Kind service, large chain hospital Gangnam ID Hospital
Sharon
3 days ago
On this trip to Korea for a one-month Long Stay, I not only got to experience Korean culture and food, but also tried Korea’s booming aesthetic treatments. Some procedures are recommended once a month, and you usually need at least three sessions to see more noticeable results, like gold microneedling. So I did my first session right after arriving for this Long Stay, then went again right before leaving Korea a month later, almost exactly a one-month interval.
Even though you can book directly with the clinic, this time I chose to book through Creatrip. The biggest reason is that if you upload your receipt, you get at least 10% back in rewards, and VIP members can even get 15%. You can use these Creatrip rewards on the Creatrip website for other travel activities, tickets, transportation, and even food delivery, Creatrip rewards are an even better deal than tax refunds!
If it’s your first time joining VIP, you also get 50% back right away, which means it starts from just TWD 33.25 for a month! At a price this low, plus even more rewards, I really recommend joining VIP!
Because I wanted to try a different clinic, I chose somewhere different from last time and visited Gangnam ID Hospital for the first time. Gangnam ID Hospital is located inside an office building, and the area nearby is basically a hub for aesthetic clinics. In most buildings, you’ll find several clinics. I chose ID this time not only because the April promos were pretty good, but also because they offer first-visit discounts. Plus, it’s a chain clinic, so it feels like they have a certain scale and the doctors have plenty of experience, which made me feel more at ease.
After I arrived, I told the front desk I had an appointment. They asked to see my passport to verify my name, and as soon as they saw it, the staff explained everything to me in Chinese. Turns out I met a staff member who speaks Chinese. I also saw Japanese customers there, and there were staff members who could speak Japanese as well. Even in the lobby, you can see authenticity certifications displayed around the clinic for various devices, which is really reassuring.
The lobby was fairly standard and comfortable, not like those factory-style places where it’s crowded, noisy, and hectic. They also had tea and coffee available for self-service.
Since I had already filled out what I wanted to do when booking, during the consultation they immediately understood my needs, so I didn’t have to explain everything from scratch. The clinic has a lot of pre-set package deals, and if you want multiple treatments, it can be a great value. But for this visit, I decided I only wanted these three: gold microneedling, Juvelook, and Rejuran. In addition to monthly promo packages, they also have a first-visit discount, so after combining the April deals and the first-visit discount, the price was genuinely pretty good. Even for a large chain dermatology clinic, the discounts were impressive. The consultant was very kind, and they even gave me a post-treatment soothing mask and LED light therapy as a free extra.
After the consultation, it was time to cleanse and apply numbing cream. The cleansing area had all kinds of skincare and cleansing items prepared, plus lockers with combination locks. They even had post-procedure precautions on the wall in multiple languages. Here, the numbing cream was applied while you sit, and they cover you with a plastic sheet mask to prevent it from getting everywhere. But the staff member who applied the numbing cream felt a bit cold and distant, maybe because their English wasn’t great with foreign customers, so they mostly used gestures to show what to do. When the time was up, another nurse took me into the treatment room, had me lie down, and removed the numbing cream. This nurse was much friendlier, and explained that they were opening the gold microneedling tip on the spot, and also unsealing the Rejuran in front of me to confirm it was authentic. I’ve heard of shady clinics swapping out injectables, so having everything opened right in front of you really puts you at ease!
When the doctor arrived, he greeted me very warmly in English, and also knew a few simple Chinese words. Since all the treatments I did this time were invasive and would break the skin, he kept emphasizing that if it hurt too much and I needed a break, I should tell him and he would pause. He was genuinely, extremely kind. While working, he chatted with me to help distract from the pain, and I could tell he’s great at conversation and really thoughtful. Even though the treatments were painful, I felt much more relaxed mentally. When we talked about how I hadn’t eaten lunch yet, he even recommended a good-value restaurant nearby for after I finished. So considerate!
After the treatments, I moved to another bed, where they helped with a face mask and LED light therapy. They also applied skincare products and explained the precautions. When I returned to the front desk, the Chinese-speaking staff member carefully went over the aftercare instructions again. Aside from the staff member who applied the numbing cream, overall the service and experience were very good!
Later, when I saw the doctor introduction on the clinic wall, I realized the person who treated me that day was the chief director. At many hospitals, choosing the chief director often costs extra (I’m not sure whether this clinic charges extra for specifically requesting the chief director). But I didn’t request anyone in particular, so I was really lucky to be treated by the chief director.
