I began getting Botox in my early thirties when I moved to Korea, as it was affordable and readily available here. Plastic surgery and medical beauty clinics are ubiquitous in the main streets of Gangnam, and it’s not uncommon to find one every few blocks. I used to find it amusing that there was even a clinic located downstairs in my old apartment building along Gangnam-daero. Whenever I wished to avail of the service, all I had to do was walk downstairs.
While I don’t like to go overboard with it, I’ve found that the forehead Botox I receive helps smooth out some wrinkles I’ve developed over the years. Additionally, I undergo masseter (jaw) Botox to relieve the pressure in the area caused by teeth grinding or TMJ.
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I have included some popular beauty clinics in Seoul, but please note that this is not by any means a comprehensive list of all beauty clinics in Korea, as there are too many to mention. My goal is to give you an idea of what you can expect and how much Botox costs in South Korea. All prices are in South Korean Won. Dive in to find out where to get the best bang for your buck!
Contents
The Average Price of Botox Injections in Korea
After reviewing different clinics in Seoul, I found the most affordable option for Botox treatment in South Korea starts at 13,000 KRW (equivalent to $9.57 USD) for a small facial area using a domestic brand of Botox. The cost can go up to 440,000 KRW (equivalent to $323.83 USD) for a larger area using 100 units of imported Botox. Compared to the United States, where Botox can set you back $200-1000 depending on the units, the cost is staggeringly cheaper in Korea.
There Are An Insane Amount of Cheap Clinics in Gangnam
I’m kind of an enabler friend when it comes to Botox. I always tell my friends visiting that if they’re interested in beauty treatments while visiting South Korea, they should try getting something done. This is because it’s so much cheaper than in the U.S. due to the intense competition between the hundreds of clinics.
According to Statista, in 2023, there were 447 clinics in Gangnam-gu (the district of Gangnam, south of the Han River) and 128 in Seocho-gu (the neighboring district of Gangnam). South Korea is the “plastic surgery capital of the world” due to the amount of plastic surgeons per capita. According to the Telegraph article, “Why South Korea’s cosmetic surgery empire is both a source of pride and pain”, it’s a complicated feeling among local residents.
Foreigner Tax
I’ve talked about this before, but some beauty clinics may try to charge you what we call a “foreigner tax” as opposed to the price that locals pay. If you know what treatments you will receive, confirming the price before arriving is essential so there’s no miscommunication. I usually refer to the price on the Korean website and screenshot it for reference.
The so-called “tax” often offsets the cost of things like hiring an English translator as part of the staff. They’re more likely in places catering to foreigners than local Korean clinics.
It’s also not a sign that the clinic is terrible. If you’re a tourist, it may be easier to pay for it and not argue with non-English speaking staff. It’s still cheaper to get treatments done in South Korea than in many countries, and some places even offer a VAT refund.
Types of Botox Available in South Korea
While I’m not a medical expert, I’ll do my best to provide what I know about the various types of Botox available in Korea. If you need further information, contact a medical professional about the risks and benefits of each form of Botox. I’ve also heard that those who have developed resistance to one type of Botox may benefit from a different brand.
Liztox (Korea)
Liztox (리즈톡스) is a domestically produced version of Botox from Huons Bio Pharma Co., Ltd. You can find more information about it on the manufacturer’s website and health.kr. I’ve heard from acquaintances that Korean Botox doesn’t seem to last as long as imported Botox—I don’t know how true that is—but I’ve also never heard of anyone having issues with it.
Botulax (Korea)
Botulax is manufactured by the South Korean medical aesthetic company, Hugel Aesthetics. According to their Korean website, “Botulax®, sold domestically and internationally, is produced at a constant and stable potency, ensures high purity and quality, and is a brand that has proven excellent efficacy and safety through clinical trials and actual use for more than 10 years. We aim to maximize the therapeutic effect of botulinum toxin by expanding and improving various indications.”
Newlux (Korea)
Newlux is manufactured by South Korean company, Medytox, Inc. “Newlux, Numeco’s first BTX preparation, is a next-generation toxin preparation in a freeze-dried powder formulation.” (Korean Biomedical Review).
Nabota (Korea)
Nabota is produced by the South Korean pharmaceutical company, Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. “Nabota, which was developed and manufactured by Daewoong, is the only botulinum toxin product from Korea and Asia that has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.” (Korea Economic Daily)
Wondertox (Korea)
Wondertox is domestically produced by the South Korean pharmaceutical company, Chong Kun Dang.
