Seoul’s Beauty In 72H (+where to shop and eat)
I went for the (beauty) treatments. I came back obsessed with the place!
Hoan - high end dermatologists offering anything from stem cells injections and plastic surgeries to non invasive treatments. This is a picture from one of their rooms, right before I did SOFWAVE (more on it below).
Early this year I took an impromptu trip to Seoul. Partially because I was in the region, but mostly because it’s impossible these days not to see K-beauty (or Seoul procedures) overtaking my feed (if you don’t care about beauty recs - scroll all the way to the bottom)
I planned the entire trip in 48 hours.
Between a few (lucky) phone calls, local recommendations, amazing hotel concierge (Josun Palace) and running into equally unprepared friends from Miami (hi Chad & Steph) with equal determination to figure out the place (what to do and what’s fair to pay) - we figured out the system… quickly.
But here’s the thing: you need real self-esteem going in. This is not a sport for everyone. Before you even book a consultation, be prepared to hear - consistently and repeatedly - everything that’s wrong with you (especially given the Korean aesthetic of of perfection and glassy and “plumpy” skin).
Chad called it “radical transparency for your face” (borrowing from his former boss management style) and I honestly couldn’t come up with better description of how the trip felt.
Why did I care to see Korean beauty market - for vanity and for longevity of course.
The former I don’t need to explain, but the latter… skin is your largest organ, and it shows (many) internal imbalances of aging. Aiming to look good isn’t just vanity - it’s preservation in the darwinian sense.
Seoul is a city where grandmothers still practice 400-year-old herbal medicine next to spotless clinics and dermatology offices that look like Apple Stores. Hotel lobbies full of tourists with bruised faces from plastic surgeries (you get used to it) and fashion that doesn’t take itself too seriously - I AM SOLD.
I would divide Seoul into 3 (wellness) categories:
Can do in the US, but here it’s cheaper (quality on par with top US clinics)
Can’t do in the US due to legality
Wellness culture just done better and more affordable
Below is my full itinerary:
Tamburins store - Gentle Monster’s 1/4 brands - this one is all about perfumes. Perfumes a side, the design is absolutely worth going for)
The Beauty Concierge Question
I wasn’t in the market for anything big - spending $1K+ for help, on top of treatments didn’t make sense for this trip. That said, there are beauty concierge services in US you can hire if procedures are your main goal, and in many case very much worth the price (here is someone that was recommended to me). They know who’s best for what, especially if you’re moving toward invasive work or plastic surgery. Most places don’t speak English, so concierges handle scheduling, translation, and matching you to the right practitioner.
I personally built my schedule from recommendations and had hotel concierge schedule it all.
One thing I learned fast: places I found on Instagram advertised by US influencers were not good. Overpriced, underwhelming. This is based on two visits, but still - trust the local lists and people, not the algorithm.
Day One: Aquafield
I landed on a red-eye and went straight to Aquafield in Goyang before hotel check-in. $18 for 6 hours lying in semi-warm spaces watching nature projections. It’s where locals go to destress from the city. I left after two hours because I got bored, but it did the job of post-flight decompression. I do wish some of the sauna’s were hotter but alas!
There are many brunches of Aqufield, but this one apparently is the nicest! If you do go there I highly recommend the food hall in that mall.
Day Two: CESTIQ Face Contour
CESTIQ SPA is famous for their painful hand-slimming facial. Using just their hands, my face got slimmer - and bruised. They told me not to eat for two hours. It hurt. It worked. But like any non tech treatments - results come from regular use.
Pre and post the massage - other than big invisible bruises, less than hour later I noticed much more defined cheek bones!
This is the menu option I chose (which apparently is the most painful - it was - but I felt like practionair went easy on me clearly seeing i’m a tourist. You also are asked to change in this outfit which is a style I have seen in 5 different contexts in Korea.
Day Three: Facial Acupuncture at Kyunghee Hyojeon Clinic
Friday morning was Song at Kyunghee Hyojeon Clinic for facial acupuncture. Song developed her own technique. She treated one side of my face first so I could compare in real time.
This wasn’t spa relaxation. It felt like neuromuscular training. My face didn’t just look different - it felt plumpy!
The protocol: seven weekly sessions to train facial muscles, then maintenance monthly. Cost in Korea: $68 per session. Same treatment in New York: $500+. That pricing gap makes a different for sustainable wellness. That said, if you compare this to price of lifelong botox and fillers - might be in fact worth it.
The abdominal acupuncture that followed was intense - or to say it differently, had I known what is about to happen, I would 100% said no (below is an image of a needle that went into my stomach so you can understand). Dr Song - with whom I now text in case anyone needs a referral - also created a custom herbal mix for me and sent it to hotel - and I have to say - it helped me a lot!
Facial acupuncture - I did 20 min first on one side only to see if I can actually see and feel the results. I DID - the skin felt very toned and different - sadly, not something you can see on a picture.
This is 뜸 (tteum) - called moxibustion on my stomach that helps with all stomach issues and digestions.
Later: Glossy Skin Consultation + Treatment
Glassy Skin is the place you’ve seen on Instagram and TikTok. They do a full facial scan - detailed imaging that makes it feel clinical and measurable. If you’ve seen a Korean derm clinic on social, it’s probably this one.
I went in planning to do treatments after the scan. But the consultation quickly moved toward $3,000+ in recommended procedures - pricing closer to US rates than what I’d been seeing elsewhere. When I decided to leave, the pricing suddenly became negotiable, which told me everything I needed to know.
