Kowon plastic surgery with Freqty
If you’re thinking about getting surgery in Korea, the process can feel like a lot. I just finished my journey there and wanted to share how it went to help anyone else looking to do the same.
I used a medical concierge called Freqty, and my coordinator was Sumin. From the very beginning over WhatsApp, she was so fast at replying and super friendly. She handled all the bookings and made sure any questions I had for the clinics were answered right away.
I flew to Korea in early April, and Sumin booked my consultations at Topface, Braun, and Kowon. She was incredibly thorough. She didn't just translate, she actually explained what the doctors meant, gave me her honest opinion on each clinic, and even proactively helped me ask for discounts. She also helped me set up a skin booster session at a separate dermatology clinic.
Why I Chose Kowon & My Procedures
I ended up picking Kowon because I felt the most comfortable with the doctor there. During our talk, the doctor asked for reference pictures to see what I liked, but at the end of the day, I told him to just do what would suit my face best.
He took photos of my face and edited them right in front of me to show what I’d look like. He answered all my questions, and I just felt like we were a good match. We decided on a comprehensive plan to get the best result:
Bridge & Tip: Diced costal (rib) cartilage for the nose bridge, and autologous costal cartilage for the tip.
Tip Plasty & Bulbous Nose Correction: To refine the tip and shape it nicely.
Alar Reduction: To narrow the nostrils and base.
Lifting the Base of the Philtrum: To balance the overall proportions of my nose and upper lip.
Surgery Day & Experience
Sumin handled all my transport from the airport to the hotel and to the clinic.
Once I got to the clinic, I changed into surgery clothes and did a face wash. The staff took photos of my face for their internal reference, and then I went through all the risks, details, and aftercare instructions with the manager. After that, I had one last final consultation with the doctor to go over everything and answer any remaining questions.
When it was time for the OR, Sumin stayed with me to explain what the nurses were doing, which really helped my anxiety. Everything moved fast—disinfecting, prepping—and then I was asleep.
Recovery: What to Expect
Recovery was actually shockingly easy. My nose didn’t feel any pain at all immediately after the surgery! Since I used my own rib, I had to wear a rib brace for a week.
The First 3 Days: This was the only "painful" part. I’d feel a sharp pain in my rib area if I moved the wrong way—like getting out of bed or shifting positions. On Day 3, when my nose packing was removed, I realized there was actually a drainage tube attached to the rib area to help with the blood. That tube was definitely what was causing the sharp pain whenever I tensed up or moved around. Once it was out, things got much easier.
Getting Around: I had my surgery on Saturday, they removed my nose packing on Monday evening, and by Tuesday (Day 4), I was out exploring Seoul all day!
Day 7 Milestone (Stitch Removal): Day 7 was when all of my stitches finally came off. The removal process was a bit of a mixed bag—the rib area just felt really ticklish when they took them out, but the nose area was actually a bit painful.
Post-Op Congestion & Rib Healing: Because I have thick skin, I had quite a bit of swelling, so my nose was pretty congested. It took a full two weeks before the congestion finally started getting better. Now, at the two-week mark, my rib still feels a bit mildly sore in the morning when I get up, and in the evening after work, but I understand it takes a while to fully heal. I've also been trying to hold back from coughing or sneezing because I'm afraid it could damage the nose at this early stage, but when I do, the rib definitely feels painful!
The Team & Aftercare
The entire team at Kowon was very friendly, from the receptionist and manager to the nurses and the doctor. It felt like the perfect clinic for me because I could tell they actually cared about my well-being, which really calmed my nerves.
Doctor & Nurse Care: The aftercare routine is very reassuring. After every single visit, once the nurse finished cleaning my nose or changing my plasters, the doctor would personally come into the room to review my nose and check on my progress. The nurses are also incredibly soft and careful throughout the process.
Clinic Services & Walking: They offered to let me come in every single day for red light therapy to help the swelling go down faster. While that was a great option, I actually realized that just walking around a lot helped massively with the swelling and it probably helped my rib area heal up faster too by keeping the blood flowing.
The Care Packages: Both the clinic and Sumin gave me gift bags. Sumin’s bag had pumpkin porridge, juice, electrolytes, gauze, and cotton buds. The clinic also provided all my post-op essentials, including ointment, scar gel, and silicone gel for the scars. It was a lifesaver because I didn't have to worry about food or searching for aftercare supplies. I basically relied on that for the first 2 days. I also brought my own protein shakes to help with the healing.
My Personal Tips for Recovery
If you are planning to do this journey, here are a few practical tips based on my experience:
Book the Morning Surgery Slot: I highly suggest trying to request a morning slot for your surgery. I was told that the doctor only does a maximum of two surgeries a day, which is reassuring for focus, but because mine was scheduled for the afternoon, only the receptionist was still left at the clinic by the time I woke up from sedation. I wasn't rushed out at all, but I only realized everyone else had left once we walked out of the back. Booking a morning slot means you won't feel rushed and will have plenty of time to slowly wake up and get your bearings before the clinic closes.
Bring a Travel Neck Pillow: Like many others have said, this is an absolute must. I am still sleeping using a neck pillow even after 2 weeks just to make sure I don't move around too much or accidentally roll over during my sleep.
Gauze Tape for Sleep: Even now at the two-week mark, I am still using gauze tape below my nostrils before going to bed. It acts as a safety barrier so I don't accidentally scratch or dig my nose while I'm asleep.
Nose Cast for Glasses: I was incredibly grateful that the clinic let me keep my nose cast to wear after Day 7. Because I wear glasses, being able to put the cast back on meant I could wear them safely without putting any direct pressure on my healing nose bridge.
Stock Up on Pumpkin Porridge/Juice: If you are traveling to Korea alone for surgery, definitely bring or stock up on packaged pumpkin porridge and pumpkin juice. You will absolutely need it for those first few days when you aren't up for walking around to find food.
Hold Off on Body Showers at First: I tried to do a body shower on Day 2, and it was my worst mistake. Because it was early May, the nighttime temperature was quite cold. My body tensed up from the chill, which triggered incredible pain around my rib where the drainage tube was still attached. Wait until the tube is removed on Day 3—after that, I could shower with zero pain!
My progress before and after:
You can refer to the pictures below to see the progress. I’ve attached the front view taken right after surgery alongside my baseline photo, Day 7, and Day 16 post-op to show how the shape is coming together as the initial swelling starts to drop.
Before: https://imgur.com/gallery/VRQPeKB
After: https://imgur.com/gallery/RDE7Oa5
Day 7: https://imgur.com/gallery/q27gE93
Day 16: https://imgur.com/gallery/wqOPp0q
Final Thoughts & Cost Value
Before booking, I’ve read reviews saying that Kowon is on the more expensive end, but honestly, I think it’s completely worth it. You are getting one of the top doctors, I never felt any pain at my nose initially (just some soreness at the rib), and by Day 4, I was already out exploring the country instead of being stuck in the hotel room.
Even though there is still some swelling at the bridge and the tip, at just two weeks post-op, I am already very happy with the results. Nothing has gone wrong so far, and I genuinely feel more confident in myself.
The whole process was incredibly smooth, with very little pain and minimal overall swelling. My honest thoughts are that at 2 weeks post surgery, I would still highly recommend people to do their surgery at Kowon, as my experience there was absolutely incredible. If you’re going to Korea, having a coordinator like Sumin from Freqty is a total game changer. I’m really happy I went with Kowon, the doctor was great and the entire experience felt completely smooth, safe, and supportive.
I will keep updating this thread and share my recovery journey with you as things progress!