Analysis Report

Woori Plastic Surgery

Lim Pyeong-jin, Head Surgeon In-depth Analysis

Facial Contouring Safety System Elite Surgeon

Key Points

Institution Overview

Woori Plastic Surgery is a large plastic surgery clinic located in Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (near Seolleung Station), featuring a specialized medical staff system by field and resident anesthesiologists.

Head Surgeon Lim Pyeong-jin

A graduate of Seoul National University College of Medicine who served as a plastic surgery specialist and outpatient professor at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, known as an authority in facial contouring and orthognathic surgery.

Key Procedures

Facial contouring surgeries such as 3D cheekbone reduction and square jaw reduction, along with specialized anti-aging procedures like 'Eye-Forehead Lift (Endotine Forehead Lift + Eyelid Correction)' are key competitive advantages.

Safety System

To resolve anxiety about ghost surgery (shadow doctors) common in the plastic surgery industry, they actively market real-name systems, CCTV operation, and emergency safety management systems (UPS, Dantrolene possession, etc.).

In-Depth Analysis of Head Surgeon Lim Pyeong-jin

Education and Board Certification

Head Surgeon Lim Pyeong-jin graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine, considered the most prestigious medical school in Korea. Afterward, he obtained a master's degree from the University of Ulsan College of Medicine and completed his internship and residency at Asan Medical Center, a major general hospital in Korea, obtaining his board certification in plastic surgery. This educational background acts as a key factor in providing high reliability to patients.

  • Graduate, Seoul National University College of Medicine
  • Master's Degree, University of Ulsan College of Medicine
  • Internship & Residency, Asan Medical Center
  • Board Certified in Plastic Surgery

Major Career and Academic Activities

Dr. Lim accumulated diverse clinical experience after obtaining his specialist license. His major career highlights are as follows:

  • Outpatient Professor, Department of Plastic Surgery, Asan Medical Center: Possesses clinical and educational experience at the university hospital level.
  • Former Chief of Plastic Surgery, Ulsan University Hospital: Experienced administrative and medical leadership as a department chief in a general hospital.
  • Former Director, Wiz Plastic Surgery: Accumulated practical experience in private practice.
  • Current Representative Director, Woori Plastic Surgery: Currently leads the clinic's facial contouring center and serves as the head surgeon.

Additionally, he is active as a regular member of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, the Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and the Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, participating in academic research and exchanges on the latest surgical trends.

Specialized Fields and Philosophy

Dr. Lim Pyeong-jin's main fields of practice are Facial Contouring and Rhinoplasty. In particular, he possesses many years of clinical experience in high-difficulty surgeries dealing with bones, such as cheekbone reduction, square jaw surgery, and genioplasty. He advocates a philosophy of "promising the best procedure with know-how accumulated through years of facial contouring surgery," emphasizing the balance between functional safety and aesthetic improvement.

Institutional Analysis of Woori Plastic Surgery

Hospital Overview and Location

Woori Plastic Surgery is located at Vision Tower, 312 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Situated near Exit 4 of Seolleung Station, accessibility is excellent.

The hospital provides large-scale medical services by using multiple floors of the building:

  • 3rd Floor: Research Center
  • 5th Floor: Sleep Surgery Center
  • 7th Floor: General Anesthesia Surgery Center
  • 11th Floor: Beauty Clinic
  • 16th Floor: Consulting Center
  • 17th Floor: Treatment Center

Medical Staff Composition and Cooperative System

Woori Plastic Surgery is a large clinic with approximately 10 to 13 specialists residing by field, including Head Surgeons Kang Byung-soo and Kim Sung-chan, in addition to Head Surgeon Lim Pyeong-jin.

  • Joint Representative Director System: Directors with distinct sub-specialties such as Kang Byung-soo (Eyes/Lifting/Breast), Kim Sung-chan (Eyes/Breast), and Lim Pyeong-jin (Contouring/Nose) have established a cooperative system.
  • Resident Anesthesiologists: Anesthesiology specialists such as Directors Lee Young-rong and Kang Ju-eun reside in the hospital and oversee anesthesia safety throughout the entire surgical process. This is one of the most critical safety factors patients consider.

Medical Departments and Center Operations

  • Facial Contouring/Orthognathic Center: Led by Dr. Lim Pyeong-jin (Cheekbone, Square Jaw, Chin Tip).
  • Eye/Nose Surgery Center: Ptosis correction, Canthoplasty, Nose revision, etc.
  • Breast/Body Center: Breast augmentation/reduction, Liposuction, Abdominoplasty.
  • Anti-aging/Lifting Center: Facelift, Mini facelift, Eye-Forehead lift.
  • Men's Plastic Surgery & Petit Clinic: Men-only surgery and non-surgical treatments like Botox and fillers.