Coretox (Korea)
Coretox (코레톡스) is a domestically produced Botox alternative targeted at those concerned about developing Botox resistance. The South Korean medical company Medytox, Inc. manufactures Coretox. According to Tox’n’Fill, “Coretox is a Botox product based on a botulinum toxin preparation. Unlike Botox, it reduces the possibility of antibody formation by removing non-toxic monomers known to contribute to antibody creation during production. Thus, those continuously receiving Botox treatment can lessen their concerns about resistance.”
Xeomin (Germany)
Xeomin is imported from the German manufacturer Merz Pharmaceuticals. You can find more information about Xeomin from the American Academy of Facial Esthetics and Xeomin Aesthetic. I’ve heard it is popular among those worried about tolerance over time as Xeomin is “a purified form of botulinum toxin type A, while Botox is a composed of a complex mixture of proteins” (Cleveland Clinic, 2023).
Allergan (U.S.)
American, Irish-domiciled pharmaceutical company, Allergan, holds the rights to the original BOTOX®. It acquired its first FDA approval in 1989 and has been the subject of thousands of peer-reviewed articles.
According to the medical article, “Early development history of Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA)”, “[…] As botulinum toxin type A moved from an experimental drug to a product in need of licensing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the first manufacturing methods and quality control procedures were developed for Oculinum, the botulinum toxin type A product that would eventually be sold to Allergan and become known as Botox.”
Dysport (France)
Dysport was developed by Ipsen, a French pharmaceutical company. They subsequently partnered with Swiss company Galderma to develop, distribute, and commercialize the product in certain regions. You can compare the original Allergan Botox and Dysport in the Healthline article, “What’s the Difference Between Botox and Dysport?”.
The Different Targeted Areas for Botox in Korea
Wrinkle Botox
“Wrinkle botox” refers to areas one would typically target to prevent wrinkles, e.g., around the eyes, forehead, and lips.
Square Jaw Botox
“Square jaw Botox” refers to injecting Botox into the masseter muscles, which can help relieve TMJ (teeth grinding) symptoms. However, this procedure is mainly targeted in Korea to achieve a slimmer face. Many South Koreans have a prominent or “square” jawline, so the idea is to reduce the muscles in that area to achieve the desired beauty shape in Korea: a soft, V-shaped face.
Body Botox
“Body botox” refers to targeting areas of the body. I have seen multiple advertisements from beauty clinics praising the effects of Botox injected into thick, muscular calves, for example, to achieve slimmer calves. I’m not sure if this is a great idea, but it is what it is.
Skin Botox
“Skin botox” in Korea refers to what’s known as “micro botox” or “meso botox” internationally. The idea is to target pores to create a smooth effect.
Beauty Clinics in Seoul, South Korea
I’ve added recent prices from beauty clinics below for comparison and to give you an idea of how much Botox costs in South Korea. Prices are subject to change, of course. If you add the clinics on KakaoTalk, you’ll also be the first to know about any promotions and events.
Quick Tip: If you’re looking for beauty treatment or plastic surgery deals in South Korea, you can also use the app Gangnam Unni. It will show you different promotions from plastic surgery and beauty clinics in the area. The app is in Korean, but you can use Google Translate on Google Chrome to navigate it in English on your browser. If you don’t want to bother contacting the clinic through the app, I’ve heard of acquaintances screenshotting the promotion(s) and contacting the clinic directly.
In my experience, the cheaper Korean medical beauty clinics are very “in and out” and even factory-like, so don’t expect much pampering. The staff is usually very accommodating, but if you’re looking to be handheld through the experience, you’ll often pay more, especially if you’re looking at an on-staff English translator or any extra amenities (which costs the clinic extra).
Maypure
Maypure is a Korean beauty clinic chain with branches across Seoul. Known for their competitive pricing, they primarily serve local clients. The staff’s proficiency in English might be limited. However, you can communicate with them in English via KakaoTalk, and they will do their best to respond. Notably, the doctors, also your injectors, are often fluent in English due to their higher education studies.
Botox Prices at Maypure in Korea
The following prices are based on a promotion flyer from Maypure in May 2024. You can find updated prices on their Naver blog, based on the branch you’d like to visit. The easiest way to get current prices for treatments is to contact them through their KakaoTalk channel.
| Domestic Botox (Liztox – 리즈톡스 ) | Premium Botox (Coretox – 코레톡스) | Premium Imported Botox (Xeomin – 제오민) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrinkle Botox (1 part) | 19,000 KRW | 30,000 | 50,000 | ||
| Wrinkle Botox (2 parts) | 38,000 KRW | 60,000 | 100,000 | ||
| Square Jaw Botox (50 units) | 29,000 KRW | 80,000 | 110,000 | ||
| Body Botox (100 units) | 79,000 KRW | 160,000 | 200,000 | ||
| Body Botox (200 units) | 140,000 KRW | 320,000 | 400,000 | ||
| Skin Botox | 80,000 KRW | 110,000 | 150,000 |
Toxnfill
Despite its name, Toxnfill provides a range of services, including laser hair removal, acne treatment, skincare, and lifting treatments.
