{"id":37196,"date":"2026-10-08T11:54:32","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T02:54:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/?p=37196"},"modified":"2026-10-08T11:54:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T02:54:35","slug":"korean-dermatology-consultation-fees-what-to-check-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/korean-dermatology-consultation-fees-what-to-check-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Korean Dermatology Consultation Fees: What to Check First"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">[{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"Article\",\"headline\":\"Korean Dermatology Consultation Fees: What to Check First\",\"description\":\"Consultation fees at Korean dermatology clinics vary because cosmetic treatments are non-reimbursed care. Dr. Kim Yeon-jin of UH CELL Clinic Gangnam explains the disclosure law, the five questions to ask before booking, and how to estimate total cost for a short Seoul visit.\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/aiamptvenyoentppdreg.supabase.co\/storage\/v1\/object\/public\/domain-thumbnails\/c749ffcd-e12e-4d15-a5a7-10e65eff079d\/gallery-a899f6dd-1ac2-4101-a28b-36c6d5b697d7.jpg\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/korean-dermatology-consultation-fees-what-to-check-first\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/korean-dermatology-consultation-fees-what-to-check-first\/\"},\"articleSection\":\"guide\",\"keywords\":\"Korean dermatology consultation fee, Gangnam dermatology clinic, non-reimbursed treatment Korea, UH CELL Clinic Gangnam, medical tourism Seoul skin clinic\",\"wordCount\":1115,\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-08T02:54:31.084Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-08T02:54:31.084Z\",\"dateCreated\":\"2026-10-08T02:54:31.084Z\",\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"UH CELL Clinic\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"UH CELL Clinic\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/uhcell.com\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/s2\/favicons?domain=uhcell.com&sz=32\"}}},{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"UH CELL Clinic\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/uhcell.com\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Korean Dermatology Consultation Fees: What to Check First\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/korean-dermatology-consultation-fees-what-to-check-first\/\"}]},{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"If I only get a consultation, do I have to go through with the procedure?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. Having a consultation does not mean you are committed to treatment that same day. If a clinic charges a consultation fee, ask at the booking stage whether that fee is all you pay if you decide not to proceed, so the decision is easier to make on the day.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can consultation or treatment fees be set higher for international patients?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Courts have held that a clinic cannot collect more than the non-reimbursed price it has disclosed, and the relevant law does not distinguish by a patient's nationality. If the amount you are quoted differs from the posted price list, ask to see the price list before treatment.\\nChecking a consultation fee in advance takes only a few questions. Once you have your Seoul dates set, we recommend contacting your booking channel before your visit to confirm the consultation fee and the price of any treatment you are considering.\\n\u203b Skin response and recovery time vary by individual. For an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan, please consult a specialist.\"}}]}]<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Cosmetic procedures in Korea are non-reimbursed care, so each clinic sets its own consultation fee and treatment prices rather than following a national fee schedule. By law, a clinic must post its non-reimbursed prices where patients can see them and cannot charge more than the posted amount. Checking that price list and asking a few direct questions before you book is the most reliable way to know what your visit will actually cost.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Hello, I am Dr. Kim Yeon-jin, Chief Physician at UHCELL Clinic Gangnam. If you are planning a short trip to Seoul for a procedure, &#8220;will I be charged just for the consultation?&#8221; is often one of the first questions you have. There is no single answer that applies to every clinic. What helps instead is understanding the rule Korea&#8217;s system actually sets, because that rule lets you check the fee in advance no matter which clinic you visit. Let me walk through it.<\/p>\n<h2>Who Sets the Consultation Fee, and Why It Varies<\/h2>\n<p>Cosmetic treatments such as laser procedures, fillers and Botox fall under non-reimbursed care, meaning national health insurance does not cover them. Dailian reported in October 2025, citing insurance industry data, that non-reimbursed dermatology items include these kinds of cosmetic laser, filler and Botox treatments. Because these items are non-reimbursed, each clinic sets its own price.<\/p>\n<p>The consultation fee works the same way. Some clinics list a separate line item for a &#8220;cosmetic consultation fee&#8221; or &#8220;non-reimbursed examination fee&#8221; on their published price list, and others do not charge separately for the consultation at all. So rather than assuming &#8220;consultations in Korea are free&#8221; or &#8220;a consultation always costs money,&#8221; the accurate approach is to check the price list of the specific clinic you plan to visit.