mn31515 Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 Hi everyone, I thought about whether or not to share my experience with Docfinder Korea and GNG for Rhinoplasty and Ptosis Correction (by double eyelid incision), and have decided I will, in return for all the help this forum has given me! This review will be broken up in 2 parts. Part 1: Docfinder Part 2: GNG and my surgery results Part 1 Docfinder: I dealt with 3 people while in Korea. I forgot the name of the first girl, so I went back to look on Kakao, and I think she's no longer with Docfinder as her profile is gone. The second person I met was Clovis and the third was Shin. My initial online consultation was through Monica, and she was very helpful and relatively fast with her communication. I did reach out privately to two of the five clinics she recommended and the prices I was quoted were all the same so Docfinder doesn't inflate the prices to get a higher commission. (However, I'm sure the clinics already inflate their prices automatically for foreigners). Monica also gave me a list of hotels to choose from. I chose to place a deposit with GNG as to reserve my surgery date. However, next time, I will choose to meet with 2-3 clinics while in Korea before making a decision and submitting a deposit. Why? To get a better price. GNG already had my deposit and knew I was getting surgery there so the incentive to be willing to negotiate with me for a better price was lacking. I ended up paying about 7mil krw for rhinoplasty with osteomy for narrowing my wide nose bridge, silicone implant, tiplasty, and alar reduction. For ptosis correction, I paid about 4 mil krw. I was traveling alone to Korea for the first time and was thankful to have an agency arrange for a taxi to pick me up (I arrived at 1am) and drive me to my hotel. My layover flight was delayed in Beijing for an hour and I had no way of contacting Docfinder to let them know (no internet at the airport for people with foreign phone numbers). Try to avoid Beijing airport if you can, btw. I had such a hard time navigating the confusing layout as none of the workers seemed to speak English. Anyhow, I was nervous that the driver would have left and thankfully he didn't! He was very nice, though visibly tired lol. I hadn't received a message from Docfinder yet telling me who was picking me up in the morning and what time so I messaged Docfinder myself. I did receive a reply, but wish they would have arranged this earlier as they had said they would in an email. Anyhow, the first girl picked me up at my hotel and we took a taxi to GNG. She was very nice though she was on her phone throughout most of my time with her, dealing with a few personal matters at the time which I could understand at the time. When it came down to speaking about my procedures with the Korean speaking consultant, there was an in house English translator (Henny?) who was of better help to me than my Docfinder road manager. The most disappointing part about Docfinder here was that my road manager that day did not help me to negotiate a better price at all. I had to do it by myself and managed to get a 10% discount. She just sat there, tbh. When I woke up from surgery, she helped me to my room and stayed there with me for a few hours to make sure I stayed awake and didn't drink water which was helpful as I was incredibly thirsty after rhinoplasty and tired. No pain though. After she got me some water, she left for the evening. The next morning, Clovis picked me up from GNG around 11am. I asked her if we can drop by a store so I can buy an electrical adapter (I completely forgot about this necessity travelling from the U.S.!) porridge, water bottles, yogurt, and juice. She told me that I can probably borrow one from my hotel front desk and that there would be water dispensers in the hotel. After we arrived at my hotel, she did walk me to a nearby convenience store to buy porridge, yogurt, and juice. I was able to find water and and an adapter at my hotel as she said. Mt first road manager messaged me to ask how I was doing, so that was thoughtful. Two days later, Shin picks me up to take me to GNG to get my nose packings out (Yes, I can finally breathe through my nose!!! No more dry mouth! ). He was very kind and helpful, though seemed like he was juggling a lot at the time. Docfinder offers you a shopping tour, but be sure you request it a few days in advance. And i wouldn't really call it a tour. Instead, they'll pick you up and act as a chaffeur to take you to where you want to go. Not sure if I came at a busy time for them, but Shin pushed my shopping date a day behind, he seemed really busy. Not sure why he just didn't have another manager take care of it unless the entire agency was just busy (I traveled during the spring). Anyway, no big deal. The day of, he took me to get my hair washed as I requested and it was the best feeling ever! I did request to go shopping at one place, but realized it was 1.5 hour away. Shin was willing to drive me there, but I declined since it was so far out of the way and it would take us forever in traffic at that time. A few days later, I was to get my stitches removed! Clovis let me know she was the road manager to take me. As I was getting my stitches removed the day before I was leaving Korea and flying home, it was crucial that I make it to my appointment. I did let her know that when I first met her. However, she messaged me and said that she needed to reschedule for the next morning because of conflicts with another client booking she had. I told her rather firmly that that was impossible as I was leaving at 9 am in the morning to catch my flight. I was freaked out and annoyed, and she quickly messaged me back saying she will try to figure it out. I