In-depth Analysis Report

Grand Plastic Surgery

Representative Director Lee Se-hwan

Efficiency Advanced Equipment Interdisciplinary Care

Key Insights

Hospital Status and Scale

Grand Plastic Surgery is a large-scale clinic in Sinsa-dong/Apgujeong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Formerly occupying a 21-story exclusive building, it boasts specialized centers and a one-stop medical system.

Representative Director Lee Se-hwan

Dr. Lee Se-hwan, a board-certified plastic surgeon and Hanyang University graduate, trained at Northwestern University Hospital. He performs diverse surgeries and was recently interviewed by The Washington Post.

Major Procedures and Features

Specializes in facial contouring, breast surgery, anti-aging (deep plane face lift), and eye/nose revision surgery. The clinic prioritizes safety with university-hospital-grade equipment and permanently stationed anesthesiologists.

Controversy and Reputation

Past "ghost surgery" controversy under a former director damaged its reputation. Currently, the hospital is rebuilding trust through "real-name surgery" and "CCTV observation" systems, with mixed online community feedback.

Director Lee Se-hwan Profile

Education & Career

  • Graduated from Hanyang University College of Medicine, completed Master's and Ph.D. courses.
  • Board-certified plastic surgeon at Hanyang University Hospital; served as consultant and adjunct professor.
  • Advanced training at Department of Plastic Surgery, Northwestern University Hospital, Chicago, USA.
  • Active member of Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, etc.
  • Served as academic chair of the Minimally Invasive Plastic Surgery Research Group.

Areas of Expertise & Philosophy

  • Extensive surgical experience in facial contouring, breast surgery, eye/nose surgery, and anti-aging (lifting).
  • Recognized globally: Interviewed by *The Washington Post* on Korea's post-COVID-19 plastic surgery trends.
  • Medical Philosophy: Emphasizes "skill" as the most important virtue, focusing on accurately identifying and resolving patient problems.
  • Leads Grand Plastic Surgery as sole representative director, focusing on restoring trust after past controversies.

Hospital Overview & Infrastructure

Location & Scale

Grand Plastic Surgery opened in April 2004, located in a key medical tourism hub in Gangnam-gu, Seoul (currently near Apgujeong Station on Nonhyeon-ro). Around 2013, its Sinsa main branch boasted a 21-story building (6 underground, 15 above ground, 4,300㎡), making it Korea's largest single plastic surgery building at the time. It continues to maintain large-scale facilities.

Medical System & Safety Philosophy

  • **One-Stop Total Medical System**: Comprehensive care from consultation to surgery, recovery, and post-discharge.
  • **Interdisciplinary Cooperation**: Operates with specialists in plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, anesthesiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, and internal medicine.
  • **Safety Infrastructure**: University-hospital-grade safety with uninterruptible power supply (UPS), automated external defibrillators (AED), and advanced monitoring equipment.
  • **Global Medical Services**: Dedicated coordinators and interpretation services for international patients, contributing to "Plastic Surgery Hallyu."

Major Procedures & Clinical Characteristics

Facial Contouring & Orthognathic Surgery

  • **3D Malar Rotation**: Minimizes cheek sagging, enhances dimensionality.
  • **Ensuring Safety**: Precise 3D-CT analysis, nerve pathway identification, collaboration with oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Anti-aging & Lifting

  • **Deep Plane Face Lift**: High-difficulty surgery addressing deeper SMAS layers.
  • **Minimally Invasive Procedures**: Combines non-surgical devices (Thermage, Ulthera) with fat grafting.

Eye/Nose Surgery & Revision

  • **Customized Design**: 1:1 tailored to individual facial proportions, "The Last Surgery."
  • **Functional Rhinoplasty**: Addresses functional problems like deviated septum alongside aesthetics.

Breast & Body Contouring

  • Breast augmentation, correction of sagging breasts, reduction surgeries.
  • Conducted safely under general anesthesia with constant presence of an anesthesiologist.

Reputation Analysis & Current Responses

Positive Reputation & Strengths

  • **Systematic System**: Highly evaluated for its systematic approach to consultation, examination, surgery, and post-operative care.
  • **Rich Clinical Experience**: Accumulation of numerous surgical cases and data over a long operational period, supporting medical staff proficiency.
  • **Global Awareness**: Perceived by foreign patients as a representative plastic surgery clinic in Korea, with high brand awareness.

Considerations & Risks

  • **Stigma of Past Events**: The "Ghost Surgery" incident remains a factor causing hesitation, with some consumers perceiving it as a "factory-style hospital."
  • **Polarization of Ratings**: Mixed evaluations on aesthetic medical platforms, with satisfied reviews coexisting with complaints about results or unfulfilled expectations.

Current Responses & Features for Trust Restoration

Conclusion

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Grand Plastic Surgery, a symbolic hospital that led the industrialization of Korean plastic surgery, is now seeking resurgence under Director Lee Se-hwan. It aims to clear the stigma of past "ghost surgeries" by leveraging advanced medical technologies and reinforced safety systems.

Academically, it serves as a case study demonstrating both the advantages (efficiency, advanced equipment, interdisciplinary cooperation) and disadvantages (past ethical laxity, factory-style concerns) of a "corporate-type medical institution."

For patients, it offers excellent infrastructure and Director Lee Se-hwan's expertise. However, a cautious approach, including verifying the operating surgeon's responsibility, is recommended given its history.

Efficiency
Advanced Equipment
Interdisciplinary Care