Foreign national patients flock to Korea’s dermatology clinics, rising 117-fold in 15 years

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The number of foreign patients visiting Korean dermatology clinics has skyrocketed over the past decade and a half, making skin treatments the most sought-after form of care among overseas visitors to South Korea’s hospitals.

According to statistics provided by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute on Thursday, 705,044 patients of foreign nationality received dermatology treatments in Korea in 2024. This marks a 117-fold increase from 2009, when just 6,015 foreign patients sought dermatology care.

While the overall number of foreign nationals seeking medical services in Korea rose 19-fold over the 15-year period, the surge in dermatology care has outpaced every other field. In 2024, dermatology accounted for 56.6 percent of all foreign national patients, up from just 9.3 percent in 2009.

The shift has been especially notable in recent years.

Until 2019, medical clinics specializing in internal medicine held the largest share of foreign national patients at 19.2 percent, followed by plastic surgery at 15.3 percent and dermatology at 14.4 percent.

Kim Kardashian receiving a skincare procedure in Korea (Screenshot from Kardashian's Instagram)

By 2023, however, dermatology overtook both fields to become the top specialty for international visitors.

Last year, plastic surgery accounted for 11.4 percent of all foreign national patients, while internal medicine and health screening centers accounted for 10 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively.

According to the institute’s data, Japanese nationals made up the largest group of dermatology patients at 43.7 percent. This was followed by Chinese patients at 24.4 percent, Taiwanese patients at 9.6 percent, American patients at 5.7 percent and Thai patients at 3.5 percent.

Meanwhile, a recent series of posts by American celebrity Kim Kardashian on Instagram drew attention in Korea as she shared the dermatological treatments she received during her visit to Seoul.

Through her Instagram posts, Kardashian revealed she visited multiple dermatology clinics in Yongsan-gu in central Seoul and Gangnam-gu in southern Seoul, accompanied by her sister, Khloe Kardashian.