Key Takeaways
- In 2022, South Korea ranked 4th globally with 1,104,000 cosmetic surgical procedures performed, representing a 20.4% increase from 2021 according to the ISAPS Global Survey
- Approximately 1 in 3 South Korean women aged 19-29 have undergone plastic surgery, based on a 2019 survey by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
- Seoul's Gangnam district hosts over 500 plastic surgery clinics, accounting for 70% of all procedures in the city as per a 2023 Korea Health Industry Development Institute report
- In 2023, double eyelid surgery was the most common procedure with 380,000 cases, per Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons (KAPS)
- Rhinoplasty procedures reached 250,000 in 2022, up 12% from previous year, ISAPS Global Survey 2022
- Breast augmentation surgeries numbered 140,000 in South Korea in 2021, representing 13% of total procedures, Statista 2023
- Women accounted for 92% of all plastic surgery patients in Korea in 2022, from Ministry of Health data
- The average age of plastic surgery patients in Korea is 28 years old, based on 2021 KAPS survey of 10,000 patients
- 45% of patients are in their 20s, 30% in their 30s, per 2023 Statista demographic breakdown
- Foreign patients numbered 420,000 in 2019, dropping to 50,000 in 2020 due to COVID, Korea Tourism Organization
- Chinese nationals comprised 58% of medical tourists for plastic surgery in 2019, per KHIDI report
- Japanese patients accounted for 15% of plastic surgery tourists in 2023, up from 10% pre-pandemic, KTO data
- The plastic surgery industry generated 13.5 trillion KRW ($10 billion USD) in 2022, Statista market analysis
- Medical tourism for plastic surgery contributed 1.2 trillion KRW to economy in 2019, Korea Health Promotion Board
- Average clinic revenue per surgeon is 500 million KRW annually, 2021 KAPS economic survey
South Korea's widespread plastic surgery industry continues to grow rapidly.
Economic Impact
Economic Impact Interpretation
Medical Tourism
Medical Tourism Interpretation
Patient Demographics
Patient Demographics Interpretation
Popular Procedures
Popular Procedures Interpretation
Prevalence and Popularity
Prevalence and Popularity Interpretation
Safety and Regulations
Safety and Regulations Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Korean Plastic Surgery Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/korean-plastic-surgery-statistics
Marcus Engström. "Korean Plastic Surgery Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/korean-plastic-surgery-statistics.
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Korean Plastic Surgery Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/korean-plastic-surgery-statistics.
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