thought this was very unprofessional, but like she said, she managed to work it out. When we got to GNG, Henny was there and helped translate for me as I met with the doctors for evaluation. The next morning, Docfinder arranged for a taxi to pick me up and drop me off to the airport. OK, so would I recommend Docfinder Korea? Yes, if 1) you're a non Korean speaking foreigner 2) if it's your first time to Korea Pros: 1) convenient taxi pick up and drop off 2)having someone at the clinic while you're in surgery to make sure shadow doctors aren't being used 3) having someone there after you wake up from surgery to make sure you stay awake and don't drink water while in the recovery room 4) shopping trip if they have time in their schedule Cons: 1) lack of initial communication 2) no help bargaining for a better price with clinics as they state on their website 3) cancelations due to conflicts with their schedule The bottom line: If there is an in house English translator at the clinic, there isn't really a point to have Docfinder there besides having someone there to make sure shadow/junior doctors aren't being used. If you can hail a taxi and if your clinic has an in house English translator and has an honorable reputation and skilled doctors, you really don't need Docfinder. You might even be able to negotiate bigger discounts with the clinic since they won't have to pay a 3rd party commission. Part 2 will be posted soon. Feel free to ask me any questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleytin Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 just can't wait for part2 to read.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleytin Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 btw thanks for your honest review with doc finder.. that really helps me a lot to know what to expect.. I'm thinking if i should go to korea for one week and do face to face consultation with clinics.. not only that i will have to pay a lot for PS and to happy with the result after opreation, its better if i choose the right clinic and best deal… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_ava Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 I was super skeptical about docfinder and it seems like all the reviews about them are just too good to be true. Thank you for your honest review, it just didn't feel right to me that all the YouTuber promoted them so I decided to not use them and just figure it out on my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassyqt Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Docfinderkorea doesn't help with bargaining prices, because they get a bigger commission if you pay a higher price. Did their initial e-mail quote tell you 7k for rhino and 4K for ptosis? 11k for nose and eyes is very high. Pretty sure you got overcharged 40%. Even accounting for foreigner pricing. Locals pay less than 1k for ptosis and only 2-3k for rhino. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn31515 Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 Yep, but they advertise help with bargaining as one of their services (of course, you have to take that with a grain of salt). Yes, I was aware at that time that I was overcharged, but I was already in Korea, flights and hotel booked, and deposit submitted. So I couldn't really do anything further. The initial email with prices that was sent to me before I submitted my deposit had slightly lower prices. However, I was told they would help me bargain once I got there. Which didn't happen... Lesson learned for next time though. It was ptosis with double eyelid revision (they said that was needed for ptosis correction) and rhiniplasty with osteomy, alar reduction, and tiplasty. A good amount of procedures, but I agree 11 k was still high even for a foreigner. I did not know about this forum before I went unfortunately. I've learned so much on here since Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassyqt Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Yes, other users also found out the hard way docfinderkorea makes you bargain the prices down yourself. Their website is very misleading. But next time you go to Korea you'll be much more prepared. Other users had their deposit refunded to them when they changed their minds, although they did say it was a hassle to get it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perceval Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Thanks for the honest review on DKF, not sure what to think about using it anymore when the time comes since I've read mixed reviews on them. But I'm looking forward to reading part two! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn31515 Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 Hi there! Part 2 will be up later today or tomorrow! If it's your first time to Korea and you're alone, I would say go ahead and book with them. However, DO NOT submit a deposit beforehand. Go to Korea and visit a mininum of 3 of their recommended clinics for consultation before making a decision. Be prepared to bargain yourself. Read through the posts on this forum so you know in general what these clinics quote foreigners vs locals. You probably won't be able to get the local price, but you can probably get them to meet you in the middle, put in your pitker face lol and tell them you'll back to them with a decision after visiting all the clinics on your list. The extra fees you'll pay for a day or two extra at a hotel is far less than what you can possibly save on surgeries, trust me. And if they try to scare you into submitting a deposit beforehand to secure a surgery date, don't listen to them. I read @kkpeobee 's detailed review ( # ) and she had mentioned that since they charge foreigners alot more than locals, they will gladly move around locals' surgery dates to accommodate you. It also doesn't hurt to mention that you researched prices on purseforum. With that said, if you manage to find a travel partner, go the diy route and bypass Docfinder. I'll be there in April hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perceval Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Yes! Okay thank you so much for the advice, I'll probably start my own thread soon with some other questions, I appreciate the help! I was actually planning to do mine in four years and an extra nine months since I'm just 18 and getting ready for college. So I'm saving up and doing my research. I will probably update and ask again after those four years but for now I'm just trying to get an idea. Hope you have a great time in Korea in April! I'm excited to see part two! