I Got Double Eyelid Surgery in Korea. Here's Everything You Need To Know.
A full breakdown of korea’s most popular cosmetic surgery
1 Month After Double Eyelid Procedure
I recently got double eyelid surgery or "Asian blepharoplasty" in Korea. Specifically, I got ptosis correction (medical), double eyelid surgery (cosmetic), and epicanthoplasty (cosmetic).
I knew it was time to get double eyelid surgery because my eyelid shape started getting wonky, especially post-college. I would wake up with different-shaped eyelids every day. It got frustrating because I never knew how I would look each day. Each eye would look different from the other too— some days I had a parallel crease, some days I had a tiny in-line crease, and some days I had no crease but just monolids. The only way I could even them out was if I wore fake eyelashes.
I planned to go to Korea in the fall of 2022 to reunite my Mom with her motherland. While at it, I decided to book consultations since we planned to stay in Gangnam, Seoul (Airbnb) — the heart of plastic surgery clinics in Korea.
I set up 7 consultations at 7 different plastic surgery clinics all of which were in Gangnam. I managed to walk to all of them (some walks were 45 minutes, but I liked the cardio I was getting). Here are the 7 clinics I consulted with:
Other popular clinics that I wish I consulted with: Pop, Thank You, 1mm, and Zestar:
Pop is known for dolly like eyes (bigger double eyelids that are more visible), but favors non-incisional method which isn’t suitable for some potential patients in my opinion.
Thank You clinic is lead by a PhD doctor, and my talks with blog readers who went to him have shown very satisfied patients.
Likewise with 1mm — many satisfied patients though incredibly busy clinic and sometimes douchey doctor.
Update: I’ve heard of possible botch double eyelid surgery cases here.
Zestar has had great, thorough consultations from what I’ve researched and read online and I like their doctors’s before and after photos.
If I could do it again, I would have consulted with: Wink, Yejin, Eyeho, Pop, Thank You, 1mm (?), and Zestar.
I would likely not move forward with 1mm given the recent reportings of botched cases, but I would consider consultations with them if I had time.
I managed to attend all 7 consultations in 3 days. I don’t recommend consulting with this many though. It’s too much (explained more below). I came in primarily to discuss my eyes and to get suggestions of what other areas I can improve.
Let’s break down the entire journey.
Prior To Consultations
Prior to consultations, I did a bit of research of which clinics I wanted to consult with, the design of the eyelids I wanted, and the methods (incisional vs. non-incisional) to achieve that design.
Let’s talk about design first. In general, there are 4 types of eyelid shapes you can have (naturally or through surgery if possible):
In-Line: This is a tapered double eyelid (the double eyelid line tapers in to meet the inner corner) where only the end shows the double eyelid.
In-Out Line: This is a tapered double eyelid where the entire double eyelid is shown (notice how you can see the entire double eyelid line, not just at the ends). Since it is tapered, this double eyelid also tapers in to meet the inner corner.
Semi-Out Line: This is a parallel double eyelid (the double eyelid doesn’t meet/connect with the inner corner, it’s parallel to the lash line — but slightly tapers in) where you can see the entire double eyelid line.
Out-Line: This is a parallel double eyelid where you can see the entire double eyelid and it doesn’t taper into the inner corner at all. This is common in South East Asians (the picture above showcasing the Out Line eye is Lisa’s eye from Blackpink).
Additionally, there is epicanthoplasty as well, which is a common procedure in double eyelid surgery. This is a cosmetic procedure that eliminates the ‘Mongolian Fold’. This results in a lengthened inner corner and is sometimes needed for certain designs (In Out Line, Semi Out Line, and Out Line). You can also cut the middle and outer corner (which also falls under canthoplasty) to elongate the eyes. This procedure is prone to scarring though minimal.
I wanted a semi-out line design because this is the shape I liked the most on my eyes and what I was used to when I applied fake eyelashes.
