGETHER.

Long story short, the head consultants/managers got pissy at me over it and while I understand that it was my responsibility, I hadn't attempted to deliberately mislead them (though they thought I was trying to skimp out on payment) and had been honest and agreed to signing a contract that stipulated I would pay the rest by a mutually-agreed date when I returned home, which I did.

That experience did leave me a bit disappointed because I'd already paid such a large amount of money (₩13-15mil out of the ₩17mil total, I think) and felt that should've been enough reason to demonstrate that I wasn't a fraud. If I'd paid, like, 90% of the total, why would I run off and try to save myself the last 10%? If I'd been meaning to save money, I would've just gone to JW.

It was more to do with the one or two head consultants who weren't willing to show discretion. I agreed to signing a contract but Brian told me they didn't want to do a contract and that they were considering suing me lol. I was dumbstruck. I'm a student and am thusly not looking to be sued (so why would I run off if that's what would happen to me?) and I was AGREEING to sign a contract. Brian was very supportive during this time and fought my corner.

Also, big thing, before I had surgery, they asked to hold onto my passport as collateral to make sure I didn't run off without paying. When the whole payment issue arose, they insisted on holding onto it even when the date of my flight home was nearing. As far as I know, they're not legally allowed to do that and K Couture said the same. I understand why they asked for it in the beginning but refusing to give it back is not allowed. I was frankly annoyed. While I understand their perspective, I don't feel they tried to understand my point of view. They don't know me, obviously, but I tried to be very open and sincere towards them.

Brian did stick his neck out for me and I am very thankful for that. I'm glad he didn't get fired in the end lol, though if I hadn't paid the remainder, who knows~?

PLEASE NOTE: I don't think this reflects poorly on April31, Brian or their doctors/nurses. This was a 'unique' situation (which I took responsibility for) and if I had to point fingers and lay blame, besides at my own feet, I'd say that the head consultants and upper management need to be a bit more polite towards their clientele. I'd paid 90% of the total, ₩15mil or so, and they refused to speak to me directly or address me or negotiate. Even though it was my problem/fault, that's just rude. That said, it isn't the consultants/management who make the clinic what it is.

I'm happy with my results, more or less. The doctors at April31 are good, the nurses even nicer haha, and Brian isn't too shabby either.

BUT WHEN YOU CHOOSE YOUR CLINICS, MAKE YOUR CHOICES BASED ON THE DOCTORS AND THEIR SKILL/ABILITY/KNOWLEDGE REGARDING WHAT YOU NEED OR WANT. IF YOU DON'T WANT SOMETHING SO INVASIVE AS OPEN, CHOOSE A DOCTOR WHO SPECIALIZES IN THE CLOSED METHOD AS K COUTURE HAS SAID BEFORE. STUFF LIKE THAT.

 

[nilesy]

In closing...
Apologies in advance as I'm probably not going to be posting on here anymore or responding to questions. I'm not so gallant and giving as K Couture is. By no means am I condoning her worship, but we should all be very, very, very thankful towards her for sticking around and answering questions and sharing what she knows and being so open. If there's anyone else who's like that around here and I haven't acknowledged you, sorry. Just be proud of yourself and pat yourself on the back haha. It's just that K Couture has engendered her own 'cult of personality' here, like she's embedded into the fabric of PurseForum itself.

If I'm being very honest, I'm not sure if I'm a very nice person and I sometimes find it irritating when people ask the same questions again and again and again even if I've perhaps been guilty of it myself in the past though I did attempt to change that and keep it in check.

I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to know what you want AND be able to communicate that properly to the doctors so that when you come out of surgery and are recovering a few months down the line, you have as few regrets as possible ("I wish I'd told him this").

Not just that, but be honest with yourself and if you don't feel ready, don't do it. Make sure that you have a fairly healthy relationship with yourself and aren't too critical of your looks. I'm guilty of that and I'm still working on it now. Doctors have a responsibility to their patients but you also have a responsibility to yourself. If you need to see a therapist, go see one. Forget the stigma attached to it. Body dysmorphia is real and you should really see someone and just... talk and work through it so it doesn't consume your life.

