Analysis Report

Apex Plastic Surgery

Representative Director Song Hyun-seok In-depth Analysis

Autologous Rhinoplasty Ethical Practice International Patients

Key Insights

Hospital Identity

Apex Plastic Surgery is located near Yeoksam Station in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and holds 'Honest Diagnosis, Honest Plastic Surgery' as its core philosophy. It has an operational policy that emphasizes medical ethics and safety, such as avoiding overtreatment and limiting the number of surgeries per day.

Representative Director Song Hyun-seok

As a board-certified plastic surgeon, he has experience as an outpatient professor at Ajou University Hospital and a clinical fellow at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. He approaches cosmetic surgery based on his experience in reconstructive and microsurgery, and as a holder of a Japanese medical license, he shows strength in attracting Japanese patients.

Key Procedures

Rhinoplasty and revision surgery utilizing autologous tissues (retroauricular fascia, autologous cartilage) are representative procedures. The focus is on non-implant rhinoplasty that minimizes side effects of artificial implants (silicone), natural-looking eye surgery, and facelifts.

Reputation and Characteristics

Trust is secured through direct patient attraction without separate brokers, and it holds high recognition particularly among Japanese patients. It features a 1:1 responsible care system where the representative director is directly involved from consultation to surgery and post-operative care.

원장 프로필

Representative Director Song Hyun-seok

Representative Director Song Hyun-seok is the founder and attending physician of Apex Plastic Surgery. His academic background and clinical experience are key factors determining the hospital's treatment direction, underpinned by a philosophy of 'Honest Diagnosis, Honest Plastic Surgery'.

Education and Major Career

  • Specialist Qualification: Board Certified Plastic Surgeon (March 2, 2009)
  • Academic Position: Outpatient Professor and former Supervising Specialist, Department of Plastic Surgery, Ajou University Hospital
  • Overseas Training: Clinical Fellow at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan (World-class reconstructive and microsurgery center)
  • Previous Workplaces: Head of Plastic Surgery at Anjung Paik Hospital, Director at S Propose Plastic Surgery, Director at UP2C Plastic Surgery
  • Academic Activities: Regular member of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.

Special Note: Japanese Medical License and Global Competence

One of Director Song Hyun-seok's unique credentials is that he holds a Japanese medical license. This implies that he possesses the linguistic and medical ability to directly consult and treat Japanese patients without an interpreter.

This competence has become the foundation for Apex Plastic Surgery to directly attract patients without brokers in the Japanese market and gain high trust, applying the same treatment conditions and cost policies to both locals and foreigners.

병원 정보

Background and Philosophy of Apex Plastic Surgery

Apex Plastic Surgery is a plastic surgery clinic located on Teheran-ro (near Yeoksam Station) in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The hospital name 'Apex' means 'peak', embodying the will to provide the highest value and satisfaction in the field of plastic surgery.

The most distinctive feature of this hospital is its medical philosophy operated under the slogan 'Honest Diagnosis, Honest Plastic Surgery'. Unlike commercial large-scale hospital systems, it values communication with patients and aims to deliver truthful information.

Efforts to preserve the intrinsic value of plastic surgery as the 'Art of Medicine' are observed, such as treating trauma patients without refusal and considering the patient's psychological healing beyond just cosmetic purposes.

Hospital Operation System & Safety Management

  • Daily Surgery Quota System: Director Song Hyun-seok holds a principle of not scheduling more than 3 surgeries per day to maintain the best condition and concentration.
  • Safety and Surveillance: CCTVs are installed inside the operating rooms to relieve anxiety about 'ghost surgeries'.
  • Real-Name System & Direct Operation: Operates a real-name system where the director who consulted directly performs the surgery and takes responsibility for post-operative care.
  • Global Patient Response (No Broker Policy): Despite 1,400 to 1,500 Japanese patients visiting annually, they do not deal with illegal brokers. Medical staff capable of Japanese and English communicate directly, applying the same treatment conditions and cost policies to both locals and foreigners.
  • Trauma & Reconstructive Treatment: Actively treats trauma patients (lacerations, foreign body removal), demonstrating the director's conscience and belief as a doctor.

