ladybugz Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 So I thought I'd post this for anyone who is going to Seoul for the first time. I know that I would have liked this information before going. 1) Go with a friend, partner, companion, or even acquaintance if possible. I went by myself and it was incredibly lonely, isolating & not fun at all. Both times I've been there, I ended up spending 80% of my time in the hotel room recovering. 2) Be really firm about what you want and don't want. I got talked out of a procedure I needed only to have to return five years later to do it anyway (for functional reasons, not cosmetic reasons) because I was too cared to stand up to the doctor/the consultant and felt as if they were judging me. I have read these forums a lot over the years, and it seems like one of the biggest mistakes a lot of "first timers" make is being talked into doing procedures they don't want, or being told to be more aggressive or conservative than what they really do want. If you do this, you'll regret it and probably seek a revision. Save yourself the time, pain and money and be firm! 3) Do NOT walk out alone by yourself. This may seem incredibly obvious to those of you from big cities, but for a small-town girl like myself, I did not understand safety concerns and overestimated the safety of Gangnam. A creepy man on a bike stopped to show me porn when I was sitting on the steps of a storefront in Yeoksam (I was texting my friend and sat down for a second). When I freaked out stood up to kept walking, he circled around me twice and (seemingly) left. By the time I went to to the next block, he was waiting for me in an alley and exposed himself and was touching himself. It was the most horrifying thing I'd ever seen. I ran across the street and he AGAIN rode his bike in front of me twice. I literally ran into the 7/11 and didn't come out until I was sure he was gone. 4) Seoul is really not vegetarian-friendly at all. Be careful because even seemingly vegetarian-looking dishes have ham or seafood in them. 5) There are great bargains to be had at the subway malls. I enjoyed going through Gangnam Station and buying some nice clothes and shoes on the cheap. 6) The prices are not necessarily cheaper than in the United States these days. I think that is one of the biggest misunderstandings that some people have. I've noticed that the prices of Botox, Radiesse, other fillers, etc. are comparable if not more expensive than many places in the U.S. Liposuction is also not substantially cheaper. If you're coming here because you want the expertise of doctors doing thousands of Asian eyelid surgeries or Asian noses, then that's a smart move. But if you're coming here to save money on lipo or fat grafting, etc. -- there are cheaper places in the U.S. that are just as safe and effective; you just have to look for them. 7) It is REALLY expensive to take a taxi from Incheon to Gangnam. You can pay like 1/7 the cost by taking the bus. 8) Don't be too cheap. The first time I was there, I stayed in a hotel room and it was decent and private and everything worked out. I paid like $300 for the week. The second time, I was stupidly cheap and got more of a hostel for $180 (though it has its own private bathrooms). The size of this place was literally like a prison cell. The bed was hard as one would be as well. What's worse is that the neighbors constantly b**tched at me for everything -- from talking on the phone (even during the daytime!) to walking from my bed to the shower (because the walls are so thin). It's just awful. Don't be cheap and pay up to stay at a decent hotel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kotrad Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Thanks for the write-up, as most PS newbies surely could use all the help they can get!SAFETY I would like to contribute to your write-up as well First of all, I am very sorry to hear about your bad experiences with the creepy man and glad that nothing worse happened. Although my experience in Seoul was a bit different I must say. I found that the safety in Seoul was very good, so walking alone back to my apartment in Yeoksam from Gangnam wasn't an issue, even in the evening. Also when walking around in touristy areas ike Myeongdong, Dongdaemun and Gangnam there were no problems. There was one time when I was living in a rather remote area with very few people and I missed the last train, so I have to walk back as it was only a few stations and I have google maps - thank god! - it was still very safe. But I guess you can always encounter a creepy man, no matter which country you are in But just know you need to walk a lot, as it helps with recovering.UPSELLING Also as ladybugz mentions, you really need to be aware of the "upselling" that happens. And if you read through other PS goers experiences you will notice that the best way to avoid this is to know what you want and what options there are to achieve what it is you want, so do you research! And keep in mind that most consultants at clinics usually will include a sales target, so some will try to sell you more procedures than you need. Consultants are not even legally allowed to recommend you anything, as it seems (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2014/03/116_153338.html). And for doctors, I am sure they have the best intentions in mind, just be aware that most of us will have psychological bias for authority figures like the police, doctors, etc. so we naturally will take things said by them as a given. Keep this in mind, so again do your research so you will be less inclined to agree with everything that is said by them.TRANSPORT I agree that taking the taxi is reaaallllyyyy expensive from Incheon, so taking the bus is a great idea. Another option is to take the train/subway to Seoul, which is really cheap.ACCOMMODATION It is a matter of personal preference, but one thing I would like to add is that it is recommended that your hotel/apartment/room at least has a freezer as you will surely need this for your icepacks. Hope this info helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashly117 Posted September 18, 2017 Share Posted September 18, 2017 Very helpful, but what if you have no option but go alone? Also, what did you do to travel from the airport to the hotel? Did you take a bus? Is Uber available? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kotrad Posted September 18, 2017 Share Posted September 18, 2017 From what I have researched there are many PS goers who travel alone to Seoul, as it is comparatively safe for a big city and I recall reading that the figures actually confirm the low crime rate. So I wouldn't be too overly worried. But like kkpeobee mentions if you are going for a major surgery, then it would be good to plan things in advance on how to get for instance from the clinic back to where you are staying for instance. You can easily check this with your clinic, as they surely have experience with solo travellers. Besides the bus you can take the Arex train to Seoul, which is convenient and cheap. And from there you can easily take a cab to where you need to to go. Also there are buses called KAL buses that are buses that also stop at certain hotels. From experience all options are really easy and don't worry all options have English booths at the airport for questions. But taxi is an option is money is not an issue You can easily get this one at the airport, but if you are interested I would suggest you go for an international taxi option, as they have fixed rates dependent on the area you are travelling to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashly117 Posted September 18, 2017 Share Posted September 18, 2017 Yes!! I'd be happy to receive a PM of your host's details. But I'm actually a guy, so I still hope he would take me sightseeing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katrinawhy Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 ugggg I'm going alone. I'm a rebel. I had jaw surgery in America. Kick out the hospital an drove home. heheh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archonei Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Oh God.. That creepy man is so messed up. I feel sorry for you got to go through that experience Anyway thanks a bunch @ladybugz for the tip! It will be my first tip to Korea, your post sure is helpful❤ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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