That's one of the reasons why I'm not going to be posting on here anymore because it was, dare I say it, sort of morbidly 'fun' to read and research so much but I feel like the more time I spend here reading about procedures, the more likely it is that I might nitpick at myself about my appearance and I'm slowly learning (I hope) that there really is more to life and love and whatever else you care about than that.

TLDR: If you're going to have anything done or undergo lots of procedures, make sure you're in the right state of mind/are healthy and are doing it for the right reasons and not for anyone else but for you.

Also, please be considerate of others. Please remember to be polite, kind, supportive (if you're able to) and to show gratitude in a sincere manner to the people who you talk to, whether it be on this forum or on Kakao or anywhere else. I'm sorry to the people who I got irritated at or who I just ignored because it was kind of too much for me to deal with at the time. It's understandable if you're scared or afraid or anxious, but it's irritating when people ask you the same questions repeatedly and it gives the impression (even if it wasn't intended) that you want to be spoonfed information and you want people to make choices for you. That isn't right or fair to them or to yourself.

Good luck to all of you who're still researching, who're about to have surgery, who're about to fly off, who're recovering etc. I hope it goes well and that you're happy at the end of it all and that you enjoy the rest of 2015

 

[hj88]

Nilesy said: ↑

Surgery: Pre-Op
After I'd finished consultations on Tuesday, I hurriedly phoned Brian to tell him that I'd be going with April31. I was booked in for a surgery slot the next day and would go in at 10am and then have surgery at 12pm-ish. I had to have my last meal (Burger King ) and water and then fast for about 12 hours, I think.

Got there around 10am or just before and had Daniel take me around to a nearby hospital to have scans and blood tests and all that good stuff. We had a good chat about KPop girl groups and culture and what we liked. Fun times. He's really nice.

Went back to the clinic, changed into errr... scrubs? Patient gown? It was a two-piece affair with a button-up shirt and pants. Gargled with some mouth rinse and washed my face with some foamy green tea(???) face wash. Then I had a fairly quick last-minute consultation with the doctors, during which my face was drawn on and I showed them what I wanted on an iPad. Perhaps not ideal but you'll have to choose for yourself how to communicate what you want.

The IV drip was the scariest part for me because the cannula is obscenely big. Funnily enough, it didn't hurt at all really. The small needles they use for blood tests actually hurt more imo. Brian was talking to me to keep me distracted, which was thoughtful of him. It did 'slip out' and the nurse apologized and said she'd have to reinsert it which was totally cool with me. Actually, I think I was a little excited because I knew it didn't hurt.

Afterwards, they told me it was time to get cut up (I'm paraphrasing) and we went to the surgery room. I lied down, got strapped up and had some sort of cap put on to keep my hair out of my face. Ask the nurse to take care of you in Korean, they find it funny and perhaps a little cringeworthy. Then before I knew it, I was out. The last thing I remember before going under was being on the table and it was moving like it was on a conveyer belt shaped like an 8. Pretty ominous lol.

Surgery: Post-Op
When I woke up, it was really late and dark outside. They kept me in the room I was in when I changed, with my stuff in a locker, a TV and a heated bed. I had a little buzzer thing to press if I needed to call the nurses. My face was really swollen and bandaged up and I felt groggy. I called them for water twice and tried to sleep but I really couldn't.

It was funny that one of them had to carry my IV bag for me as I went to the toilet.

For me, personally, because I couldn't sleep and because I felt like I was imposing or that I was being a nuisance, I ended up asking to go back to my hotel. And it was late, I think, like 11pm. So they called me a taxi and gave me the stuff I needed. I think it was icepacks and a mouthwash to keep it clean and free of infection.