Now let’s talk about the method. In general, there are 2 methods to achieve double eyelids in Asian eyes. To keep it short, the incisional method cuts the eyelid skin, as the name suggests, and the non-incisional method creates fine needle holes in the eyelid skin as opposed to an incisional cut. Both have pros and cons, but most importantly, the type of eyelid procedure you get depends on the conditions of your eyelids. Not everyone can get the non-incisional method (e.g. those with droopy, thick skin should not get this method).
I suspected I would need incisional method because I have droopy, thick skin.
The clinics I chose to consult with came from…
Recommendations from friends
Reviews on Gangnam Unni (강남언니) — this is a Korean app you can download on your phone. It’s like a Yelp except for plastic surgery clinics and Koreans. Be careful though, some of the reviews can be fake (just like Yelp!). And it’s all in Korean.
Reviews on Naver — like Google Reviews
Reviews on Sungyesa — A limited Korean plastic surgery review site
Admittedly, finding the right plastic surgery clinic/right doctor was the hardest part of this entire journey. There are so many clinics — and I mean MANY — scattered amply throughout Gangnam. I’m talking blocks and blocks of plastic surgery clinics all over the streets.
Building of plastic surgery and beauty clinics in Gangnam, Seoul.
Until this day, I still think finding the right clinic is incredibly hard. Not only do you need to find a doctor that is reputable, skilled, and trustworthy, but you also need to find a doctor that you align with when it comes to the design of your eyelids.
Plastic surgeons are not just doctors, they are artists too and your body and face are their canvas. Their objective is to meet your standards of beauty with their own perception of beauty. Finding a doctor that meets your expectations in skill, trustworthiness, reputation, and artistic sense is no easy feat.
I thought consulting with 7 clinics would help alleviate this challenge because the more the merrier, right? So I thought! Doing this actually made things more complicated. All the different recommendations from different doctors started to distort my decision-making process towards the end. A consultant at one of these clinics actually told me that most patients consult with 3-5 clinics before making a decision. For this reason, I highly recommend just consulting with 3-5 clinics after much research.
Consultations with each clinic
Each clinic followed the standard procedure when it came to consultations:
Set up a consultation appointment 2-3 weeks prior. I set up appointments through KakaoTalk.
Arrive at the clinic for consultation. Some clinics have you talk with their consultant first then the doctor. You share what you want done, your preferred eye design, and which doctor you want to see if there are multiple doctors.
Consult with the doctor. The doctor will probe your eyelids with either an eyelid tool or toothpicks to simulate the designs he or she suggests. This part is usually 10-20 minutes. Some clinics have you pay for these consultations (about 10,000 won or $10). About a third of the clinics I consulted with had me pay a consultation fee.
Then you sit down with their consultant to discuss pricing and set up an appointment date if desired. I often let the clinics know I needed to think about it because I was still consulting with different clinics.
Here’s my experience with each clinic’s doctor and decision:
My Mom came with me to all these consultations since she is fluent in Korean. Some clinics provide in-house translators.
Inique: Professional, calm, and simple. Said semi-out line was possible. He recommended full incision with fat removal, epicanthoplasty, and ptosis correction.
Yejin: Professional, calm, and simple. Said semi-out line was possible. He recommended full incision and epicanthoplasty. Said I did not have fat to remove from my eyelids and that my ptosis was not severe enough to warrant surgery. Reminded me that a little bit of a sausage eye is NOT a bad thing (Sausage eyes is a term Korean plastic surgeons use to refer to permanently swollen puffy eyelids due to the double eyelid fold being too high for the eye). I later realized that he had a point here. More on this below in My Thoughts Post-Surgery section.
Glovi: Rude, impatient, and cocky. Said semi-out line was possible. He recommended non-incision with epicanthoplasty.
Yellow: Professional, calm, and simple. Said semi-outline was possible. He recommended non-incision with epicanthoplasty. Update: As of 1/7/23, I have heard about a botched surgery at this clinic from a recent patient (unable to open eyes fully).
