1. Reasons I Chose ㅇㅇㄴㅋ
I came back to the cafe after a long time to share a real, genuine review, not a ㅂㄹㅋ one (ㅂㄹㅋ people, please leave). I previously learned about ㅇㅇㄴㅋ while lurking in this cafe and gathering information by reading the occasional genuine reviews, back when this cafe was relatively cleaner and not overrun with ㅂㄹㅋ like it is now. (At that time, I barely had any thoughts about getting my eyes done.) Then, while balancing my main role as a student with theater activities, I saw people around me (Instagram celebrities, models) gradually removing their flaws, transforming into better images, and even landing roles because of it. That made me think, “Ah, I should do it at least once too,” so I decided to get eye surgery. Of course, I didn’t get surgery without any information. Like many people here, I carefully read papers and studied surgical methods (especially non-incisional ptosis correction, Müller’s muscle, lagophthalmos, line asymmetry, light-reflection issues from epicanthoplasty, etc.), focusing mainly on side effects. After also considering hospital aftercare (AS/revision, refunds, the director’s mindset), I ended up with a list of about 10 places? From there, I started going around for consultations. You can see detailed reviews of that list in my previous posts.
2. First Consultation at ㅇㅇㄴㅋ, Price, and Aftercare
Before going to ㅇㅇㄴㅋ, I had narrowed my final list down to about three places, including ㄱㄴㅅㅇ and ㅂㅇㅇㅇ, and ㅇㅇㄴㅋ was the last one I visited. From here, I’ll try to write this review very honestly. Since the hospital is new, the facilities were naturally neat and clean, and they seemed to pay quite a lot of attention to hygiene (things like sterilizing surgical instruments). The consultation proceeded in the order of consultant (photo-taking) - director - consultant (price). The consultant’s image was elegant and refined, kind of like... Go Ara? That was the impression I got. Her eyes were somewhat close to the glamorous-natural style (an image I personally like). But the consultant seemed to know more than I expected, and I remember being a bit surprised because she viewed things quite conservatively from a surgical standpoint. (Of course, the consultation with the director is the most important, and the director is the one doing the surgery, so it doesn’t really matter, but separately from that, I remember it quite positively because there was no salesy feeling at all.) With that good first impression, I had my consultation with the director. The director also seemed to take a somewhat conservative approach to surgery, so I strongly felt that he definitely prioritizes safety. Also, to be honest, he was very clear with yes or no, and I got a strong impression that he does not perform excessive surgery. The consultation proceeded while looking at photos of my eyes, and we focused on discussing the side effects I had written down on my list before going there (non-incisional ptosis correction, lagophthalmos, Müller’s muscle, dry eyes, light-reflection issues from epicanthoplasty, etc.). The conclusion was that doing only the minimum would be ideal, and that given my current eye condition, there wasn’t much that could be done dramatically. It was a result I had expected to some extent, and I also thought the same way (people who go too excessive definitely look good on screen, but in person it feels too... overwhelming and overdone). So I think this was when I thought, unless something unexpected happens, I should do it at this hospital. Before the consultation, whenever I had spare moments, I pretended not to look while scanning the hospital facilities, the staff’s attitude when calling and receiving calls from patients who had surgery, the hygiene of the surgical instruments, and the surrounding hygiene. (I’m extremely sensitive about these things, so if even one thing bothered me, I was going to cut it off right away, but there was almost nothing like that, so I liked it even more.) After that, I had the final price consultation with the consultant and made a reservation. (But for a first surgery, the price was quite a bit higher than I expected... I think it was almost 400,000-500,000 KRW higher than other hospitals, even including the review discount!)
