People from neighboring countries flock to South Korea for plastic surgery from their top doctors. These surgeons are exceptionally skilled, almost to the extent that many patients undergo such drastic transformations that their faces no longer match the ones on their identification documents.
Can you imagine walking into the DMV and telling them you need a new ID because you got a new face? That would certainly be a unique experience.
From Sonagi:
When these individuals are ready to return home after their procedures, they sometimes find that they no longer resemble their passport photos. As reported by Korean websites Onboa and Munhwa, to address this issue, some Korean hospitals have begun issuing “plastic surgery certificates” for overseas visitors. These certificates, which include details like the patient’s passport number, the length of their stay, and the hospital’s official seal, are meant to help these travellers clear immigration without hitches.
This trend started about three years ago but has seen a significant uptick recently. The Korea Times highlighted the surge in Chinese medical tourism to South Korea, attributing it partly to mistrust in the Chinese medical system. Plastic surgeon Park Byong-choon commented on the phenomenon, noting that events like the tragic death of a young singer after a procedure in China have made many wary of undergoing surgery closer to home.
The rise in medical tourism is evident in the numbers. In 2011, South Korea welcomed 2,545 medical tourists. By last year, that figure had ballooned to 25,176 visitors.
This is truly unbelievable.
Can you imagine standing in the airport with a completely different face, trying to explain the situation to security?
It's almost too fantastical to believe...
