I had my first nose surgery in March last year (2018). At the time, I hardly looked at apps like Babitalk or Gangnam Unni, and searched Naver cafes like crazy (seriously, all week long lol) I filtered out overly famous clinics + clinics with review comments that looked obviously fake, and ended up narrowing it down.
I picked exactly 5 places for consultations: Conopi / S-Top / Kim Sang Bum / Yejin / Oh Seung Hoon. It was a year ago, but I remember all the consultation details because it was my first surgery so I was extremely cautious, and at the time I was truly obsessed with nose surgery, so everything is vivid. First, I had a short bulbous nose with a nasal bridge that was basically zero, and I wasted so much money on regular filler and MISKO procedures ㅠㅠ (seriously, if I’d saved all that money, I could’ve paid for nose surgery and still had money left) I always had “nose surgery, nose surgery” on my lips.
I don’t know if this will help, but I’ll briefly share my first-surgery consultation reviews.
1. Director Kim Jun-mo at S-Top The consultant was really beautiful and kind. There was no pressure to pay a deposit, just one text asking if I was still thinking about it? The director had presence and spoke realistically. He said he absolutely does not do more than 2 or 3 surgeries a day. He said dramatic improvement of a bulbous nose is not possible. He said I would need at least 4 mm of silicone. For the nasal tip, he would use septal cartilage + ear cartilage. The before-and-after photos were not as dramatic as he said, but they did look clearly improved, and although he is not a board-certified plastic surgeon, he is an ENT specialist, so I trusted him and somehow found him reliable. They said they could process it through indemnity insurance, and the price was in the mid-3 million won range (about 1 million won refundable through insurance).
2. Kim Sang Bum Plastic Surgery The clinic was large, and the desk consultant was kind. The director was very kind and the type to explain in detail. However, they said the surgery would be done not under sedation, but under local anesthesia, so I would be awake throughout the surgery. They said during surgery they would try inserting different silicone implants so the patient could choose the one they liked directly. In one way, this has the merit that I could immediately see my nose height or shape and choose myself, but I really had no confidence about being awake during surgery ㅠㅠ and I also had no confidence about waking up and looking at that (of course, they said it wouldn’t be in some gruesome state I might imagine, but in a stitched? clean state). But the review photos really weren’t the feeling I had in mind; the nasal bridge looked a bit strong, so I think I hesitated. People who like a high nose might like going for a consultation. The price was in the low-3 million won range.
3. Director Lee Yejin at Yejin The consultant was a bit older and just so-so. She didn’t really seem like the type who is good at sales? The director was really gentle, calm, and explained in detail. Her style definitely isn’t flashy, and she seemed like the type who prioritizes safety the most. Rather than being tempted by a pretty shape right away, overdoing surgery, and regretting it, she seemed to prefer operating naturally so it lasts a long time without side effects. But the review photos were too natural, and the bulbous nose improvement didn’t seem that great ㅠㅠ The price here was also in the low-3 million won range.
4. Oh Seung Hoon Small scale, and I don’t really remember the consultant. This place is not as famous as I expected, but it has some word of mouth, and I went because an acquaintance recommended it (that acquaintance was recommended by an acquaintance, and that acquaintance by another acquaintance). The director firmly said he does not do more than 1 surgery a day. I liked this part the most. He also spoke realistically, but he seemed very confident. This much is not possible? But I’m confident I can do this much. That kind of vibe. But for a first surgery, the price was too expensive ㅠㅠ Over 4 million won.
5. Director Jung Tae-young at Conopi (I had surgery here) The consultant was calm but had a very professional aura. Soft charisma. She explained things so well and made me feel comfortable. Like S-Top, the director is also an ENT specialist. I went here because the reviews were very good too, and the director’s impression was really good. He didn’t bluff, and seemed like the type who pursues both shape and safety. He said I would need at least 4 mm of silicone and would use ear cartilage and septal cartilage. Indemnity insurance was possible, and it was in the mid-3 million won range (about 1 million won refunded). When you go to consultations, there’s a place where you strongly feel, “This is it,” and for me, I think it was here. I just thought, I want to do it here.
I booked right away, and that’s how I had my first nose surgery!
The result is 75% satisfaction!
First, I had absolutely no functional issues like inflammation/contracture, and from about 4 months on, it almost felt like my own nose. I lived without discomfort.
Shape-wise, the nasal bridge definitely came alive, but the nasal tip didn’t improve as dramatically as I expected. Friends who don’t know can’t tell when I mention it, and friends who know say it definitely changed. But honestly, even when I look at my before photos, it definitely did change lolololol I think it’s hard to be 100% satisfied with a bulbous nose after one surgery. That said, I don’t regret choosing the clinic for my first surgery! My current nose shape isn’t bad. It’s pretty okay overall.
But now that 1 year and 6 months have passed, I’m looking into revision surgery. Actually, people around me say I don’t need to do it, but I’ve gotten a bit more ambitious about the nasal tip. I went around for revision consultations today, and I’ll leave a review soon!
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