Key Procedures and Technical Characteristics

3D Facial Contouring Surgery (Specialty of Dr. Lim Pyeong-jin)

Facial contouring surgery led by Dr. Lim Pyeong-jin focuses on precise analysis and safe fixation.

3D Cheekbone Reduction

Unlike existing quick zygoma reduction, this method involves incisions inside the mouth and sideburns to reduce the 45-degree cheekbone and side cheekbone simultaneously. After cutting the bone, it is rotated and moved to enhance the three-dimensional effect, and double fixation techniques are applied to prevent nonunion (bone not healing) and cheek sagging.

3D Square Jaw Reduction

A 'long curved resection' is performed, cutting in a long curve from the jawbone under the ear to the front chin to prevent secondary angles (stair-step phenomenon). If necessary, cortical bone resection (reducing bone thickness) and masseter muscle reduction (reducing muscle) are performed in parallel to maximize the frontal effect.

Eye-Forehead Lift (Specialized Anti-aging)

The 'Eye-Forehead Lift', a key marketing point for Woori Plastic Surgery, is a procedure combining forehead lifting and eyelid correction.

Concept

The muscle that pulls down the eyebrows (corrugator muscle) is resected, and the dissection range is widened to the eyebrow bone to improve forehead wrinkles and drooping eyelids simultaneously.

Advantages

Unlike general forehead lifts that simply pull the skin, it is explained that using an endoscope to solve the root cause while preserving nerves extends the duration of the effect and lowers the recurrence rate.

Safety and Anesthesia Systems

To prevent safety accidents, a chronic problem in large plastic surgery clinics, the following systems have been established.

  • 1:1 Dedicated Anesthesia System: An anesthesiology specialist monitors the patient exclusively from pre-operative consultation to recovery.
  • Emergency Safety Equipment: University hospital-level safety systems equipped with 'Dantrolene' (therapeutic agent for malignant hyperthermia), UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) that supplies power during outages, cardiac defibrillators, and emergency kits.
  • Real-Name System and CCTV: To prevent shadow doctors (ghost surgery), a surgical real-name system is implemented, and it is emphasized that a system is in place allowing patients to check the surgical process upon request.

Reputation and Market Reaction Analysis

Positive Evaluations

  • High Accessibility and Systematic System: Records numerous reviews and high ratings (9.2~9.6/10) on cosmetic medical information apps like Gangnam Unni and Yeoshin Ticket. Patients positively evaluate the clinic's location, cleanliness, and systematic consultation process.
  • Natural Results: In reviews of Dr. Lim Pyeong-jin's facial contouring surgeries, satisfaction is high among patients who prefer "natural lines that are not excessive."
  • Quality of Consultation: Comments indicate that not only the consultation managers but also the surgeon himself honestly explains bone structure and surgical limitations.

Negative Evaluations and Concerns

  • Wait Times: Due to the nature of a large hospital, complaints about long wait times even with reservations are raised.
  • Factory-type Hospital Image: Since it is a large hospital attracting many medical staff and patients, some patients express concerns about receiving a mechanical 'factory-type' feeling rather than attentive care.
  • General Anxiety about Ghost Surgery (Shadow Doctors): While definitive evidence directly linking Woori Plastic Surgery to ghost surgery incidents was not found, patients tend to constantly inquire and verify this due to distrust in large Gangnam plastic surgery clinics in general. The hospital actively promotes CCTV installation and the real-name system in response to this.

Fact Check Regarding Medical Accidents

News related to medical accidents (deaths, etc.) in Gangnam's 'W Plastic Surgery' or 'G Plastic Surgery' around 2014-2015 can be found, but these often refer to specific hospitals (e.g., Grand, Wonjin, etc.), so it is difficult to conclude there is a direct connection to Woori Plastic Surgery. However, there is a possibility that patients may be confused due to issues at hospitals where Dr. Lim Pyeong-jin previously worked or hospitals with similar initials. Currently, Woori Plastic Surgery is pursuing a strategy of building trust by presenting concrete safety systems (Dantrolene, UPS, etc.) rather than claiming a 'accident-free' title.

Conclusion and Comprehensive Suggestions

Woori Plastic Surgery demonstrates the archetype of a 'systematized large hospital' in the Gangnam plastic surgery market. Head Surgeon Lim Pyeong-jin is analyzed as a specialist who followed an elite course from Seoul National University College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center, pursuing stable techniques and natural results in the field of facial contouring.

Comprehensive Characteristics

1. Professionalism

Dedicated medical staff for each field (contouring, eyes, nose, breast, etc.) are clearly distinguished, allowing for specialized treatment.

2. Safety

Efforts are made to alleviate patient anxiety by having resident anesthesiologists and university hospital-level emergency systems.

3. Convenience

It provides excellent accessibility and a one-stop medical system, but long wait times are a part that must be accepted.

Suggestions for Patients