3. Surgery Day and Aftercare
On the day of surgery, I went to the hospital dressed comfortably (it was my first time doing my eyes, so I was very nervous;;), having fasted for 4 hours. After taking eye photos, I changed clothes, had one last consultation with the director before surgery, and lay down on the operating table. (Before the consultation, I brought photos of Seo Kang-joon, and he said my conditions could come out somewhat similar, so I was secretly happy lol.) After lying on the operating table, I had sleep anesthesia followed by local anesthesia, and I think the surgery finished within about 2 hours? The surgical method was incisional ptosis correction + inner and upper epicanthoplasty. (Before surgery, I discussed in detail with the consultant about the possible side effects that could occur after surgery, then went into surgery.) From immediately after surgery until now, I haven’t had any of the functional side effects I was worried about, so I feel that Director Yang is good at surgery. In fact, even before surgery with my natural eyes, my eye-closing strength was very weak, and I had lagophthalmos where I slept with my eyes open, but it has not worsened or become more severe at all because of the ptosis correction. After surgery, they give you cotton swabs, saline solution + artificial tears, and bruise cream. I wore sunglasses on the way home, but honestly I was so groggy that I didn’t know what was what. After that, I was told to visit on day 3, day 7, 1.5 months, and 6 months. They also said that even if just one pimple appeared in between, I should come in right away. (In reality, around week 2? a tiny millet-sized pimple appeared on my left eye, so I visited. Each time I went, they did a swelling laser treatment, so I asked in the existing eye-surgery group chat, and it turns out there are more hospitals than expected that don’t provide aftercare. So that was when I felt, ah, they really do provide good aftercare.) After the surgery, from when I arrived home until now, they have periodically asked me via KakaoTalk if anything is uncomfortable and checked on my progress. If anything seems even slightly strange or there is a problem and I message them, they reply almost instantly even on days off, so I thought this is definitely not a hospital that abandons its patients. Lastly, regarding AS/revision: even now, the ptosis correction and epicanthoplasty are honestly areas I feel are lacking, so every time I visit the hospital I bring this up. After thinking about it a few times, they said they would do AS, and I remember being a bit surprised. (I’ve seen more people than expected end up in extreme situations over AS and refund issues here, so when they said they would do AS, I was inwardly like, “Huh?” and surprised.) Also, usually the free AS period is 1 year, but when they said it was 3 years, I felt convinced that at least in terms of safety, they really do things safely. BUT I’m still only on day 45, and I don’t know what functional or aesthetic side effects may occur later, so please take this only as a reference. If side effects occur, I also plan to go and argue firmly.
4. Conclusion
I can’t say I 100% relate to the people in this cafe who are really struggling and suffering because of their eyes, but I think I relate and understand about 90%. I also went through a pretty long period of mental difficulty because of another surgical issue, and I have experienced the financial burden, time, and all the effort I had put in being ruined because of it.. So I looked into things even more carefully, thoroughly read the ㅂㅈㅇ reviews that occurred at the hospital where I had surgery, and even after taking those into account to some extent, I had surgery because I thought this place would be able to take care of me. (This is something each person may feel differently about, so please only take it as a reference.) In the group chat where I usually stay, I saw many ㅂㅈㅇ reviews and aftercare stories from the famous hospitals mentioned here, and I was honestly quite surprised because there were many hospitals that were 180 degrees different from the image they show. (Please reconsider at least once when it comes to hospitals that are mentioned a lot.) Until the day before surgery, I had personally contacted people who had surgery at the hospital where I went, both satisfied and dissatisfied patients, and had shared reviews with them, so I decided it would still be right to do it and lay down for surgery. Currently, I’m about 80%? satisfied. (I still can’t say anything definitively ㅠㅠ The epicanthoplasty and ptosis correction are honestly lacking, so I plan to get AS for those.) Excluding the epicanthoplasty and ptosis correction, I haven’t had any discomfort with the line or functional aspects so far, and female friends around me have been asking a lot where I got it done because they say it came out well, so I’m living with the thought that the surgery went well. Lastly, I got a lot of information from this cafe, and seeing people suffer after being deceived because of ㅂㄹㅋ made me think, if I really get surgery, I have to post a proper genuine review! I’m posting this because I wanted to share it very honestly. I received a lot of help and information from this cafe, and because of that, I was able to get enough information from the group chat I’m using to make my final decision. I think that was really fortunate, and I wrote this because I hope everyone here can graduate successfully. (I’m sorry if anything made you uncomfortable ㅠ) Lastly, I’ll show before-and-after photos, and I’ll delete the photos when the time comes.
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