Wink: Professional, calm, and detailed. Only performs eye cosmetic procedures. He spoke fluent English. Had reservations about semi-out line design. Recommended in-out line design, full incision, epicanthoplasty, and ptosis correction. Recommended that I get a forehead/eyebrow lift after this procedure (elsewhere since this doctor only performs eye surgery) since I have thick eyelid skin that will hover over my double eyelids.
Top Face: Professional, calm, and simple. Said semi-out line was possible and said it would suit my face. He recommended full-incision, epicanthoplasty, fat removal, and ptosis correction.
Eyeho: Professional, calm, and detailed. Had reservations about semi-out line design. Recommended in-out line design, full incision, and epicanthoplasty.
In total, all doctors recommended epicanthoplasty and most doctors recommended full incision and said semi-out line was possible.
I HIGHLY recommend you take detailed notes of each consultation. I can’t recall if some of these clinics recommended ptosis correction or not (hence why some mention it and some don’t above). Whip out your phone (take pictures and videos!) and take notes as they talk.
I had an incredibly hard time picking a clinic to proceed with. My top picks were: Yejin, Wink, Top Face, and Eyeho. I particularly liked Wink and Eyeho because they were incredibly detailed, but I didn’t like their suggestions. I didn’t want an in-out line. I wanted a semi-out line, but their reasonings against this design made sense. I wasn’t sure how to move forward.
After a long night of thinking and additional research, I ultimately decided to go with Wink (Dr. Choi). I chose Dr. Choi because I liked his reasonings for his very natural, conservative design that would prevent sausage eyelids. He mentioned that semi-out lines and out line designs are suitable for those who have thin eyelid skin, protruding eyes, and enough eyelid space (distance from brow to eyelid). I have the opposite of all of that — thick eyelid skin, deep-set eyes, and minimal eyelid space — and if I were to go forward with this, I would end up with sausage eyes.
He also told me that the design he suggested (in-line) could be revised in the future if I ever wished to get a semi-out line or higher crease. A semi-out line design isn’t as easy to revise since it’s a bit more invasive (I would have to cut much more of my Mongolian folds and opt for a higher crease).
I was too scared to go with a more irreversible design that can yield unsatisfactory results (e.g. sausage eyes), so I went with the most conservative design. Additionally, I appreciated how patient Dr. Choi was during the consultation. I am incredibly picky and risk-averse, but he was patient through it all which made me trust his work more.
Dr. Choi / Wink Plastic Surgery
I set up the surgery date for 2 days after this consultation date.
DAY OF SURGERY
I wasn’t allowed to drink or eat any food including water 6 hours prior to the arrival time at Wink’s clinic. Once I arrived, we settled in the resting room, got changed, and washed my face with their soap (which really dried out my face), and I had my last and final consultation with Dr. Choi. Usually, this takes just 10 minutes, but I spoke with Dr. Choi for 40 minutes because I was very anal about the design. He was incredibly patient. We settled on the final design, and he reassured me that I do not have to go forth with the surgery (though it was 10 minutes away) if I didn’t feel comfortable. I told him I was going to go forth with it.
We immediately got into surgery after this 40-minute talk. I walked into the operation room that had 2 nurses all prepped and ready. They strapped me down on the operation bed and prepped my face with proper skin/surgery care. My eyes were closed the entire time. K-pop music was playing in the background. It helped calm down my nerves, haha.
Surgery room at Wink
Then Dr. Choi walked in. He starts sketching his design. He’s calm the entire time. Then the nurse tells me she’s going to insert the sedation (up my arm). I got twlight sedation anesthesia (also known as conscious sedation). I began to feel slightly drowsy and relaxed very quickly. I was conscious the entire time and was able to have full conversations with Dr. Choi, yet it felt like I was in a dream.
The entire time I thought Dr. Choi was sketching the design on my eyelids. I eventually felt some uncomfortable tugging on the eyelids, but it was very short and quick. Dr. Choi had me look at him and open and close my eyes several times. And before you know it, surgery was done. Overall, the pain level for this entire surgery was 1 out of 10.
