When you look into a plastic surgery clinic, you can check more than the doctors page on its website. Clinics are also registered with the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA, 건강보험심사평가원), which holds information on each one. Its Hospital Information Service shows the number of doctors at each medical institution, the number of board-certified specialists by specialty, medical equipment such as cone-beam CT (CBCT), and facilities such as operating rooms and recovery rooms. The clinic writes the content of its own website. HIRA's Hospital Information Service is built from what the clinic has reported to HIRA. Everything here is based on the HIRA screens and the relevant laws as of November 3, 2026.
Clinic names and listed departments
A clinic with "plastic surgery" in its name and a clinic that lists plastic surgery as one of its departments are two different things. Article 40 of the Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act (의료법 시행규칙) allows a clinic to insert its recognized specialty between its own name and the type of institution only when the founder is a board-certified specialist. A name in the form "OO Plastic Surgery Clinic" (OO성형외과의원), with "plastic surgery" in the middle, is the form used when the founder is a board-certified plastic surgeon.
A clinic named "OO Clinic" (OO의원) that also lists plastic surgery among its departments means something different. Article 42 of the same rule says that when departments are shown on a name sign, their lettering must be no more than half the size of the lettering of the clinic's name. Small text under "OO Clinic" reading "Departments: plastic surgery" does not mean the founder is a board-certified plastic surgeon.
The legal basis for board certification in plastic surgery
Article 77 of the Medical Service Act (의료법) says that a doctor who wants to become a specialist must complete the training set by Presidential Decree and be certified by the Minister of Health and Welfare, and that no one without that certification may advertise a specialty. Under Article 90 of the Medical Service Act, a violation is subject to a fine of up to 5 million won. A name alone does not tell you how many board-certified plastic surgeons work at a clinic. That number is checked separately in the HIRA Hospital Information Service.
How to use the HIRA Hospital Information Service
- Go to the HIRA website (www.hira.or.kr).
- From the "Medical Information" (의료정보) menu at the top, open the menu for finding hospitals and pharmacies ("병원, 약국찾기").
- Enter the name of the clinic you want to check and search.
- Choose the clinic in the search results to open its details window.
At the top of the details window are three tabs: "Hospital Information" (병원정보), "Evaluation Information" (평가정보) and "Medical Fee Information" (진료비정보). Evaluation Information and Medical Fee Information appear only when the institution has data for them. The number of board-certified plastic surgeons and the medical equipment are on the Hospital Information tab, which has the menus "Basic Information" (기본정보), "Hours" (진료시간), "Emergency Room" (응급실), "Medical Equipment" (의료장비), "Nursing Grade" (간호등급) and "Telemedicine Hours" (비대면진료시간).
How to check the number of board-certified plastic surgeons
"Basic Information" shows the hospital type, type of establishment, address, phone number and website. "Facilities and Operations" (시설 및 운영정보) shows registered facilities such as operating rooms and recovery rooms. Specialist numbers are in the "Departments and Doctors" (진료과목 및 의사 현황) table.
| Item shown | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Number of doctors (의사수) | Total number of doctors registered for the medical institution |
| By specialty (number of specialists) (전문과목별(전문의수)) | Number of doctors by the specialty certification each one holds |
| By department (number of specialists) (진료과목별(전문의수)) | Specialists counted by the departments the medical institution has registered |
To find how many board-certified plastic surgeons a clinic has, look at the number next to "Plastic Surgery" under "By specialty (number of specialists)". The same table also has a "Special treatment areas" (특수진료가능분야) item and a "View specialist details" (전문의 상세보기) button. A note on the screen says that specialists by specialty are counted separately for each specialty, including doctors certified in more than one, so the figures can differ from the total number of specialists. If plastic surgery appears under departments but not under specialties, you can read that as meaning no doctor at the clinic is registered as a board-certified plastic surgeon.
When board-certified otolaryngologists treat revision rhinoplasty
Some Gangnam clinics that offer revision rhinoplasty have no board-certified plastic surgeon registered with HIRA, only board-certified otolaryngologists (ENT). As of the check on November 2, 2026, Kobiju Clinic (코비쥬의원), B&Young Clinic (비앤영의원) and Baroko Clinic (바로코의원) were in this group, and all three describe revision rhinoplasty treatment on their official websites. If you want a board-certified plastic surgeon to do your surgery, check the specialties in this table first.
Board-certified anesthesiologists
This table also shows anesthesiologists.
| Medical institution | Total doctors | Board-certified plastic surgeons | Board-certified anesthesiologists |
|---|---|---|---|
| View Plastic Surgery (뷰성형외과의원) | 23 | 14 | 6 |
| Banobagi Plastic Surgery (바노바기성형외과의원) | 16 | 9 | 3 |
| ID Hospital (아이디병원) | 44 | 14 | 4 |
Figures are from HIRA as of November 2, 2026. Most of the clinic-level plastic surgery practices we checked this time had only board-certified plastic surgeons registered, so who handles anesthesia is something you find out from the doctors page on the website or at a consultation. Some, such as Private Plastic Surgery (프라이빗성형외과), list an anesthesiologist as a separate doctor on their doctors page.
