English Speaking Dermatologist Seoul: What to Check Before You Book
Two dermatologists who have known each other for 30 years explain what to check before you book a skin clinic in Seoul from abroad.
English speaking dermatologist Seoul: how do you find one?
Hello, I'm Dr. Won Woo Choi, a board-certified dermatologist and Chief Director at WELLS Clinic in Apgujeong, Seoul. I trained and completed my residency at Seoul National University Hospital, where I also earned my Ph.D. in dermatology. Patients abroad often search for an "English speaking dermatologist Seoul" and ask me how to choose one; this article is based on my YouTube video from October 2026 above.
My short answer: check two things, that you can follow the consultation in English, and that the dermatologist you talk to is the one who treats you. For a visitor with a few days in Seoul, the choice I trust is a clinic where a board-certified dermatologist examines you, explains the plan in a language you understand and performs the treatment.
The video is a relaxed one. While I give my colleague Dr. Won Sin Lee his Thermage, we talk about why we became dermatologists and how long we have known each other. Underneath the jokes, it shows the things I would check in any clinic.
Who should treat you: a dermatologist, in person
In the video I hold the handpiece myself, and Dr. Lee tells me how each pass feels. On the 4.0 tip he describes it starting as a gentle warmth, then a wave of heat once we pass about 50 shots, then easing off again. I adjust as he talks, and we work through about a hundred shots on one side.
That back-and-forth is the point, and it is why language matters. A dermatologist who performs the treatment can read your feedback and change the energy or the area as they go, but only if you can tell them what you feel. It is also why we keep you awake: at the level we were using, Dr. Lee joked that he didn't need any sedation at all.
We also admit in the video that Thermage is one of the longest treatments we do, at least 30 minutes in a fixed posture, and it leaves our necks and shoulders sore. It is hands-on work, and at WELLS it stays with the dermatologist.
Thermage MAX
- What it is
- Thermage FLX radiofrequency combined with a skin-microbiome test, AQ MAX infusion and a collagen-peptide serum, the WELLS Thermage MAX protocol shown in the video.
- How it works
- A board-certified dermatologist performs the treatment in person. Two bottles of AQ MAX (alanyl-glutamine) are infused before the RF treatment, and a collagen-peptide serum is applied as the handpiece works.
- Sessions
- One session; the number of shots (600 or 900) is set at consultation, and the microbiome test can be repeated when you return a year later.
- Recovery
- Confirmed at consultation. No deep sedation and no fasting; you can drive afterwards.
- Price
- 600 shots ₩3,465,000 · 900 shots ₩4,477,000 (VAT excluded)
Why patients fly in for it
- Board-certified dermatologists consult and perform treatments themselves.
- Consultations in English, with English, Chinese and Japanese interpreters on staff.
- Genuine Thermage tips, with a ten-times refund if a tip is ever found not to be genuine.
Not sure which treatment fits your trip? Send a photo and your dates on WhatsApp, and our team will reply in English.
Message on WhatsAppExperience you can check before you fly
Dr. Lee and I met about 30 years ago as residents. Seoul National University Hospital, Asan Medical Center and Samsung Medical Center held joint 8 a.m. conferences, and that is where we got to know each other. We became board-certified dermatologists in 2003, and in 2008 we co-founded WELLS in Apgujeong.
Neither of us chose dermatology for lasers. When we trained, there were few of the devices clinics advertise today; we chose it to treat skin disease, and we both said we would choose it again. You can read each doctor's training and positions on our dermatologist profiles. Questions worth asking any clinic before you book:
- Is the doctor who treats me a board-certified dermatologist, and will I meet them at the consultation?
- Can I follow the consultation in English, or is an interpreter available?
- Which device and tip will be used, and can I see it during treatment?
- Is the price published in won, and is it confirmed before anything starts?
How WELLS works for international patients
Language comes first. Consultations at WELLS are available in English, and English, Chinese and Japanese interpreters are on staff; other languages go through our in-house AI interpreter app. Replies on WhatsApp are in English, so you can plan the whole visit without a translator.
- A board-certified dermatologist consults and performs your treatment.
- Genuine Thermage and Ultherapy tips only; if a tip is ever found not to be genuine, we refund ten times the treatment price.
- No deep sedation for lifting: Air NOX with local anesthetic keeps you awake, with no fasting.
- Prices are listed in Korean won and exclude 10% VAT; the dermatologist confirms the plan and final price before treatment.
The treatment in the video, Thermage MAX, is ₩3,465,000 for 600 shots or ₩4,477,000 for 900 shots (VAT excluded). Other options are on our lifting and anti-aging page.
Planning your visit to a skin clinic in Seoul
Send a clear photo, your concern and your travel dates on WhatsApp. We reply in English with options and appointment times, and the dermatologist confirms the plan at the clinic. If you are still comparing clinics, our guide to foreigner friendly skin clinics in Seoul covers the practical side.
WELLS is on the 8th floor of the Apgujeong Building, about five minutes on foot from Apgujeong Station (Line 3), Exit 3. We are open Monday to Friday 10:00–20:00 and Saturday 10:00–17:00, closed on Sundays and public holidays. Results vary from person to person, and every plan starts with a dermatologist consultation.
Want Dr. Choi to look at your skin?
Send a photo and your travel dates on WhatsApp. We reply in English.
Message on WhatsAppQuestions about this video
English speaking dermatologist Seoul: can I consult in English at WELLS?
Yes. Consultations at WELLS are available in English, and English, Chinese and Japanese interpreters are on staff. Replies on WhatsApp are in English too.
What else should I check when choosing a skin clinic in Seoul?
That a board-certified dermatologist consults and treats you in person, that genuine device tips are used and you can see them, and that prices are confirmed before treatment starts.
Who performs Thermage at WELLS?
A board-certified dermatologist. In the video, Dr. Choi performs Thermage on Dr. Lee himself, adjusting as Dr. Lee describes the heat.
Will I be sedated?
No deep sedation is used for lifting treatments. Air NOX with local anesthetic keeps you awake, no fasting is needed, and you can drive afterwards.
This article explains general medical information from the video. It is not a diagnosis; results vary by person and are decided in consultation.