I rested for 30 minutes in their resting room and walked back to my Airbnb in the busy streets of Gangnam. 3 hours later, I walked around the city to get dinner with my Mom.
AFTER SURGERY and RESULTS
I got my eyelids cleaned 3 days post-surgery and stitches out 7 days post-surgery by a Wink’s nurse. She wasn’t gentle with this process and wasn’t the kindest if I had to be honest. It was a tad uncomfortable, but nothing painful. Dr. Choi stopped by quickly (3 minutes max) to check on my eyelids and said everything looked good. That was the last time I saw him. Then I got a light treatment that apparently helps with swelling. I didn’t swell excessively throughout my recovery.
Here are my results.
Immediately after surgery (left) and 3 hours after surgery (middle and right):
3 days after surgery (left and middle) and 7 days after surgery (stitch removal):
Now (2 months after surgery):
My thoughts post-surgery:
Post 6-7 month update below! Read what’s directly below with a grain of salt because I was still recovering at this time:
Overall, I am somewhat satisfied with my results. I say “somewhat” because I’m still recovering (so yes, this blog post will continuously be updated! — update is below) and because I don’t think my double eyelid surgery journey is complete as I may need a forehead/eyebrow lift per Dr. Choi’s suggestion. The eyelid skin is thick and does indeed hover over my double eyelids as Dr. Choi predicted.
Dr. Choi recommended I get a forehead/brow lift post surgery
Admittedly, I have mixed feelings about my decision with picking Dr. Choi. Now, I don’t think Dr. Choi is bad at his job. It’s just that I think I picked a doctor whose style is very natural. I am unsure if my idea of pretty eyelids matches his idea, and I wonder if I played it too safe with him. Why? Well, I’m worried that my crease is getting too small as it heals. When you look at Dr. Choi’s before and after photos, you’ll notice that his designs are VERY conservative and minimal.
…And remember, I wanted a semi-out line design. And Dr. Choi barely has any semi out line work. Additionally, I wanted the double eyelid to show significantly. Y’all see why I am questioning my decisions?
The doctor at Yejin said a little bit of a sausage eye is not a bad thing. I see his point now. Some doctors, from a designing perspective, don’t like ANY sausage eyes (such as Dr. Choi — hence why his work shows very minimal, natural creases) while other doctors, such as the one at Yejin, are okay with a bit more of a bigger crease and a little sausage. Looking back at it, I think I am okay with a bigger crease even if that entails a little bit of a sausage eye (be sure to read the update below; I disagree with my view here now post 7-months. Dr. Choi gave me the highest possible crease for me, explained below).
Some critiques I have for Dr. Choi at Wink (I address these critiques post 7 months below, as my opinions have changed after healing):
I have a little to more than usual scarring on my left eye's inner corner from the epicanthoplasty and a very, very small chip in this same inner corner. Could this have been prevented considering that my right eye has little to no scarring?
Was it really not possible to do a semi-out line? Did Dr. Choi only recommend a tapered design because that’s what he does best considering the majority of doctors said semi-out line was possible?
As the months go by, the double eyelid crease space keeps getting smaller which is concerning. I hope it stops getting smaller. OR perhaps I need to get that forehead/brow lift and stop worrying too much.
I honestly can’t recommend any clinic, in general, because finding the right surgeon is an incredibly hard process, and I don’t think one doctor fits all. You can’t just “go to the one your friend recommended” because she/he had great results. The results really depend on the skills of the doctor (that’s a given), your compatibility with the doctor’s artistry, and luck that you will be 100% satisfied given your eyelids’ conditions.
I still recommend getting a consultation with Dr. Choi though. I think he’s a strong considerable candidate if you want very natural double eyelids.
After surgery. Post 1 month.
Before and after photos. Post 1 month.