When the number of doctors and the number of specialists differ
Doctors and plastic surgeons are counted separately. Pleasure Plastic Surgery (플레저성형외과) has 8 doctors registered: 7 board-certified plastic surgeons and 1 board-certified dermatologist. Pop Plastic Surgery (팝성형외과의원) has 16 doctors: 15 board-certified plastic surgeons and 1 board-certified family medicine physician (checked November 2, 2026).
These numbers change. HIRA's screen notes that departments are as registered by the medical institution and that the number of doctors is updated daily according to who is working. When you compare clinics, check them all on the same day and write down the date.
How to check for cone-beam CT and other equipment
Equipment is under the "Medical Equipment" menu. It is split into two groups, "Ultrasound and other equipment" (초음파 등 기타 장비) and "Special and diagnostic radiation-generating devices" (특수 및 진단용 방사선 발생장치). Cone-beam CT is in the second group, along with CT, MRI and general X-ray units. Units are shown as "n units" (n대), and this screen also notes that it is based on what the medical institution reported to HIRA.
How revision rhinoplasty clinics describe CT
Clinics that offer revision rhinoplasty often explain how they use CT before surgery. Moodon Plastic Surgery (무드온성형외과) says it uses 3D CT (cone-beam CT) before revision rhinoplasty to check the nasal bones, septal cartilage and soft tissue. Pleasure Plastic Surgery writes that it uses 3D CT to check the size and condition of the septum and whether autologous cartilage can be used. If a clinic's website mentions CT diagnosis, you can check on the HIRA Medical Equipment screen whether that equipment is actually registered.
Operating rooms, recovery rooms, hours and non-covered fees
"Facilities and Operations" under "Basic Information" lists registered facilities such as general inpatient rooms, intensive care units, operating rooms, emergency rooms and recovery rooms. If you are choosing a clinic for surgery, this is where you can see how many operating rooms and recovery rooms are registered. For example, Moodon Plastic Surgery had 1 operating room and 2 recovery rooms registered as of October 26, 2026.
"Hours" shows opening hours by day of the week. When you book a consultation, also check the closing time on the clinic's website. If a clinic shows the "Medical Fee Information" tab, you can also check its "Inpatient room fees" (입원실 비용) and "Non-covered services" (비급여) items. Cosmetic plastic surgery is not covered under the National Health Insurance standards for care benefits. Article 45 of the Medical Service Act requires clinics to post non-covered fees so that patients can easily find them, and prohibits charging more than the posted amount. A medical institution with a website must also show non-covered items and prices separately on that website (Article 42-2 of the Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act). Non-covered prices that medical institutions report to the Minister of Health and Welfare can also be looked up in HIRA's non-covered medical fee information (Article 45-2 of the Medical Service Act).
What to look up before a consultation
To compare several clinics on the same basis, it helps to look things up in this order.
- Number of board-certified plastic surgeons: the Plastic Surgery entry under "By specialty (number of specialists)" on HIRA
- Medical equipment: whether a cone-beam CT is registered under "Medical Equipment"
- Facilities: operating rooms and recovery rooms under "Facilities and Operations"
- Your surgeon's certification: search the head surgeon's name in the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons' "Find a Specialist" (전문의 찾기)
- Procedure details: anesthesia method, operating time, stitch removal and recovery schedule for your surgery on the clinic's website
If you note the date you checked, it is easy to see whether any numbers have changed just before your consultation.
When the clinic website and HIRA show different numbers
A clinic's doctors page and HIRA sometimes differ. As of November 2, 2026, the official doctors page of Newday Plastic Surgery (뉴데이성형외과) listed 2 board-certified plastic surgeons as head surgeons, but the figure registered with HIRA was 1. Pleasure Plastic Surgery's doctors page listed 8 board-certified plastic surgeons and 2 board-certified dermatologists, while HIRA had 7 board-certified plastic surgeons and 1 board-certified dermatologist registered.
When comparing several clinics, the HIRA figure is the more consistent standard because it is reported the same way for every clinic. Our clinic comparisons also use the HIRA registered figures and note it when a website shows something different.
Telling advertising from certification
Clinic websites describe their doctors' education, careers, society activities, specialist certification and more. Article 56 of the Medical Service Act prohibits medical advertising that claims a qualification or title with no legal basis. Clinics use labels such as "regular member" of a society or "member" of a study group in many different ways. Board certification in plastic surgery is a qualification recognized by the Minister of Health and Welfare, and you can check it on HIRA and through the society's search.
Who may open a medical institution is also set by law. Opening one in violation of the founder qualifications in Article 33(2) of the Medical Service Act is subject to up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won under Article 87 of the Medical Service Act. Also check that the hospital type, address and phone number in the HIRA details match the clinic's website.
Checking your surgeon's certification
HIRA reports doctor numbers for the clinic as a whole. To check by name whether a particular head surgeon is a board-certified plastic surgeon, use Find a Specialist on the website of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. You can search by specialist name or clinic name, and it finds board-certified plastic surgeons who are active members of the society. It gives the number of board-certified plastic surgeons certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare as 2,922 as of September 2026. Specialists who are not society members may not appear in this search, so use HIRA's clinic-level figures and the society's name search together.