Location and Office Hours

Address: 3rd Floor, 139-1 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (3-minute walk from Exit 4 of Yeoksam Station)

  • Weekdays (Mon-Fri): 10:00 AM ~ 7:00 PM
  • Saturday: 10:00 AM ~ 4:00 PM
  • Sundays and Public Holidays: Closed

주요 시술

Autologous Rhinoplasty

  • Avoids the use of artificial implants (silicone, Gore-Tex, etc.), emphasizing rhinoplasty utilizing autologous tissue.
  • Uses retroauricular fascia to solve side effects such as contracture (upturned nose), thinning of the skin, and implant visibility.
  • Focuses on non-implant rhinoplasty with autologous dermis or cartilage (ear cartilage, septal cartilage) to create natural lines and lower the risk of long-term side effects.
  • Holds numerous high-difficulty revision surgery cases for contracted noses and upturned nose deformities.

Eye Surgery & Anti-aging

  • Performs natural adhesion double eyelid surgery, ptosis correction, and canthoplasty.
  • Clinical data confirms expertise in sub-brow lifts for the middle-aged and dark circle correction (under-eye fat repositioning).
  • Performs incisional lifting such as SMAS facelifts, and non-surgical anti-aging procedures utilizing thread lifting and Ultraformer.

Trauma and Reconstructive Treatment

  • Actively treats trauma patients (lacerations, foreign body removal, etc.).
  • This is used as a marketing point as a case demonstrating Director Song's "conscience and belief as a doctor," differentiating from general cosmetic plastic surgery clinics.

평판 분석

Quantitative Evaluation

  • Gangnam Unni: Rating 9.3/10 (approx. 1,015 reviews) - High score classified as an 'Excellent Customer Evaluation Hospital'.
  • Sungyesa: Rating 4.3/5 - A significantly positive figure, considering that plastic surgery communities tend to have many critical reviews.
  • WhatClinic: Service Score 8.0/10 (Excellent).

Qualitative Evaluation

Positive Opinions

  • Honest Consultation: Many evaluations state that they do not recommend unnecessary surgeries and suggest only procedures necessary for the patient. Reviews stating "they frankly advise that what is unnecessary is unnecessary" are confirmed.
  • Natural Results: Satisfaction is high among patients who prefer natural lines that fit their face rather than flashy and artificial changes.
  • Language Communication: Foreign patients (especially Japanese and English speakers) highly evaluated the fact that they could feel at ease because the doctor spoke the language fluently.

Limitations and Considerations

  • While there may be some mentions of waiting times or difficulty in making reservations, large-scale complaint cases regarding serious medical malpractice or side effects were not prominent in top search results.
  • It should be noted that individual subjective dissatisfaction (dissatisfaction with shape, etc.) may exist, as with all plastic surgery clinics.

Comprehensive Conclusion

Apex Plastic Surgery and Representative Director Song Hyun-seok demonstrate a model of an 'Artisan-style Clinic', clearly differentiated from 'factory-style large hospitals'.

1. Expertise

Director Song Hyun-seok's experience as a university hospital professor and fellowship at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan proves solid fundamentals in reconstructive and microsurgery.

2. Safety

Insisting on rhinoplasty using autologous tissue and limiting the number of daily surgeries reflects a philosophy that prioritizes the long-term safety of patients.

3. Reliability

Policies such as exclusion of brokers, installation of operating room CCTVs, and avoidance of overtreatment are gaining high trust from patients, leading to positive reputations among domestic and foreign patients.

Therefore, Apex Plastic Surgery is analyzed as a hospital suitable for patients who desire safe and natural results rather than flashy and radical changes, and who value direct care from the representative director. It is a medical institution with strengths especially for patients worrying about revision rhinoplasty or side effects, and patients requiring communication in Japanese.