Basically, the first three days or so were absolutely terrible. Because of the swelling, my mouth/jaw was left slightly open and it ached and I couldn't wear my Invisalign. I could move my jaw because I hadn't had anything done to it, I'd just had my chin advanced but the swelling prevented me from opening my mouth very wide so it was hard to eat and drink. Mostly hard to eat. I got sick of pumpkin soup pretty quickly. And I had rice porridge, soups and basically liquid foods for the first few days then when I was able to open my mouth, I ordered stuff like gunmandu, jajangmyeon, kimbap and jeon.

I was very irritable and thought to myself that I would never do this willingly again lol. It varies from person to person but for me, it was very difficult. It was hard to sleep because I was so conscious of the swelling and the discomfort so I sat there watching TV or reading books on my iPad for three days or so and time seems to tick a lot more slowly.

Obviously, follow the after-care instructions given to you but when you feel stronger, go out walking, even it's just around the block once or twice. The air in Seoul feels very fresh, ironically, in spite of all the cars. It was also good to clear my head and destress just a little because I was very anxious about the outcome of my surgeries. I messaged Brian to ask him questions and just talk a little because of that and I was scared and a little lonely. Thanks to the people on Kakao who talked to me and to Brian lol. It was nice to be reassured.

I had issues with payment because I thought initially that what I had in cash was enough but I'd withdrawn a little more onto my card just in case. When it turned out that the cash I had wasn't enough, I tried to pay by card but I couldn't withdraw or see how much was on there because my card didn't work with the machines. I ended up paying the 10% tax because I used my card to pay for some of it. PAY IN CASH IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THE 10% TAX ALTOGETHER.

Long story short, the head consultants/managers got pissy at me over it and while I understand that it was my responsibility, I hadn't attempted to deliberately mislead them (though they thought I was trying to skimp out on payment) and had been honest and agreed to signing a contract that stipulated I would pay the rest by a mutually-agreed date when I returned home, which I did.

That experience did leave me a bit disappointed because I'd already paid such a large amount of money (₩13-15mil out of the ₩17mil total, I think) and felt that should've been enough reason to demonstrate that I wasn't a fraud. If I'd paid, like, 90% of the total, why would I run off and try to save myself the last 10%? If I'd been meaning to save money, I would've just gone to JW.

It was more to do with the one or two head consultants who weren't willing to show discretion. I agreed to signing a contract but Brian told me they didn't want to do a contract and that they were considering suing me lol. I was dumbstruck. I'm a student and am thusly not looking to be sued (so why would I run off if that's what would happen to me?) and I was AGREEING to sign a contract. Brian was very supportive during this time and fought my corner.

Also, big thing, before I had surgery, they asked to hold onto my passport as collateral to make sure I didn't run off without paying. When the whole payment issue arose, they insisted on holding onto it even when the date of my flight home was nearing. As far as I know, they're not legally allowed to do that and K Couture said the same. I understand why they asked for it in the beginning but refusing to give it back is not allowed. I was frankly annoyed. While I understand their perspective, I don't feel they tried to understand my point of view. They don't know me, obviously, but I tried to be very open and sincere towards them.

Brian did stick his neck out for me and I am very thankful for that. I'm glad he didn't get fired in the end lol, though if I hadn't paid the remainder, who knows~?

PLEASE NOTE: I don't think this reflects poorly on April31, Brian or their doctors/nurses. This was a 'unique' situation (which I took responsibility for) and if I had to point fingers and lay blame, besides at my own feet, I'd say that the head consultants and upper management need to be a bit more polite towards their clientele. I'd paid 90% of the total, ₩15mil or so, and they refused to speak to me directly or address me or negotiate. Even though it was my problem/fault, that's just rude. That said, it isn't the consultants/management who make the clinic what it is.

I'm happy with my results, more or less. The doctors at April31 are good, the nurses even nicer haha, and Brian isn't too shabby either.

BUT WHEN YOU CHOOSE YOUR CLINICS, MAKE YOUR CHOICES BASED ON THE DOCTORS AND THEIR SKILL/ABILITY/KNOWLEDGE REGARDING WHAT YOU NEED OR WANT. IF YOU DON'T WANT SOMETHING SO INVASIVE AS OPEN, CHOOSE A DOCTOR WHO SPECIALIZES IN THE CLOSED METHOD AS K COUTURE HAS SAID BEFORE. STUFF LIKE THAT.

