Key Points Overview
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 emphasizes medical ethics and safety, avoiding overtreatment and limiting daily surgeries.
Director Song Hyun-seok
Dr. Song Hyun-seok, a board-certified plastic surgeon, has experience as an outpatient professor at Ajou University Hospital and a clinical fellow at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. He also holds a Japanese medical license.
Key Procedures
Specializes in rhinoplasty and revision surgery using autologous tissues (retroauricular fascia, autologous cartilage), focusing on non-implant methods for natural eye and facelift results.
Reputation & Care
Builds trust through direct patient engagement, especially with high recognition among Japanese patients. Features a 1:1 responsible care system from consultation to post-op.
Representative Director Song Hyun-seok
Profile & Career Analysis
Education and Major Career
- Specialist Qualification: Board Certified Plastic Surgeon (March 2, 2009)
- Academic Position: Outpatient Professor and former Supervising Specialist at the Department of Plastic Surgery, Ajou University Hospital
- Overseas Training: Clinical Fellow at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan (World-class reconstructive & 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, the Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and the Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association
Special Note: Japanese Medical License & Global Competence
Director Song Hyun-seok holds a **Japanese medical license**, allowing him to directly consult and treat Japanese patients without an interpreter. This unique credential is the foundation for Apex Plastic Surgery to attract patients directly from the Japanese market and gain high trust.
"Competence that ensures seamless communication and care for global patients."
Hospital Information
Location & Office Hours
Address: 3rd Floor, 139-1 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (3-minute walk from Exit 4 of Yeoksam Station)
Office Hours:
- Weekdays (Mon-Fri): 10:00 AM ~ 7:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM ~ 4:00 PM
- Sundays and Public Holidays: Closed
Hospital Philosophy
Apex Plastic Surgery operates under the slogan **'Honest Diagnosis, Honest Plastic Surgery'**. They prioritize communication with patients and aim to deliver truthful information, moving away from commercial large-scale hospital systems.
The hospital makes efforts to preserve the intrinsic value of plastic surgery as the 'Art of Medicine', even treating trauma patients without refusal and considering the patient's psychological healing beyond just cosmetic purposes.
Major Treatment Areas & Procedure Characteristics
Autologous Rhinoplasty
- Director Song Hyun-seok avoids artificial implants (silicone, Gore-Tex) and emphasizes rhinoplasty utilizing **autologous tissue**.
- **Use of Retroauricular Fascia:** Employed to address side effects such as contracture (upturned nose), skin thinning, and implant visibility from conventional L-shaped silicone.
- **Non-implant Rhinoplasty:** Focuses on correcting the bridge and tip with autologous dermis or cartilage (ear cartilage, septal cartilage) to create natural lines and lower long-term side effect risks.
- **Expertise in Revision Surgery:** Handles numerous high-difficulty revision surgery cases, including contracted and upturned nose deformities from other hospitals.
Eye Surgery & Anti-aging
- **Eye Surgery:** Includes natural adhesion double eyelid surgery, ptosis correction, and canthoplasty. Strong clinical data for sub-brow lifts (for middle-aged patients) and dark circle correction (under-eye fat repositioning).
- **Lifting:** Offers incisional lifting such as SMAS facelifts, as well as non-surgical anti-aging procedures using thread lifting and Ultraformer.
Trauma & Reconstructive Treatment
Unlike typical cosmetic plastic surgery clinics in Gangnam, Apex Plastic Surgery actively treats trauma patients (lacerations, foreign body removal, etc.). This commitment is highlighted as a testament to Director Song's "conscience and belief as a doctor."
Reputation Analysis
Positive Opinions
- Honest Consultation: Many evaluations praise the clinic for not recommending unnecessary surgeries and suggesting only what is essential for the patient. Reviews often state "they frankly advise that what is unnecessary is unnecessary."
- Natural Results: High satisfaction among patients who prefer natural lines that complement their face rather than flashy or artificial changes.
- Language Communication: Foreign patients (especially Japanese and English speakers) highly appreciate the doctor's fluency, which allows for comfortable and direct communication.
Considerations
- While some mentions of waiting times or difficulty in making reservations exist, no large-scale complaint cases regarding serious medical malpractice or severe side effects were prominent in top search results.
- It is important to note that individual subjective dissatisfaction (e.g., dissatisfaction with shape) may occur, 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'** differentiated from 'factory-style large hospitals'. It 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 holds particular strengths for patients concerned about revision rhinoplasty or side effects, and for those requiring communication in Japanese.
Expertise
Director Song Hyun-seok's experience as a university hospital professor and fellowship at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan prove solid fundamentals in reconstructive and microsurgery.
Safety
Insisting on rhinoplasty using autologous tissue and limiting the number of daily surgeries reflect a philosophy that prioritizes the long-term safety of patients.
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.