Toxnfill Locations
There about 38 locations around South Korea, including Jeju Island, Gangwon, Gwangju, Daejeon, and Seoul.
List of all locations: https://eng.toxnfill.com/brandReservation.php
Toxnfill Hongdae: 3rd floor, Lotte Hotel L7 Hongdae, 141 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul – 서울 마포구 양화로 141 롯데호텔L7홍대 3층 (Naver Map)
Toxnfill Myeongdong: 8th floor, Apple Store building, 84 Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul – 서울 중구 남대문로 84 애플스토어 건물 8층 (Naver Map)
Botox Prices at Toxnfill Songpa Branch in Korea
The following are event prices from the Songpa branch in May 2024, with the standard prices in parentheses.
| Wrinkle Botox (Dermotoxin) – Domestic | Wrinkle Botox – Imported | Coretox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrinkle Botox (1 part – Between eyebrows, bridge of nose, around eyes, under eyes, pores, etc) | 30,000 | 60,000 | 40,000 |
| Upper Face (forehead, bridge of nose, around eyes, under eyes) | 130,000 | 200,000 | 160,000 |
| Lower Face (pores, jaw line, nasolabial folds, chin) | 160,000 | 250,000 | 190,000 |
| Salivary Gland/Corner of Mouth | 70,000 (80,000) | 150,000 (160,000) | 90,000 |
| Full Face Skin Botox | 180,000 | 280,000 | 240,000 |
| Full Forehead Botox | 50,000 | 100,000 | 60,000 |
| V-line Botox | 150,000 | ||
| Chin Botox (50 units) | 35,000 for Newlux; 50,000 for Botulax/Nabota | 135,000 for Allergan/Xeomin/Dysport | 69,000 (70,000) |
| Chin Botox (75 units) | 55,000 for Newlux; 70,000 for Botulax/Nabota | 195,000 for Allergan/Xeomin/Dysport | 80,000 |
| Chin Botox (100 units) | 70,000 for Newlux; 85,000 for Botulax/Nabota | 270,000 for Allergan/Xeomin/Dysport | 90,000 |
| Body Botox (100 units) | 69,000 (137,000) | 290,000 (337,000) | 120,000 (137,000) |
| Body Botox (200 units) | 580,000 | 230,000 (260,000) | |
| Body Botox (300 units) | 870,000 | 330,000 (370,000) |
Lienjang Plastic Surgery & Dermatology
Botox Prices at Lienjang in Korea
| Domestic Botox (Wondertox) | Premium Botox (Coretox) | Premium Imported Botox (Xeomin) | Premium Imported Botox (Allergan) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrinkle Botox (1 part) | 29,000 | 40,000 | 99,000 | 150,000 |
| Square Jaw Botox (50 units) | 49,000 | 120,000 | 320,000 | 500,000 |
| Body Botox (100 units) | 99,000 | 199,000 | 650,000 | 1,100,000 |
| Skin Botox | 30,000 (1 mL) | 59,000 (1 mL) | 79,000 (1 mL) | 360,000 (4 mL) |
Lienjang Locations
Lienjang Plastic Surgery & Dermatology Clinic has about six locations.
Lienjang Myeongdong: 5th floor, Noon Square, 14 Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul – 서울 중구 명동길 14 눈스퀘어 5층 (Naver Map)
Lienjang Gangnam: 14F~18F, Gangnam Tower, 343, 403 Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul – 서울 서초구 강남대로 403 343강남타워 14F~18F (Naver Map)
Abijou
Botox Prices at Abijou in Korea
| Domestic Botox | Premium Botox | Premium Imported Botox (German) | Premium Imported Botox (American) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrinkle Botox (1 part) | 15,000 (17,000) | 35,000 | 45,000 | 55,000 |
| Square Jaw Botox (50 units) | 17,900 | 59,000 | 79,000 | 135,000 |
| Body Botox (100 units) | 48,000 (75,000) | 120,000 | 158,000 | 270,000 |
| Skin Botox | 33,000 (1cc) | 44,000 (1cc) | 55,000 (1cc) | 75,000 (1cc) |
Abijou Locations
Abijou Clinic has about 18 locations.