Click to expand...

Oh my god that is truly hideous that they did that to you with the passport. You poor thing! That must have been super stressful at an already very stressful time.

Especially considering you paid such a high price for your surgeries in the first place!

I had a similar thing happen to me in Taiwan for my first surgery where the ATM would only let me withdraw $1k a day so I had to pay for my surgery over a week. The clinic never once made me feel like a fraud or like I was trying to take advantage of them - they simply recognised it for what it was - the reality of ATM caps! They let me have my surgery straight away too, no questions asked.

Even in Korea, where they usually ask you to pay the whole amount upfront when I was a little short on the day the clinic actually just gave me a "discount" for the amount I was short by rather than make me pay by card...

Honestly a little discretion wouldn't have gone astray.

 

[k-couture]

Nilesy said: ↑

Surgery: Pre-Op
After I'd finished consultations on Tuesday, I hurriedly phoned Brian to tell him that I'd be going with April31. I was booked in for a surgery slot the next day and would go in at 10am and then have surgery at 12pm-ish. I had to have my last meal (Burger King ) and water and then fast for about 12 hours, I think.

Got there around 10am or just before and had Daniel take me around to a nearby hospital to have scans and blood tests and all that good stuff. We had a good chat about KPop girl groups and culture and what we liked. Fun times. He's really nice.

Went back to the clinic, changed into errr... scrubs? Patient gown? It was a two-piece affair with a button-up shirt and pants. Gargled with some mouth rinse and washed my face with some foamy green tea(???) face wash. Then I had a fairly quick last-minute consultation with the doctors, during which my face was drawn on and I showed them what I wanted on an iPad. Perhaps not ideal but you'll have to choose for yourself how to communicate what you want.

The IV drip was the scariest part for me because the cannula is obscenely big. Funnily enough, it didn't hurt at all really. The small needles they use for blood tests actually hurt more imo. Brian was talking to me to keep me distracted, which was thoughtful of him. It did 'slip out' and the nurse apologized and said she'd have to reinsert it which was totally cool with me. Actually, I think I was a little excited because I knew it didn't hurt.

Afterwards, they told me it was time to get cut up (I'm paraphrasing) and we went to the surgery room. I lied down, got strapped up and had some sort of cap put on to keep my hair out of my face. Ask the nurse to take care of you in Korean, they find it funny and perhaps a little cringeworthy. Then before I knew it, I was out. The last thing I remember before going under was being on the table and it was moving like it was on a conveyer belt shaped like an 8. Pretty ominous lol.

Surgery: Post-Op
When I woke up, it was really late and dark outside. They kept me in the room I was in when I changed, with my stuff in a locker, a TV and a heated bed. I had a little buzzer thing to press if I needed to call the nurses. My face was really swollen and bandaged up and I felt groggy. I called them for water twice and tried to sleep but I really couldn't.

It was funny that one of them had to carry my IV bag for me as I went to the toilet.

For me, personally, because I couldn't sleep and because I felt like I was imposing or that I was being a nuisance, I ended up asking to go back to my hotel. And it was late, I think, like 11pm. So they called me a taxi and gave me the stuff I needed. I think it was icepacks and a mouthwash to keep it clean and free of infection.

Basically, the first three days or so were absolutely terrible. Because of the swelling, my mouth/jaw was left slightly open and it ached and I couldn't wear my Invisalign. I could move my jaw because I hadn't had anything done to it, I'd just had my chin advanced but the swelling prevented me from opening my mouth very wide so it was hard to eat and drink. Mostly hard to eat. I got sick of pumpkin soup pretty quickly. And I had rice porridge, soups and basically liquid foods for the first few days then when I was able to open my mouth, I ordered stuff like gunmandu, jajangmyeon, kimbap and jeon.