<\/p>\n<h2>The Legal Standard: A Clinic Cannot Charge More Than It Posts<\/h2>\n<p>Whether or not a consultation fee applies, the rule that protects you is clear.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Disclosure duty<\/strong>: Article 45(1) of the Medical Service Act requires a medical institution&#8217;s founder to disclose non-reimbursed treatment costs so that patients and guardians can easily find them, following the method set by Ministry of Health and Welfare regulation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Where it must be posted<\/strong>: Article 42-2 of the Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act requires the clinic to place a booklet or notice listing non-reimbursed items and prices somewhere patients can easily see it, such as the reception desk. A 2023 Constitutional Court decision also confirmed that a clinic operating a website must post the same non-reimbursed items and prices on that website.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No overcharging<\/strong>: The Seoul Central District Court ruled in 2017 (Case No. 2016Na81057) that a medical institution cannot collect more than the non-reimbursed price it has disclosed, and later rulings followed the same reasoning.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Explanation before treatment<\/strong>: The same Enforcement Rule requires the clinic to explain the relevant item and its price directly to the patient before providing a non-reimbursed treatment designated by Ministry of Health and Welfare notice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service provides a standard webpage format so clinics can disclose this information consistently, and the detailed criteria are set out in Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice No. 2023-192, &#8220;Guidelines on Disclosure of Non-Reimbursed Treatment Costs.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>If a clinic does charge for a consultation, that amount should appear on its price list in principle, and there is no basis for being charged more than that posted figure. The law does not draw this line differently by a patient&#8217;s nationality. If you are visiting from abroad, you can simply ask to see the price list.<\/p>\n<h2>Five Questions to Ask Before You Book<\/h2>\n<p>If your time in Seoul is short, getting these answers in writing before you arrive is the most useful step you can take. You can use these questions with any clinic you are considering.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Is there a separate consultation or examination fee, and if so, how much?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>If you decide to proceed with treatment after the consultation, how is the consultation fee handled?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Is VAT included in the quoted price?<\/strong> Some clinics list VAT separately on their cosmetic price list, so the amount you pay can differ from the quoted figure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What languages is the consultation available in?<\/strong> Understanding the fee explanation clearly is part of being able to decide whether to proceed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Can you use the payment method you plan to bring, such as an overseas-issued card?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Keep a screenshot of the answers, and if anything differs from the posted price list on the day of your visit, ask again before treatment begins. We cover other ways to check a clinic through Korea&#8217;s disclosure system in <a href=\"https:\/\/news.uhcell.com\/ko-kr\/articles\/415?aeo=cta-korean-dermatology-consultation-fees-what-to-check-first\">How to Check Whether a Seoul Dermatology Clinic Is Trustworthy, Through the System<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>How We Help You Estimate the Total Cost at Our Gangnam Clinic<\/h2>\n<p>The bigger difference in total cost usually comes from which treatments you choose, not the consultation fee itself. We diagnose each patient&#8217;s skin condition first and design the treatment plan from there, so the total cost for the same concern can differ depending on whether the plan combines Ulthera, Thermage, Sofwave, Oligio, Potenza, Rejuran, Skinvive or Juvelook. You can confirm whether a consultation fee applies, the amount, and the price of any treatment you are interested in through our booking channel before your visit.<\/p>\n<p>Our Gangnam clinic is on the second floor of UH FLAT SIGNATURE Gangnam, and procedures are performed in private treatment rooms. Japanese, Chinese and English interpretation staff are on site, so you can confirm costs and treatment details in Japanese, Chinese or English before deciding.<\/p>\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<h3>If I only get a consultation, do I have to go through with the procedure?<\/h3>\n<p>No. Having a consultation does not mean you are committed to treatment that same day. If a clinic charges a consultation fee, ask at the booking stage whether that fee is all you pay if you decide not to proceed, so the decision is easier to make on the day.<\/p>\n<h3>Can consultation or treatment fees be set higher for international patients?