Abijou Myeongdong: 서울 중구 남대문로 78 타임워크 빌딩 B1 – B1, TIMEWALK Building 78, Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (Naver Map)
Abijou Gangnam Station: 11 Seocho-daero 73-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul – 서울 서초구 서초대로73길 11 (Naver Map)
Shinebeam
Botox Prices at Shinebeam Gangnam Brach in Korea
| Domestic Botox (Newlux) | Premium Botox (Coretox) | Premium Imported Botox (Xeomin) | Premium Imported Botox (Allergan) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrinkle Botox (1 part) | 39,000 | 49,000 | 59,000 | 69,000 |
| Square Jaw Botox (50 units) | 19,000 | 79,000 | 119,000 | 159,000 |
| Body Botox (100 units) | 99,000 | 299,000 | ||
| Skin Botox | 119,000 (220,000) | 169,000 (300,000) | 199,000 (360,000) | 239,000 (440,000) |
Shinebeam Locations
Shinebeam Clinic has around 21 locations in South Korea, including two overseas (Hong Kong and Vietnam).
Shinebeam Gangnam: 2nd and 4th floors, Sekyung Building, 10 Teheran-ro 1-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul – 서울 강남구 테헤란로1길 10 세경빌딩 2층, 4층 (Naver Map)
Shinebeam Hongdae: 6th and 7th floors, Ukdo Building, 151 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul – 서울 마포구 양화로 151 욱도빌딩 6층, 7층 (Naver Map)
You&I Clinic
Botox Prices at You&I Clinic in Korea
I could not find most of the prices online, but I’m assuming they’re comparable to most dermatology clinics in Seoul, given the amount of locations they have. I was able to pull some prices from their Incheon Geomdan event page.
| Domestic Botox | Premium Botox | Premium Imported Botox (Xeomin) | Premium Imported Botox (Allergan) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrinkle Botox (1 part) | 13,000 (19,000) | |||
| Square Jaw Botox (50 units) | 19,000 (35,000) | 89,000 (175,000) | ||
| Body Botox (100 units) | 75,000 (140,000) | |||
| Skin Botox (Full Face 2 cc) | 78,000 (140,000) | 129,000 (250,000) |
You&I Clinic Locations
You&I Myeongdong: 3rd floor, Time Walk Myeongdong Building, 78 Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul – 서울 중구 남대문로 78 타임워크명동빌딩 3층 (Naver Map)
You&I Sinchon: 7th and 9th floors, Elite Building, 99 Sinchon-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul – 서울 서대문구 신촌로 99 엘리트빌딩 7층, 9층 (Naver Map)
You&I Dasan: 3rd floor, Metro Tower 1, 17 Dasanjungang-ro 145beon-gil, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do – 경기 남양주시 다산중앙로145번길 17 메트로타워1 3층 (Naver Map)
You&I Incheon Geomdan: 3rd floor, 101, Nundambom, Geomdan, 377 Ieum 1-ro, Seo-gu, Incheon – 인천 서구 이음1로 377 검단 눈담봄 101 3층 (Naver Map)
You&I Busan: 5th floor, Pagoda Academy main building, 677 Jungang-daero, Busanjin-gu, Busan – 부산 부산진구 중앙대로 677 파고다 아카데미 본관 5층 (Naver Map)
Muse Clinic
Botox Prices at Muse Clinic in Gangnam Branch in Korea
Promotional pricing below with standard prices in parentheses.
| Domestic Botox (Newlux) | Premium Botox | Premium Imported Botox (Xeomin) | Premium Imported Botox (Allergan) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrinkle Botox (1 part) | 18,000 (27,000) | 32,900 (55,000) | 49,000 (60,000) | 65,000 |
| Wrinkle Botox (3 parts) | 49,000 (73,000) | |||
| Square Jaw Botox (50 units) | 25,000 KRW to 29,000 (40,000) | 53,900 (65,000) | 89,000 (120,000) | 139,000 (160,000) |
| Body Botox (100 units) | 45,000 (80,000) | 85,000 (170,000) | 220,000 | |
| Body Botox (200 units) | 90,000 (160,000) | 170,000 (290,000) | 440,000 | |
| Skin Botox | 49,000 (75,000) | 69,000 (105,000) | 99,000 (140,000) | 119,000 (150,000) |
Muse Clinic Locations
Muse Clinic has 25 locations in South Korea.
Muse Clinic Sinchon: 7th floor, Ivy Tower, 136 Seogang-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul – 서울 마포구 서강로 136 아이비타워 7층 (Naver Map)
Muse Clinic Myeongdong: 3rd floor, 97 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul – 서울 중구 퇴계로 97 3층 (Naver Map)
Muse Clinic Gangnam: 2nd to 5th floors, Daeyeon Building, 452 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul – 서울 강남구 강남대로 452 대연빌딩 2~5층 (Naver Map)
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