When viewing the prices of procedures in Korea online or on-site, you will often see the notation 'VAT excluded (taxes excluded)'. In this case, the amount displayed on the screen may not be the final payment amount.

The VAT (Value Added Tax) in Korea is 10%. If it says 'VAT excluded', an additional 10% will be added to the procedure price at checkout.

When comparing, do not just look at the largest number; also check the 'VAT included/excluded' notation. If the notation is ambiguous, it is safer to directly ask for the 'final amount including VAT' during the booking stage.

• Check the 'VAT excluded/included' notation
• Compare based on the final payment amount (including tax)
• If it is not on the page, ask about VAT inclusion when making a reservation
• When comparing multiple places, organize based on the same criteria (including tax)

Even for the same procedure, prices may appear differently depending on the channel, such as hospital websites, Naver/social events, foreigner-exclusive pages, or overseas booking platforms. This could be due to event periods or differences in packages/conditions.

Alternatively, there may be cases where different pricing structures are applied to locals and foreigners, so if you are a foreigner, it is necessary to confirm whether 'this price applies equally to foreigners'.

Especially if you plan to visit based on the price seen on another platform, it is advisable to check in advance how the 'final amount on-site' will be, including the possibility of additional costs such as foreigner-exclusive prices and interpretation fees.

• Check the reasons for different prices by channel (events/packages/conditions)
• Ask about the application of the same price for foreigners
• Confirm the possibility of additional costs such as interpretation service fees
• Reconfirm based on the on-site payment criteria (final amount)

If it's your first visit, it helps to briefly organize the ‘concerns I want to improve the most’ and the procedures you are interested in. This way, even if you receive ‘recommendations’ during the consultation, it will be easier to understand and compare based on your own criteria.

The order of consultations may vary from hospital to hospital. In some places, the doctor examines first and then the consultation manager organizes the composition/pricing, while in others, the direction is set with the consultation manager first before the doctor’s examination takes place.

The important point is to confirm that there is a flow of ‘going through a doctor’s examination before the procedure,’ and if the plan changes after the examination, to ask again about the reasons, changes, and total amount variations. The more procedures you do at once, the more necessary it is to reconfirm the ‘final confirmed details.’

• Organize 1-2 improvement goals (pores/tone/scars/elasticity, etc.)
• Note down interested procedures/budget/recovery schedule
• Ask about reasons for changes after the examination, change items, and total amount variations
• Reconfirm the final confirmation table (areas/quantity/total amount) for multiple procedures

When comparing procedures, it’s easy to miss actual composition differences if you only look at the name and price. Even with the same procedure name, prices can vary significantly depending on ‘number of shots, volume (cc), frequency, and area.’

For example, for device procedures, it can vary based on the number of shots; for injections/skin procedures, it can vary based on volume (cc); for packages, it can vary based on frequency; and for body treatments, it can vary based on the area.

Therefore, you should specifically check ‘what is included in the price’ before comparing. Especially if the plan is adjusted after the examination, check again if those figures (number of shots/volume/area/frequency) have also changed.

Language services are as important to foreigners as reservations. Even if there is a multilingual sign, it is advisable to check if a person responsible for that language (or an interpreter) is actually available on the date/time I am going.

'Reservation available in Chinese' does not necessarily mean 'consultation, examination, price confirmation, and post-treatment guidance available in Chinese.' Information such as equipment name, number of shots/volume, and area needs to be understood accurately.

Before your visit, organizing your improvement goals and a list of questions in advance will help ensure clear communication through the interpreter. Also, check whether the hospital requires a prior reservation for the interpreter.

• Confirm whether an interpreter/language staff will be present during your visit time.
• Check the scope of support including consultation, examination, price confirmation, and guidance on precautions.
• Confirm whether an interpreter reservation is necessary.
• Prepare a list of my concerns/questions in advance.

When scheduling a procedure during your trip, it is advisable to first consider whether 'recovery will affect the schedule.' Depending on the type of procedure, redness, swelling, and heat sensation may occur after the procedure, and the degree and duration can vary from person to person.

Procedures that involve injections or micro-needling may show needle marks, localized swelling, redness, and bruising in the short term. The original text indicates that these traces may gradually subside over a period of 'a few days to a week' (depending on the procedure and individual differences).

If your travel schedule includes important events like hanbok photoshoots, fashion shoots, or significant meetings where 'condition is crucial,' avoid scheduling procedures the day before and ensure recovery time. The timing for washing your face, makeup, drinking, exercising, and when you can use a sauna or swim varies by procedure, so it is safest to confirm according to the hospital's guidance.

• Avoid procedures that require recovery the day before important shoots/meetings.
• Ask 'How many days for recovery?' before making a reservation.
• Confirm when you can wash your face and apply makeup.
• Confirm when you can drink alcohol (social events).
• Confirm when you can exercise, use the sauna, and swim.

Even if the procedure is completed on the same day, questions may arise during the recovery process after returning home. You might wonder if changes like swelling, bruising, or needle marks are within the normal range.

Therefore, it is advisable to check in advance whether online consultations are available after returning home, what channels to contact, and if it can be done in a language you are comfortable with. Saving the hospital's contact information before departure can be helpful.

Additionally, keeping a record of the procedure name, date, area, products used, dosage/amount, etc., will make it easier to explain when inquiring later. If your recovery state differs from the guidance or if you experience significant discomfort, it is better to contact the place where you had the procedure rather than relying solely on online searches, and if symptoms are pronounced or severe, consider consulting a local medical institution.

• Check the availability of online consultations after returning home
• Confirm contact channels (messenger/email, etc.) and language support
• Keep records of procedure name, date, area, dosage/amount
• Consult a medical professional if symptoms differ from guidance or if there is significant discomfort