I was very irritable and thought to myself that I would never do this willingly again lol. It varies from person to person but for me, it was very difficult. It was hard to sleep because I was so conscious of the swelling and the discomfort so I sat there watching TV or reading books on my iPad for three days or so and time seems to tick a lot more slowly.

Obviously, follow the after-care instructions given to you but when you feel stronger, go out walking, even it's just around the block once or twice. The air in Seoul feels very fresh, ironically, in spite of all the cars. It was also good to clear my head and destress just a little because I was very anxious about the outcome of my surgeries. I messaged Brian to ask him questions and just talk a little because of that and I was scared and a little lonely. Thanks to the people on Kakao who talked to me and to Brian lol. It was nice to be reassured.

I had issues with payment because I thought initially that what I had in cash was enough but I'd withdrawn a little more onto my card just in case. When it turned out that the cash I had wasn't enough, I tried to pay by card but I couldn't withdraw or see how much was on there because my card didn't work with the machines. I ended up paying the 10% tax because I used my card to pay for some of it. PAY IN CASH IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THE 10% TAX ALTOGETHER.

Long story short, the head consultants/managers got pissy at me over it and while I understand that it was my responsibility, I hadn't attempted to deliberately mislead them (though they thought I was trying to skimp out on payment) and had been honest and agreed to signing a contract that stipulated I would pay the rest by a mutually-agreed date when I returned home, which I did.

That experience did leave me a bit disappointed because I'd already paid such a large amount of money (₩13-15mil out of the ₩17mil total, I think) and felt that should've been enough reason to demonstrate that I wasn't a fraud. If I'd paid, like, 90% of the total, why would I run off and try to save myself the last 10%? If I'd been meaning to save money, I would've just gone to JW.

It was more to do with the one or two head consultants who weren't willing to show discretion. I agreed to signing a contract but Brian told me they didn't want to do a contract and that they were considering suing me lol. I was dumbstruck. I'm a student and am thusly not looking to be sued (so why would I run off if that's what would happen to me?) and I was AGREEING to sign a contract. Brian was very supportive during this time and fought my corner.

Also, big thing, before I had surgery, they asked to hold onto my passport as collateral to make sure I didn't run off without paying. When the whole payment issue arose, they insisted on holding onto it even when the date of my flight home was nearing. As far as I know, they're not legally allowed to do that and K Couture said the same. I understand why they asked for it in the beginning but refusing to give it back is not allowed. I was frankly annoyed. While I understand their perspective, I don't feel they tried to understand my point of view. They don't know me, obviously, but I tried to be very open and sincere towards them.

Brian did stick his neck out for me and I am very thankful for that. I'm glad he didn't get fired in the end lol, though if I hadn't paid the remainder, who knows~?

PLEASE NOTE: I don't think this reflects poorly on April31, Brian or their doctors/nurses. This was a 'unique' situation (which I took responsibility for) and if I had to point fingers and lay blame, besides at my own feet, I'd say that the head consultants and upper management need to be a bit more polite towards their clientele. I'd paid 90% of the total, ₩15mil or so, and they refused to speak to me directly or address me or negotiate. Even though it was my problem/fault, that's just rude. That said, it isn't the consultants/management who make the clinic what it is.

I'm happy with my results, more or less. The doctors at April31 are good, the nurses even nicer haha, and Brian isn't too shabby either.

BUT WHEN YOU CHOOSE YOUR CLINICS, MAKE YOUR CHOICES BASED ON THE DOCTORS AND THEIR SKILL/ABILITY/KNOWLEDGE REGARDING WHAT YOU NEED OR WANT. IF YOU DON'T WANT SOMETHING SO INVASIVE AS OPEN, CHOOSE A DOCTOR WHO SPECIALIZES IN THE CLOSED METHOD AS K COUTURE HAS SAID BEFORE. STUFF LIKE THAT.

Click to expand...

Hey heyyy how's ma booooo Im glad u are happy with your results! ROFL at the "Brian is not too shabby part" u trollop u lol........Anyways kakao me! I has gossip to share with you babe! xxx

 

[nilesy]

HJ88 said: ↑

Oh my god that is truly hideous that they did that to you with the passport. You poor thing! That must have been super stressful at an already very stressful time.

