Before I booked anything, my friend told me one thing: "Ask about the CCTV." I had no idea what she meant — but it turned out to be the most important question I asked on my whole Korea trip.
Here's the thing nobody tells you when you're researching clinics online: the photos are always beautiful, the reviews are always glowing, and every clinic claims to be the "best" in Gangnam. What they don't advertise is whether they have CCTV cameras in the operating room.
So why does CCTV matter?
In Korea, there have been documented cases of "ghost surgery" — where a patient goes under anesthesia and wakes up to find out a different doctor (or even a non-doctor) performed the procedure. It sounds like something out of a horror movie, but it's a real issue that Korean media has covered extensively.
Clinics that voluntarily install CCTV in their operating rooms are making a statement: we have nothing to hide. It's not legally required everywhere, but the clinics that have it tend to be the ones that take patient safety seriously.
How I used KBeauty Finder to filter for it
When I was planning my trip, I found KBeauty Finder and noticed you could actually filter clinics by CCTV policy. I filtered for clinics in Gangnam-gu that had CCTV in the OR, English-speaking staff, and an anesthesiologist on site. The list went from overwhelming to manageable instantly.
I ended up booking a consultation at one of the filtered clinics. When I asked about their CCTV policy in person, the staff didn't even blink — they walked me through exactly how it worked and offered to show me the consent form. That kind of transparency made me feel 100x more comfortable.
What to ask before you book
- Does the clinic have CCTV in the operating room?
- Will the same doctor who consulted with me perform the surgery?
- Is there a board-certified anesthesiologist (not just a nurse) on site?
- Can I see the doctor's credentials and before/after photos?
None of these questions are rude. Any clinic worth booking will answer them without hesitation.
If you're planning a trip to Korea for any kind of procedure — even something as minor as a skin treatment — I'd genuinely recommend starting your search on KBeauty Finder. The filters exist for a reason.