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In The era of filters, Collagen capsules and “glass” promisesbeauty has ceased to be local. It is no longer enough to go to the trusted aestheticist or continue A ten steps routine in front of the mirror. Today, to reach the ideal of globalized aesthetic perfection, many take a flight. And the most wanted destiny is not Paris or Beverly Hills, but Seoul.
A booming industry. South Korea has become the epicenter of beauty tourism, a global trend that not only transforms faces, but also cultural imaginary and economic figures. In a report for The Timesmore than one million medical tourists traveled to South Korea in 2024, according to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. 68 % did so specifically to undergo aesthetic procedures, whether plastic surgery or dermatological treatments.
And the sector does not stop growing. According to Grand View Researchthe South Korean aesthetic industry – valued at 2.4 billion dollars in 2024 – could exceed 6,300 million in 2030, promoted by international demand and advances in aesthetic technology.
An experience “everything in one”. As They have detailed in The TimesGangnam district clinics-yes, the same PSY’s global hit-offer these types of experiences with packages that include 3D facial scanners, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, intravenous sera, microwave treatments to sculpt the face and even functional desserts such as pumpkin purés for post-treatment recovery. The British influencer and doctor Ewoma Ukeleghe shared in The Times Your experience: six treatments in one day, among them they rejure (An injection of salmon DNA) and Lifting wave.
The promise of perfection. This boom is not accidental. As We already wrote in Xatakathe phenomenon feeds on multiple factors: the global impact of K-Pop and K-Drams, the Tiktok virality of products such as the Sheet Masks or the Korean tonic, and the rise of star ingredients such as collagen. Korean beauty not only offers visible results, but also an aspirational aesthetic wrapped in ritual, pop and science culture.
However, there is also a dark side. As Dr. Christine Hall warns In The TimesIn South Korea there is an intense social pressure to maintain an impeccable image. “Presenting the best version of oneself is a sign of respect for others,” he explains. This logic, which may seem positive on the surface, encourages an extreme culture of perfectionism that, over time, can generate significant psychological impacts: from anxiety related to appearance to dependence on aesthetic treatments to sustain self -esteem.
Unequal attention. Despite its international success, the system is not fully adapted to the foreign tourist. Although many clinics have personnel who speak English, others still depend on automatic translators such as Google Translate. In the Times report They tell the story of Ukeleghe, who reported how a nurse approached with an injection without explaining what it was; She, being a medical one, understood that it was a corticosteroid. But a patient without knowledge could have panicked.
In addition, there is a real lack of attention to ethnic diversity. As experts in Byrdie point outNot all clinics have experience in working with skin tones other than Asia. This can lead to unexpected results, especially in laser or pigmentation treatments.
The new Türkiye? The phenomenon reminds the boom of aesthetic surgeries in Türkiye or Colombia. In 2022, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Armegoons reported a 35% increase in complications among British patients who traveled to Türkiye for procedures such as liposuctions or implants, According to The Times.
On the other hand, in Colombia, procedures such as the “360 liposculpture” or the increase in buttocks achieved such popularity that they attracted tourism from whole countries, although they were also subject to research for deaths and bad praxis, As The New York Times reported.
And South Korea is not exempt from risks. During his visit, Ukeleghe rejected sedation precisely for not being clear about the presence of an anesthetist in case of emergency. In social networks, a viral video circulated – then eliminated – in which an American woman denounced having lost vision in an eye after a complication with Juvenlook, one of the most popular treatments in Korea. Although the case was not officially verified, the event generated concern and debate. In addition, Dr. Hall warns of “factory” clinics that apply treatments with just minutes of previous evaluation, reducing costs at the expense of security.
The pressure of not aging. The rise of collagen as a magical solution for youth is no stranger to this ecosystem. As we wrote in Xatakahas become a symbol of self -care, but also of aesthetic anxiety. Although some studies point to mild benefits in elasticity or joint health, many are funded by the brands themselves.
Even so, marketing insists: hydrolyzed, vegetable collagen, peptides, exosomes … Everything is sold as the new elixir. But perhaps the problem is not in the ingredients, but in a society that penalizes any trace of the passage of time, especially in women. The female social and professional invisibility when aging is not a myth: it is documented.
More, less scalpel. The next border of Korean beauty tourism is marked by artificial intelligence and extreme customization. According to Byrdietreatments created from genetic analysis, facial scans and aging prediction algorithms are expected. Beauty becomes not only attainable, but calculable.
A symptom that goes further. In this context, it may be worth asking if the real challenge is not in technology, but in ideal. In other words, perhaps the collagen is not the elixir of youth, but the reflection of a society that seeks to stop the clock at all costs. Dr. Hall emphasizes that the aesthetic innovation in Korea advances at such a speed that some treatments that promise to be revolutionaries end up disappearing before consolidating or even arriving in Europe. What today is a trend, tomorrow can be obsolete.
Meanwhile, the clinics are still full, the flights to Seoul are sold as an investment in oneself and the hashtags like #kbeeautytrip do not stop accumulating millions of visualizations. Perhaps the real challenge is not to soften wrinkles, but in reconciling with what generates them: the passage of time.
Image | Unspash
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