Sometimes the best treatment is walking out.
The face scan shows you your skin problems not visible easily - from deep sun marks to under eyes due to “too much screen”, you see it all. Worth nothing, this type of scan is not unique to Korea and you can find it in US or Europe.
Day Four: Numero 1 Scalp Treatment
Saturday afternoon was Numero 1, a 90 minutes of scalp treatment combining head massage and hand massage. The scalp work felt methodical, targeted, different from typical spa treatments. I loved it! Wish I could do it on a regular in US!
Later: HOAN: The Premium Derm Experience
HOAN was my favorite - and the most expensive. Stunning two-floor design, beautiful area. Everything is still at least 50% cheaper than the US, but this is where treatments felt truly premium. One doctor, one translator and what looked like 20 treatments rooms and many “nurses” - this was a well run operation’s place!
This is where I would have gotten Rejuran (salmon sperm injections), but I was too afraid of the pain and they didn’t sell it well enough for me to commit.
They sent full pricing upfront (via whatsapp). I met with the doctor, discussed goals. What surprised me: they didn’t push what I initially planned. No upselling. They suggested different treatments. It felt consultative.
But the overall price level was higher than I was emotionally ready to commit to in that moment. Even without pressure, the options created overwhelm.
I ultimately did Sofwave. Partly because it’s cheaper than the US. Partially because it’s what a friend I trust recommended (Hi Tara) and partially because I was flying that night and panicked about downtime from more aggressive treatments. I wasn’t sure about swelling before getting on a plane.
Sofwave felt like the safest, lowest-regret decision under time pressure.
Results: Absolutely LOVE IT!
** From google: Sofwave is an FDA-cleared, non-invasive cosmetic procedure using proprietary SUPERB™ synchronous ultrasound parallel beam technology to lift and tighten skin. By generating heat in the mid-dermis (1.5mm) to stimulate collagen and elastin, it reduces fine lines and wrinkles on the face, neck, and chest with minimal to no downtime.
Day Five: Spa Gogyeol
Thursday evening was Spa Gogyeol: body scrub plus massage. It was fine. Good, even - ended up serving the “post flight debloat / lymphatic” purpose without being that. But $300 for 90 minutes isn’t a steal, even in Seoul. Not worth it. I also, personally, get extremely board with anything over 60 min (and there wasn’t a single treatment with this length!)
Later: Christian UNV Head Spa
Sunday morning I did Christian UNV Head Spa - 75 minutes of what they call “head thinning treatment.” This was my favorite experience of the trip.
They photographed my scalp before starting, had me change into (very cute) treatment clothes, then did the full treatment followed by another scan to show what changed.
I lay in a reclining chair with warm water streaming over my scalp (see below), eye mask blocking all light, red-light heat on my belly, simultaneous foot and arm massage. The scalp scan showed I have three hairs growing from single follicles - apparently excellent for density.
The treatment + the outfit you get changed into (very Hill house vibes if you ask me)
Not sure that the actual scan did much - cool to do once and never again - but the experience itself was top notch - it felt luxurious and cosy at the same time. The most shocking part for me was that, despite whole shelf of sculp cosmetics, I wasn’t offered to buy any of them (a little sad in retrospect as I would have gotten a few things!)
Even the animals are getting skin care love in Seoul!
What I Actually Brought Home
All the products I bought at Olive & Young
(Non Beauty) Products:
Japanese raisin (aids alcohol metabolism, tastes incredible)
Black bean tea (daily routine now)
Beauty Products
Korean face creams—very clean formulations
Fashion:
J.Rium: Cashmere-blend basics, clean design
Leha: Looks high-end, priced like COS. Current favorites.
Coor: Korean Acne vibes minus the jeans
Fox Vintage (Gangnam location): Koreans don’t value vintage. You will. Shockingly cheap.
Gentle Monster Haus Nowhere in Seongdong
Point of View: the cutest stationary store
LOEWE Cafe: somewhat new but worh visiting for the experience and decor
Coor store (local brand)
Unlike what it looks like, everything on this picture is edible and it’s a dessert. The Cafe at Gentle Monster store in Seongdong
Didn’t Do But Wish I Did:
Riverhillspa
KUDO Derm (Kim K’s Clinic)
Food & Non-Wellness:
Josun Palace brunch: Legendary even if you don’t stay there
Mr Ahn: Creative Korean tasting menu (thanks to Eric Ripert from Le Bernardin for an awesome list)
Gebangsikdang: Amazing crab - prepare to get messy!
압구정진주 한남직영점: locals only korean bbq (need to put like this in google maps)
Yeongdong Jang-eo & Mirak: Freshwater eel restaurant, was truly the most memorable meal (outside of Mr Ahn); very fancy
The Cafe at Gentle Monster store in Seongdong
Byeokje Galbi the Cheongdam - fancy (and excellent) Korean bbq
Zest Soul: Amazing cocktails. On the World’s Top 50 list, which is often risky, but this one delivered.
Museums / Art:
National Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art
Leeum Museum of Art
Amorepacific Museum of Art
The Josun Palace fitness & wellness was absolutely amazing. Reformer studio overlooking the city, gender sauna, pools and steam rooms, as well as beauty counters with latest products to try. It was also very clear this was hotel for the locals as the place has a membership
If you need recommendations (outside of what above) please reach out!
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Thank you for the in depth piece. I hope you enjoyed Korea! I have reached out via your email after reading your piece and would love to speak with you! :)
So good!!💖