Post 6-7 months: It’s been officially 7 months since I had the surgery, and I am very satisfied with how my eyes came out. There is minimal scarring — my incision line healed flawlessly and my epicanthoplasty has very minimal scars (I want to say there is none? If anything, only I can notice a slight discoloration, but it’s only something I can notice IF I tried really hard).
The results Dr. Choi predicted were accurate, and I feel like I made the right choice to do tapered eyelids because I think a semi-outline would have pulled forward my inner corners too much. As Dr. Choi expected, my eyelids are hooding because I have thick eyelid skin.
I got my eyelids checked out by a Korean-American surgeon here in CA, and he confirmed that Dr. Choi did give me the safest, highest crease line, which is what I wanted, and agreed that a forehead lift would be the next step for me if I wanted to address the hooding. This surgeon also agreed with Dr. Choi that there is no fat or skin to remove.
So for the critiques I mentioned earlier, these are my updates:
I have a little to more than usual scarring on my left eye's inner corner from the epicanthoplasty and a very, very small chip in this same inner corner. Could this have been prevented considering that my right eye has little to no scarring?
I have little to no scarring post 7 months. The chip in the inner corner isn’t a chip — it's the way my eyes healed that appears to be a small chip. Not noticeable at all.
Was it really not possible to do a semi-out line? Did Dr. Choi only recommend a tapered design because that’s what he does best considering the majority of doctors said semi-out line was possible?
I’m glad I didn’t get semi-outline. I would have had to pull my inner corners out too much (epicanthoplasty), and there was a reason my gut didn’t go forward with it. I’m so glad I stuck to this gut.
As the months go by, the double eyelid crease space keeps getting smaller which is concerning. I hope it stops getting smaller. OR perhaps I need to get that forehead/brow lift and stop worrying too much.
No, I just have thick skin that hoods over the eyelids. The eyelid crease is actually acceptably high, and I just need to get that forehead lift if I want to address it.
Overall, I give Dr. Choi an 8/10. And I still think plastic surgery is a gamble.
Here are some videos in GIF format to show you how it looks aside from pictures. Overall, I think they look very natural, and I am happy with the results:
My tips if you’re looking into double eyelid surgery:
Research. Research. Research. Yes, it’s a simple surgery, but it’s open to many complications if not done right. Research the aesthetics options, methods, reviews and all of that. Unfortunately you need to be an expert on this too to know what you want. The doctors are here to perform surgeries, not educate (though some do — but minimally). Read different forums, translate the Korean reviews to English (with the platforms I used and mentioned above), and go above and beyond to learn about this surgery.
You need to be mentally and physically healthy for any cosmetic procedure. Please be at least 25 years old (women's bodies changes in their early 20s!). I got this surgery at the age of 26 and only felt ready until then. Be in the best shape of your life. Maximize all your natural beauty before making such a permanent decision. Self-reflect a lot. Please love yourself first. Please refer to this blog post where I discuss the mental aspects of this surgery.
Look at the work of the doctors on their website. Some doctors are very natural and conservative. Some doctors are a bit more colorful and extravagant (e.g. dolly-like eyes). Make sure it aligns with your desires. I think this is where I messed up. Learn from my mistakes.
Each doctor their own preference for designing eyelids. Some are conservative. Some are open to being a bit more dramatic. Understand that because of this, some doctors might have a preference (e.g. remember how I said Pop doctor seems to favor non-incisional?). Don't let that sway you.
Read reviews and read the bad ones, but understand that not all surgeries, even by the best doctor, will produce a 100% satisfaction rate among all patients.
Some clinics do not have any reviews because some doctors do not need to market like that; they make good business just by word of mouth by locals (since they are that good— eg. Yejin).
I find it suspicious when before and after pictures are photoshopped so be wary of reviews that use the same type of photoshopped after photos.
Take notes, pictures, and videos during consultation. You may need to ask if you can take pictures/videos, but I suggest doing do because it helps keep tabs on what the doctors suggest. You can’t mentally remember this all. This will help when picking the clinic you want to move forward with.
