Planning your trip to Seoul for surgery: the complete checklist

Everything outside the operating room, from flights to pharmacies.

Timeline

Follow the 6-months-to-flight-home timeline. It covers shortlisting, video consults, booking and pre-op tests.

Budget for more than the surgery

Flights (with a change-fee buffer), accommodation, taxis, an interpreter, meds and supplies, food delivery, a SIM/eSIM, and travel insurance that actually covers elective procedures. Most policies don't. Full budget checklist

Where to stay

Base yourself between Sinsa/Apgujeong and Gangnam station for consults, then stay near your clinic for recovery. A hotel with a front desk helps if you're solo. Area guide

Interpreters

Clinic coordinators are helpful, but they work for the clinic. For consultations and consent, some people prefer an independent interpreter. Do you need one?

Getting around and getting help

• Kakao T for taxis (you can register a foreign card)
• Papago app for translating medicine boxes
• Pharmacies (yak-guk, 약국) are everywhere. Useful pharmacy phrases
• Check K-ETA rules on the official site before booking; they change