Compare the full quote—and protect your deposit

Why identical-looking prices may not be comparable

Korea's Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA) explains that non-covered care is paid fully by the patient and institutions set their own prices. HIRA also says the same non-covered item at one institution can cost differently when treatment time or body area differs.

A headline or “from” price is therefore incomplete. The final scope may depend on product or device, area, amount, clinician, pain control, consumables and follow-up. Preserve the advertisement and request an itemized total before paying a deposit.

What the written quote should show

• Exact procedure and treatment area
• Product or device name and whether substitution is possible
• Included amount using the correct measure: units, volume, lines or shots
• Who assesses you and who performs each step
• Consultation, numbing or anesthesia, consumables and aftercare
• Number and timing of included follow-ups
• VAT, mandatory charges and optional add-ons
• Deposit, cancellation, refund and retreatment terms
• Language available for consultation, consent and aftercare
• A clinical contact route for unexpected symptoms after hours and after leaving Korea

Do not compare “per area” with “per unit,” “per syringe” or “per shot” as though they are the same package. If the clinic cannot define its unit in writing, the quote is not ready to compare.

How common labels differ

Botulinum toxin injections

“Botox” is a brand name often used informally for a broader treatment category. A useful quote identifies the actual product, area, units, injector and follow-up. Koursea does not supply a “safe dose”; dose and candidacy are clinical decisions.

Dermal filler

A filler quote should identify the material and product, volume, area, injector and aftercare. “One syringe” is incomplete if product or syringe volume differs.

Ultrasound or radiofrequency “lifting”

“Lifting” is a marketing umbrella, not one standardized treatment. Ask for the exact device, technology, area, included lines or shots, operator, pain-control plan and follow-up. Ulthera/Ultherapy is not a generic synonym for every HIFU device, and RF microneedling is different from non-invasive RF. Koursea does not compare unlike technologies by cheapest price per shot.

Use HIRA carefully

HIRA publishes information for designated non-covered items and can be useful when the exact item is present. It is not a complete menu of every cosmetic package, foreign-patient bundle or add-on. Absence from a result does not establish that a package is prohibited, covered or fairly priced.

Check the clinic separately

Medical Korea operates the official registration system for institutions serving foreign patients and tells visitors to confirm registration. Match the exact Korean legal name, branch and address. If an agency arranged the visit, verify it separately and ask who receives payment and signs the agreement.

Registration is a threshold check. It does not prove suitability, guarantee an outcome or replace checking the treating professional and complication plan.

Do not assume a 2026 VAT refund

The current Korean statutory text reviewed on August 26 states that the special foreign-tourist refund applied to eligible cosmetic medical services supplied through December 31, 2025. For treatment in 2026, do not subtract an old refund promise from your budget. Ask for VAT on the written quote and verify any claimed exception against current controlling law.

Deposits and cancellation: what the official standards actually say

A clinic cannot be assessed from a social-media claim that every deposit is either fully refundable or always non-refundable. The applicable result can depend on whether the agreement is classified as a consultation reservation, dermatology treatment, cosmetic surgery or a prepaid multi-session medical contract. The written terms, timing, services already delivered and documented loss also matter.

Before sending a deposit

• Request the legal clinic name, branch, appointment time, total treatment price and exact deposit amount.
• Get cancellation deadlines, deductions, payment recipient and refund method in writing.
• Keep the advertisement, quote, consent form, receipt and chat history.
• Avoid paying more than necessary in advance; KCA guidance recommends caution with full prepayment and suggests keeping a surgery deposit within 10% of the total where practical.

If the clinic refuses a refund

1. Cancel in writing immediately and preserve the timestamp.
2. Ask for an itemized calculation of services delivered, cancellation charge and remaining balance.
3. Cite the Korea Consumer Agency Consumer Dispute Resolution Standards as a requested settlement basis, not as a guaranteed judgment.
4. Contact the KCA/1372 consumer channel for consumer relief. Foreign patients can also ask the Medical Korea Information Center for complaint and medical-dispute support, or use the 1330 Tourist Complaint Center for tourism-related assistance.

Before paying

1. Verify the exact institution and branch in the official registration system.
2. Ask for the treating professional's name and relevant qualification.
3. Obtain the itemized quote and consent materials in a language you understand.
4. Confirm what happens if consultation changes the plan or total.
5. Read cancellation, refund, complication and follow-up terms.
6. Pay the institution named in the agreement, not an unexplained personal account.
7. Keep the advertisement, messages, quote, receipt, consent and product/device record.

This is general visitor information. It does not diagnose a condition, determine candidacy, set a dose, evaluate a provider or replace medical, legal or tax advice.