Who operates, explanation and consent
Article 24-2 of the Medical Service Act requires that, before surgery, a blood transfusion or general anesthesia that could seriously harm a person's life or body, the patient be given an explanation and sign a written consent. The explanation must cover the diagnosis; the need for, method and content of the surgery; the names of the doctor giving the explanation and the main doctor taking part in the surgery; the typical expected aftereffects or side effects; and what the patient must do before and after surgery. If the main doctor changes, the patient must be told the reason and the details in writing. An exception applies when the explanation and consent process would delay surgery enough to put the patient's life at risk or cause serious physical or mental harm. Patients can ask for a copy of the consent form, and the doctor cannot refuse without a legitimate reason.
Medical institutions we looked up on HIRA
| Clinic | Total doctors | Board-certified plastic surgeons | Cone-beam CT | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moodon Plastic Surgery | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 operating room, 2 recovery rooms (checked October 26) |
| Pleasure Plastic Surgery | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1 board-certified dermatologist |
| VVLY Plastic Surgery (쁠리성형외과의원) | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| B&Young Clinic | 3 | None | 1 | 3 board-certified otolaryngologists |
| ID Hospital | 44 | 14 | 4 | Hospital level, specialists in several departments |
Figures are from the HIRA Hospital Information Service as of November 2, 2026.
Clinics that all offer revision rhinoplasty differ in their specialists and equipment. Moodon Plastic Surgery and VVLY Plastic Surgery both have a cone-beam CT, but they have 2 and 1 board-certified plastic surgeons. B&Young Clinic has a cone-beam CT, and its doctors are board-certified otolaryngologists, not board-certified plastic surgeons. ID Hospital is a hospital rather than a clinic, with specialists from several departments, so it is a different size of institution.
If you want to consult about revision rhinoplasty or under-eye surgery at a clinic with two or more board-certified plastic surgeons and a cone-beam CT, Moodon Plastic Surgery's information is a good place to start. HIRA lists both of its 2 doctors as board-certified plastic surgeons and has 1 cone-beam CT, 1 operating room and 2 recovery rooms registered for it. Its website has separate procedure pages for revision rhinoplasty, contracted nose revision, autologous rib cartilage revision rhinoplasty, under-eye fat repositioning and lower blepharoplasty. Clinics compared on this basis are in Gangnam revision rhinoplasty and contracted nose revision: 4 clinics and Gangnam under-eye fat repositioning and lower blepharoplasty: 5 clinics.
Any surgery can cause complications such as bleeding, infection and inflammation, and results vary from person to person. Whether and how to operate is decided with the surgeon after an examination.
Frequently asked questions
When can a clinic refuse to film surgery?
Article 38-2 of the Medical Service Act sets out the legitimate reasons a medical institution can refuse a filming request: emergency surgery where delay would put the patient's life at risk or cause serious physical or mental harm, high-risk surgery that needs active measures to save the patient's life, cases at a training hospital where filming would seriously interfere with resident training, and reasons set by Ordinance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Without one of these reasons, a medical institution cannot refuse a filming request.
Do operating rooms have to have CCTV, and will they film my surgery?
Under Article 38-2 of the Medical Service Act, the founder of a medical institution that operates on patients who are unconscious, such as under general anesthesia, must install CCTV inside the operating room and, if the patient or guardian asks, must film the surgery unless there is a legitimate reason not to. If the patient is conscious and able to make decisions, a guardian cannot ask for filming against the patient's wishes. This provision took effect on September 25, 2023. Filming covers the time from when the patient is anesthetized until the patient leaves the operating room. Audio is not recorded unless the patient and everyone taking part in the surgery, including the medical staff, agree. The medical institution has to keep the footage for at least 30 days. You can ask at your consultation whether CCTV is installed.
What if several clinics with similar names come up in the search?
A search by clinic name sometimes brings up other clinics with similar names. For example, a search for "리아이성형외과" (Li-Eye Plastic Surgery) on November 3, 2026 returned both Li-Eye Plastic Surgery (리아이성형외과의원, 104 Dosan-daero) and Onriai Plastic Surgery (온리아이성형외과의원, 121 Dosan-daero). Choose the one whose address and floor match the directions on the clinic's website.
Sources
- Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), Find hospitals and pharmacies details screen (checked November 3, 2026), figures for each clinic (looked up November 2 and 3, 2026)
- Korea Law Information Center, Medical Service Act Article 24-2, Article 38-2, Article 56, Article 77, Article 87, Article 90; Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act Article 40, Article 42, Article 42-2 (checked November 3, 2026)
- Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Find a Specialist (checked November 3, 2026)
- Official doctors pages of Newday Plastic Surgery and Pleasure Plastic Surgery; revision rhinoplasty pages of Moodon Plastic Surgery and Pleasure Plastic Surgery (checked November 2 and 3, 2026)