<\/h3>\n<p>Courts have held that a clinic cannot collect more than the non-reimbursed price it has disclosed, and the relevant law does not distinguish by a patient&#8217;s nationality. If the amount you are quoted differs from the posted price list, ask to see the price list before treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Checking a consultation fee in advance takes only a few questions. Once you have your Seoul dates set, we recommend contacting your booking channel before your visit to confirm the consultation fee and the price of any treatment you are considering.<\/p>\n<p>\u203b Skin response and recovery time vary by individual. For an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan, please consult a specialist.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Consultation fees at Korean dermatology clinics vary because cosmetic treatments are non-reimbursed care. Dr. Kim Yeon-jin of UH CELL Clinic Gangnam explains the disclosure law, the five questions to ask before booking, and how to estimate total cost for a short Seoul visit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":37193,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","ai_generated_summary":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[467],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-etc"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":467,"label":"etc"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/uhcell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/cover-18e28628-1-1024x576.webp",1024,576,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Dr. Kim Yeon-jin, Chief Physician","author_link":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/author\/uhcell_gangnam\/"},"comment_info":"","category_info":[{"term_id":467,"name":"etc","slug":"etc","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":467,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":24,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":467,"category_count":24,"category_description":"","cat_name":"etc","category_nicename":"etc","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"uhcell_seo_meta":{"rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"","rank_math_facebook_title":"","rank_math_facebook_description":"","rank_math_twitter_title":"","rank_math_twitter_description":"","rank_math_twitter_card_type":"","og_title":null,"og_description":null},"wpml":{"trid":20153,"language_code":"en","source_language_code":"ko","element_type":"post_post","translations":{"cn":{"id":37202,"lang":"cn","title":"\u97e9\u56fd\u76ae\u80a4\u79d1\u54a8\u8be2\u8d39\u53e6\u6536\u5417\uff1f\u9884\u7ea6\u524d\u8981\u786e\u8ba4\u76845\u4ef6\u4e8b","slug":"%e9%9f%a9%e5%9b%bd%e7%9a%ae%e8%82%a4%e7%a7%91%e5%92%a8%e8%af%a2%e8%b4%b9%e5%8f%a6%e6%94%b6%e5%90%97%ef%bc%9f%e9%a2%84%e7%ba%a6%e5%89%8d%e8%a6%81%e7%a1%ae%e8%ae%a4%e7%9a%845%e4%bb%b6%e4%ba%8b","url":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/cn\/%e9%9f%a9%e5%9b%bd%e7%9a%ae%e8%82%a4%e7%a7%91%e5%92%a8%e8%af%a2%e8%b4%b9%e5%8f%a6%e6%94%b6%e5%90%97%ef%bc%9f%e9%a2%84%e7%ba%a6%e5%89%8d%e8%a6%81%e7%a1%ae%e8%ae%a4%e7%9a%845%e4%bb%b6%e4%ba%8b\/","status":"publish","original":false},"en":{"id":37196,"lang":"en","title":"Korean Dermatology Consultation Fees: What to Check First","slug":"korean-dermatology-consultation-fees-what-to-check-first","url":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/korean-dermatology-consultation-fees-what-to-check-first\/","status":"publish","original":false},"ja":{"id":37199,"lang":"ja","title":"\u97d3\u56fd\u76ae\u819a\u79d1\u306e\u30ab\u30a6\u30f3\u30bb\u30ea\u30f3\u30b0\u6599\u306f\u5225\u9014\uff1f\u6765\u9662\u524d\u306e\u78ba\u8a8d\u6cd5","slug":"%e9%9f%93%e5%9b%bd%e7%9a%ae%e8%86%9a%e7%a7%91%e3%81%ae%e3%82%ab%e3%82%a6%e3%83%b3%e3%82%bb%e3%83%aa%e3%83%b3%e3%82%b0%e6%96%99%e3%81%af%e5%88%a5%e9%80%94%ef%bc%9f%e6%9d%a5%e9%99%a2%e5%89%8d%e3%81%ae","url":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/ja\/%e9%9f%93%e5%9b%bd%e7%9a%ae%e8%86%9a%e7%a7%91%e3%81%ae%e3%82%ab%e3%82%a6%e3%83%b3%e3%82%bb%e3%83%aa%e3%83%b3%e3%82%b0%e6%96%99%e3%81%af%e5%88%a5%e9%80%94%ef%bc%9f%e6%9d%a5%e9%99%a2%e5%89%8d%e3%81%ae\/","status":"publish","original":false},"ko":{"id":37194,"lang":"ko","title":"\ud55c\uad6d \ud53c\ubd80\uacfc \uc0c1\ub2f4\ub8cc, \ub530\ub85c \ubc1b\ub098\uc694? \ubc29\ubb38 \uc804 \ud655\uc778\ubc95","slug":"%ed%95%9c%ea%b5%ad-%ed%94%bc%eb%b6%80%ea%b3%bc-%ec%83%81%eb%8b%b4%eb%a3%8c-%eb%94%b0%eb%a1%9c-%eb%b0%9b%eb%82%98%ec%9a%94-%eb%b0%a9%eb%ac%b8-%ec%a0%84-%ed%99%95%ec%9d%b8%eb%b2%95","url":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/%ed%95%9c%ea%b5%ad-%ed%94%bc%eb%b6%80%ea%b3%bc-%ec%83%81%eb%8b%b4%eb%a3%8c-%eb%94%b0%eb%a1%9c-%eb%b0%9b%eb%82%98%ec%9a%94-%eb%b0%a9%eb%ac%b8-%ec%a0%84-%ed%99%95%ec%9d%b8%eb%b2%95\/","status":"publish","original":true},"tw":{"id":37205,"lang":"tw","title":"\u9996\u723e\u76ae\u819a\u79d1\u8aee\u8a62\u8cbb\u8981\u53e6\u5916\u6536\u8cbb\u55ce\uff1f\u770b\u8a3a\u524d\u4e94\u4ef6\u4e8b","slug":"%e9%a6%96%e7%88%be%e7%9a%ae%e8%86%9a%e7%a7%91%e8%ab%ae%e8%a9%a2%e8%b2%bb%e8%a6%81%e5%8f%a6%e5%a4%96%e6%94%b6%e8%b2%bb%e5%97%8e%ef%bc%9f%e7%9c%8b%e8%a8%ba%e5%89%8d%e4%ba%94%e4%bb%b6%e4%ba%8b","url":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/tw\/%e9%a6%96%e7%88%be%e7%9a%ae%e8%86%9a%e7%a7%91%e8%ab%ae%e8%a9%a2%e8%b2%bb%e8%a6%81%e5%8f%a6%e5%a4%96%e6%94%b6%e8%b2%bb%e5%97%8e%ef%bc%9f%e7%9c%8b%e8%a8%ba%e5%89%8d%e4%ba%94%e4%bb%b6%e4%ba%8b\/","status":"publish","original":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37196"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37198,"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37196\/revisions\/37198"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}