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn31515 Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 Hi everyone, I decided to divide this review into 3 parts after realizing how long Part 2 is! Part 2: GNG Why GNG? I had chosen GNG as my clinic because of their expertise in rhinoplasty revision (my logic was that if the doctors were that skilled to specialize in fixing other peoples' mistakes, my first and hopefully, only rhinoplasty should turn out well with them lol). I was also impressed with their b/a pictures and their reputation first and foremost as a hospital with strict safety protocols. Anyhow, I had originally looked into JW, Item, and Cinderella for consultation. The consultant at JW was extremely thorough, fast with communication, and honest with her recommendations. I almost chose JW as my clinic, but after reading a few reviews I managed to find online, I learned that Dr, Suh errs more on the natural side as far as results. I had a lot of things I wanted to fix about my nose so I was afraid his work would be too conservative and the results subtle. Item was also a serious contender, but I couldn't find enough reviews from them to feel comfortable. Cinderella was also at the top of my list because of their dramatic Barbie Line nose; however, I decided to not pursue them because their communication wasn't just lacking, it was missing haha. The consultant never did respond -__- Procedures I had: Rhinoplasty with: Silicone implant (my nose wasn't very flat, but I wanted the added height to give my nose a slimmer overall appearance) -Osteomy (I had a wide nose bridge that I would also have to contour with makeup) -Tiplasty (my tip was very bulbous, there was no definition and I wanted a more feminine look) -Alar reduction (I was always teased growing up about my big nostrils, and I hated the fact that when you looked at me head on, you could see up my nostrils. I also hated how much wider my nose looked when I smiled because of my flared nostils) Ptosis Correction with Double Eyelid Incision ( I had DES a few years ago, but was unhappy with how hooded and asymmetrical my eyelids still were; The top 1/4 of my iris were covered by my overhanging eyelids causing me to look angry and sleepy)Pre In-person Consultation via Docfinder Here is what I was quoted by Docfinder Korea: "(This is the price when you pay by cash or credit card. There will be no credit card charge) Incision double eyelid : 1.8 mil krw or Incision double eyelid with ptosis correction : 3 mil krw (Epi canthoplasty : 0.3 mil krw) (Lateral + Vertical canthoplasty : 0.6 mil krw) Rhinoplasty : 4.5 mil krw or Osteotomy Rhinoplasty : 5.5~6 mil krw (Alar reduction : 0.7 mil krw)" Docfinder gives you two options 1) visiting 2-3 clinics for consultation, no guarantee of surgery date until booking 2) choosing a clinic and submitting a deposit before arriving in Korea in order to secure a surgery date Since I only had a limited amount of time I could take off from work, i decided to go with option 2 and submitted a deposit of 1,000,000 KRW to GNG in order to secure my surgery date. BIG MISTAKE...GNG Consultation: Once I arrived, I was given some paperwork to read and fill out. Henny was to be my in house English translator. She was super soft spoken and caring. She later showed me a photo of her own rhinoplasty results (I was nervous about swelling, and she said to not be discouraged as it will go down in time). So kind! I went through several preliminary physical tests to make sure I was in a healthy condition to have surgery. By the way, I fasted for about 12 hours which was easy because my consultation was at 10 am. After the tests, I met with GNG's Korean speaking consultant. She agreed that I need ptosis correction. I had originally wanted to get lateral canthoplasty as well to make my eyes less slanted and fierce looking, but learned that the results would be very unnatural due to my underlying bone anatomy and my eye space. Oh well. At least she didn't just agree, take my money, and leave me with bad results. I expressed my concerns to her and told her what I wanted to achieve for my nose, and she agreed with everything I said. She then gave me a list of prices for my desired procedures. It's important to note that they were slightly higher than the prices I was given by Docfinder online beforehand. She said that we can negotiate after I meet with the doctors. For my eyes, I met with a senior doctor ( I am sorry, I completely forgot his name so I tried to look on GNG's website just now and he is no longer there! ). His mannerism was pretty straight forward. Our consultation lasted about 15-20 minutes. He said that he would have to make by double eyelid a bit smaller since my first DES was cut too high. He told me he could tell because my eyelid fold was a bit squared off at the corners as opposed to rounded since it is being obstructed by my orbital bone