Do you speak Korean? If not, ask them if they can provide an English translator when you set up your appointment for consultations. I recommend setting appointments 3 weeks prior at MINIMUM. The earlier the better (2 weeks is OK but popular clinics may be full). You can hire freelance translators, but I have heard issues with this as some take commissions from these clinics.
FAQ
Why did you get the procedure done?
Behind the makeup, I actually had uneven eyelids that were unpredictable. Additionally, I used my forehead to see more due to mild ptosis.
Why did you get it done in Korea?
There are more doctors to choose from, and I find the doctors here more experienced due to the sheer demand for this procedure in Korea. Additionally, I find it much more affordable in Korea.
How much did it cost?
The Korean won to U.S. dollar exchange rate was really good at the time of my trip so I paid about $1,900-$2000 total (approximately 2,800,000 won including VAT/tax).
Tip: Make sure to ask for the tax refund paperwork after you pay. I got back over $200 in cash from the airport because of this (use this tip for any place other than small mom/pop businesses like restaurants you buy purchases from to get the tax money back).
Was it painful post-surgery?
It wasn’t painful during the surgery or after. It was a bit uncomfortable though because I couldn’t wash my eyes for a week, and I had to apply ointment on my eyelids and in my eye.
Does recovery take long?
I personally don't think so. You’ll start looking somewhat normal 2 weeks after the surgery. If you get non-incisional surgery, recovery is even quicker. It takes 6 months for it to fully heal — about 3 months for swelling to stop and 6 months for scars to heal.
What did post-surgery care entail?
Antibiotics for 1 week, no washing eyes for 1 week, 2 types of ointment in my eye and on my eyelid for 1-2 weeks, no makeup or contacts for 2 weeks, and scar gel ointment for 6 months (3x a day). I regularly avoid exposing my eyelids to the sun by wearing a visor and sunglasses. I did not apply anything on my eyelid and incision line for the 6 months I was applying scar gel ointment.
Were you able to go back to work? Did you feel self-conscious about the swelling?
I work remotely so I don’t see people in person. I also wear thick glasses that cover my eyelids. The swelling wasn’t too bad, but yes, I was a little self-conscious about the swelling. I turned off my camera for Zoom meetings for about 2 weeks, but I don’t think anyone would have noticed.
Is it easy to get a translator?
Somewhat. Some clinics have a hired translator on site, especially for clinics that attract a lot of foreigners. Glovi had a translator for example. Some clinics don’t because they cater to locals. I would call ahead and ask because some clinics are willing to arrange a translator.
Was it worth it? Any regrets?
Yes, it was worth it! It’s great to wake up with even eyelids and not have to wear fake eyelashes anymore. While it’s not entirely perfected yet, I feel much more confident. Despite my critiques, I don’t have any regrets about the surgery. I chose the safest design that can be adjusted if desired. If I chose a more dramatic design, fixing the design would be much more challenging. I do wish I consulted with other clinics though, such as Pop, Thank You, 1mm, and Zestar clinic. These are clinics I learned about post-surgery that I wish I knew about.
I just got double eyelid surgery, and I am so worried the crease is too large. Any tips?
Don’t fret. For incisional surgery, you will be swollen for about 3 months post-surgery. I was most swollen for 2 months. After that, my eyelids slowly got smaller, and then one day, I worried it was getting too small (at the 2.5 month mark). Swelling will stop at around 3 months. You will get a sense of what it will look like at 2.5 months. Don’t worry at all before.
Was this surgery sponsored or paid by Wink?
No, though I wish haha. I stumbled upon Wink randomly one night while researching for clinics I wanted to get consultations from on Gangnam Unnie (Korean app that reviews plastic surgery and beauty clinics). I got the procedure done like any other patient would — I did not tell Wink, Dr. Choi, or anyone there that I would review them on my blog or social media platforms.
I hope you found this helpful! If you have any more questions, I am more than happy to help — just DM me on Instagram (linked below). Also, check out my TikTok to see videos of this surgery.
Cheers,
Sarah