Especially considering you paid such a high price for your surgeries in the first place!

I had a similar thing happen to me in Taiwan for my first surgery where the ATM would only let me withdraw $1k a day so I had to pay for my surgery over a week. The clinic never once made me feel like a fraud or like I was trying to take advantage of them - they simply recognised it for what it was - the reality of ATM caps! They let me have my surgery straight away too, no questions asked.

Even in Korea, where they usually ask you to pay the whole amount upfront when I was a little short on the day the clinic actually just gave me a "discount" for the amount I was short by rather than make me pay by card...

Honestly a little discretion wouldn't have gone astray.

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In hindsight, skimreading through my posts, I just wanted to clarify to anyone reading this that this was a unique situation. For most of you, you probably will not run into issues with payment so this shouldn't happen to you and shouldn't dissuade you from considering April31. Yes, they could've shown discretion but at the same time, yes it was my responsibility and it's unlikely to happen to most of you.

At the back of my mind, I didn't think it would escalate anyway because Brian was appealing on my behalf and it would've likely been costly and a waste of time, energy and resources to pursue a case against me in court versus simply settling for a contract.

Funny story, I was in the elevator with Brian and Hayley and another lady (one of the head consultants/managers) and I talked to Brian about resolving the issue and he said "Let's talk about it later." I then asked "Is one of them in here with us?" And I think his reply was "Yes, and she can understand English." Needless to say, there was awkward laughter followed by awkward silence as we went down to the ground floor.

Also, if any of you had looked at April31's site and seen the thing with Hayley (her full name is Hayley Kramer and if you google 'April31 Hayley Kramer', a Facebook page should also come up), I did run into her a few times in the clinic and she was very pretty so do check that out if you're Caucasian. And no, I'm not a promoter, I just wanted to share that I thought she was pretty.

 

[nilesy]

K Couture said: ↑

Hey heyyy how's ma booooo Im glad u are happy with your results! ROFL at the "Brian is not too shabby part" u trollop u lol........Anyways kakao me! I has gossip to share with you babe! xxx

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Hello, hello! He said he would feel "hella embarrassed" so I tried not to overdo it haha.

I'll kakao you later tonight maybe. The time difference between us is truly something to behold.

 

[k-couture]

Nilesy said: ↑

Hello, hello! He said he would feel "hella embarrassed" so I tried not to overdo it haha.

I'll kakao you later tonight maybe. The time difference between us is truly something to behold.

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bwhahahaha are you trying to hint hint something to me about brian?

xxxxx

 

[tifflee20000]

Just wondering does Dr.Kim use a different special method for rhinoplastys compared to other plastic surgery clinics to justify the high price of April 31? I understand he is a specialist, but aren't there other clinics with rhinoplasty specialists that don't charge as much?

 

[k-couture]

tifflee20000 said: ↑

Just wondering does Dr.Kim use a different special method for rhinoplastys compared to other plastic surgery clinics to justify the high price of April 31? I understand he is a specialist, but aren't there other clinics with rhinoplasty specialists that don't charge as much?

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Kim's method is called dynamic tipplasty. Basically part of the silicone is removed from the botom so u can do a piggy nose.....lol....That being said I've seen Nilsey's results he looks smexy with his new nose .

 

[tifflee20000]

K Couture said: ↑

Kim's method is called dynamic tipplasty. Basically part of the silicone is removed from the botom so u can do a piggy nose.....lol....That being said I've seen Nilsey's results he looks smexy with his new nose .

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Ok thanks! I'll research into that more!

 

[ulzzang-quest]

congratulations Nilesy, despite the snafu you experienced, I hope that ultimately you are loving your results! I'm in a similar boat as you, did my surgery in April, came home and got busy with life, and haven't been back on the forum till now hahaha! But I think it's only fair to come back and give some feedback/advice to others b/c this website is such a treasure trove of info... But has it been that long that there's a new Asian thread!??!!