beneath. I thought that was a very keen observation, and agreed. Even though I really didn't like the fact that he wanted to make my folds smaller, I trusted his judgment. On to my rhinoplasty consultation with Dr. Seong-mun Hong. I learned that Dr. Seoung used to be a senior doctor at Cinderella, but had moved on to GNG since. This was a nice fact to know since I did really like Cinderella's dramatic rhinoplasty results. He asked me if I had a photo of my ideal nose, and I showed him a photo of Olivia Munn's current nose. Henny translated that he understands that I want a slimmer and straighter nose as opposed to upturned. Dr. Seong recommended silicone implant, osteomy, tiplasty, alar redcution as well. The consultation was brief, maybe 5-10 minutes. He was much warmer and charismatic than my eye doctor. After meeting with the doctors, I met with the GNG's Korean speaking consultant to talk about prices. As stated above, since GNG already had my deposit, they were fairly certain that I'd end up having my procedures done with them and the incentive to negotiate and lower prices for me was not there. I managed to get a 10% discount WIHTOUT the help of Docfinder and was charged about 11 k for all of the desired procedures. Much higher than what I was aiming for, but my flight home and hotel were already booked so it wasn't like I could say, "Never mind, please give me my deposit back and I'll just take the next days to consult with other clinics (not knowing if they could take me in the same or next day)." Also, I did not know about Purseforum at the time, so I didn't know how to bargain or fully understand extent that I was likely overcharged as a foreigner. I've learned so much in a short time on here as I prepare for my next trip to Korea, so thank you everyone! Anyway, I signed some more paperwork, paid the fees, and briefly met with my doctors once more to go over the surgery plan.Surgeries I was under local anesthesia for my DES with Ptosis correction as I needed to be lucid so the doctor could instruct me to open and close my eyes during surgery to gauge how much he needed to cut and hoe much muscle he needed to manipulate in order to give my eyes an unobstructed and brighter appearance. I didn't feel any pain, just some intense tugging now and then (reminded me of eyebrow threading). I could also smell burnt flesh as he made the incision though it wasn't scary or anything! After I came to, I was brought back to my own private recovery room for about 30-45 minutes (I was still a bit groggy so don't remember exactly) to wait for Dr. Seong and his staff to be ready. When the time came, I laid down on the operating bed and just remember falling asleep again after a mask was placed over my mouth and nose (I needed to be put under general anesthesia this time). The next thing I knew, I saw Henny and my Docfinder road manager looking down on me. They let me know everything was fine and assisted me back to my room. Henny reminded me not to drink water for a few hours, to stay awake, and breath deep breaths to help any lingering anesthesia escape. She also showed me how to ring for a nurse if I needed assistance and showed me where the bathroom was. She also gave me a few water bottles, extra gauze in case my nose dripped, and pumpkin porridge for later. My Docfinder road manager stayed with me for a few hours to make sure I didn't sleep and helped me drink water before leaving. Though I did not feel any pain (only a slight feeling of pressure on my nose) the worst part about rhinoplasty recovery is having your nose tightly packed with gauze, obstructing your ability to breathe through your nose completely. I kid you not, I probably went through 8 bottles of water the first night and got up to pee like 5 times. I barely slept, not being used to sleeping upright and constantly being woken up by an intense case of dry mouth. Your mouth is so dry, your tongue starts to feel crunchy!! On top of that, your throat is still sore from the anesthesia and there's a slight taste of irony blood in your mouth. Pain scale: 1 out of 10; Discomfort scale: 7 out of 10 Part 3 with details about my recovery process in Korea and results will be posted soon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleytin Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Thanks for the review with every single details about the procedure .. feel like I'm having surgery and going through with you everything, thats how good you are at writing LOL.. and shame that i have to wait for part3 and its stopped when i want to know more about it.. gosshhh feel like I'm watching korean drama and waiting for another episode Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meteorneptune Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 I am going to GNG this week for v-line and rhinoplasty! I also submitted a deposit as I could only take off so many days from work. Can you share any tips on bargaining? What is the negotiation process like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ec1029 Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 was your first double eyelid surgery before GNG incisional? I am planning on getting revision double eyelid surgery with ptosis correction (and epicanthoplasty) and rhinoplasty at GNG. GNG is well known for noses but I dont know about eyes. please let me know how your results are! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villacola10 Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 Would you say that GNG gave you a decent price for those procedures or are they expensive? I'm asking because I want to get rhinoplasty and chin augmentation. Also, good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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