Hello, everyone! I’m Hyeeum, and I love traveling all over Korea.
I recently had a comprehensive health checkup at KMI through Creatrip.
If you’re curious about how it works, keep reading! I’m going to break down everything from the prep the day before, the actual checkup day, to what happens afterward. Let’s get into it!
📅 The Day Before: Prep Mode
Since the Standard Package includes a gastroscopy (stomach endoscopy), diet control the day before is super important.
"Fasting for at least 8 hours before the exam is MANDATORY."
- Morning Exam: Finish all meals by 8:00 PM the night before.
- Afternoon Exam: Finish all meals by 12:00 AM (midnight) the night before.
- Important: You cannot drink water during the fasting period!
I almost messed up big time out of habit—I nearly reached for my morning coffee! 😱
Apparently, coffee can stain the stomach lining, making it difficult to get an accurate reading during the endoscopy.
🚫 Avoid these foods starting the day before your exam:Water, gum, candy, cigarettes, coffee, colored beverages, and dairy products.
👩🦰 A Note for the Ladies:Urine tests and gynecological exams are only possible 7 days after your period ends. Also, availability for certain tests changes if there is a possibility of pregnancy or if you are breastfeeding. I highly recommend chatting with the Creatrip Buddy service before booking to clear everything up.
💊 Taking Medication? If you take regular medication, please consult your prescribing doctor beforehand to decide on a dosage plan for the exam day.If you are adding a Colonoscopy or CT scan, the prep is a bit different. You can check the details on the creatrip reservation page.
🏥 D-Day: The Checkup
When you arrive at the KMI Center, head to the kiosk and hit the "Registration" button to get a number ticket. When your number pops up on the screen, head to the reception desk. The staff will guide you through the tests you’ll be doing and hand you a locker key and a pink RFID necklace tag.
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The changing rooms and restrooms are in the same area. I changed into the provided gown and slippers.
Pro Tip: Leave your necklaces and earrings in the locker. You have to take them off for MRIs or CT scans anyway, so it saves you the hassle later.
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Once you're changed, head to the Information desk. The staff will ask you to tap your pink card on the blue tag reader. This logs your info into their system. They will then tell you the room number for your first test. All the rooms are numbered clearly, so it’s really easy to navigate.
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You have to tag your card at the machine located below the room number at every station. I started with a physical measurement at Room 1 and a vision test at Room 3. (I got LASIK 5 years ago, and my vision is surprisingly still great! 👀)
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Room 13 is for Blood Pressure. Note that after you finish one test, the staff member there will tell you exactly which number to go to next.
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Right next to the BP station is the blood collection area. Since the package covers so many test items, they took about 5 vials of blood. 🩸
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The hearing test station is tucked a bit further inside—go straight and turn right. You enter a small booth and press a button whenever you hear a beep.
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Next was the Electrocardiogram (ECG). I had to take my top off for this, so no photos! I skipped the bone density test since I’m still young, but if you want it regardless of age, just tell them you want to do it.
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For Ultrasound and Chest X-ray, you need to remove your bra. I completely forgot and had to go back to the locker—I recommend just leaving your underwear in the locker from the start!There was a bit of a wait for the ultrasound. You just chill on the sofa until your name and room number appear on the screen(second photo). The sonographer was incredibly thorough, which felt very reassuring.
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Almost done! I went back to the main Info desk to get the urine test kit. The restroom is a bit further past the changing room. I collected the sample and placed it in the designated box inside the restroom.
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Finally, the last test, gastroscopy! By this point, I was absolutely starving.
- First, you go to the prep area (first photo) to get an IV line inserted in your arm for the anesthesia.
- You wait on the sofa with the needle in your arm until they call your name.
- Once inside, they administer the anesthesia, and I literally fell asleep instantly. I don’t remember a thing!
The Result:
I got my results today... Chronic Gastritis😭 I have a bad habit of eating greasy food and going straight to sleep, so honestly, the results seem pretty accurate.
I felt really satisfied that I was able to get all the comprehensive tests I wanted done within just three hours. I didn’t expect to find any issues because I thought I was too young for a health checkup. But the results showed that I actually do have a few things to pay attention to. I’m 26, and I think this might be a great age to start getting regular health checkups.
You might be curious about the cost. The standard program I reserved was KRW 500,000. You can add extra tests such as CT scans, MRI, colonoscopy, etc., or choose other programs that already include CT or MRI. For more details, check the KMI page on Creatrip. Also, if you reserve through Creatrip, you can get 20,000 points. I used the points when I reserved a skin clinic in Korea. It’s really easy to make a reservation, and the CX team responded to me super quickly.
Overall, it was absolutely worth investing just three hours to catch potential problems early and prevent more serious issues in the future!
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