Botox & Filler in Korea: Single-Session Cost & Recovery Timeline

Botox costs around ₩49,000 for a single small-area session and dermal filler runs roughly ₩89,000 for a 15-minute Naver-verified session at a Hongdae clinic, though full-syringe premium fillers elsewhere in Seoul can reach ₩300,000-620,000. Book the injection in the first half of your trip, not the day before you fly. Bruising usually clears within 5-10 days and swelling needs up to two weeks to fully settle, so a short weekend trip leaves little safety margin.

What a single session actually costs in Seoul

Prices vary a lot by clinic, brand of product, and how much area you're treating. At Project U Hongdae, a foreigner-friendly clinic bookable through Naver, the standalone Botox option runs about ₩49,000 for a 5-minute session, while the Collagen/Filler option is priced around ₩89,000 for 15 minutes. Their bundled "Signature" package, which mixes several treatments in one visit, is listed at roughly ₩259,000 for 15-90 minutes.

These are single-session, single-area prices. Full-syringe lip or under-eye filler at larger Gangnam clinics using premium imported gels tends to sit much higher, often quoted in the $250-450 range once you convert from clinic listings, so shop the menu rather than assuming one number applies everywhere. Botox pricing elsewhere in Seoul is commonly quoted per treatment area rather than per session, which is why a single forehead line and a full upper-face package can differ by several times the cost.

Botox vs filler: not the same recovery, not the same risk window

Botox relaxes muscle activity and takes up to two weeks to show its full effect, with visible results usually starting around day 5-7. Filler is a physical volume injection. It causes more immediate swelling and a real chance of bruising at the injection point, both of which can look worse before they look better.

That distinction matters for a tourist. Botox rarely bruises badly. But you won't see the final result before you fly if your trip is short. Filler shows an effect immediately. You're the one carrying visible swelling through airport security and your flight home.

The recovery timeline, mapped to your departure

• Day 0 (treatment day): Mild redness, small bumps, or pinpoint bruising at injection sites is normal. Avoid alcohol and smoking; most clinics, including Project U, ask for a full week off both.
• Day 1-3: Swelling typically peaks in this window for filler. This is also the period several clinics flag as the minimum before flying, since cabin pressure changes can add to swelling.
• Day 3-7: Bruising fades for most people by the end of this stretch. Botox results start becoming visible around day 5.
• Day 10-14: Filler settles into its final shape and residual swelling resolves. Botox reaches its full effect by roughly two weeks.

If your flight is less than 3 days after treatment, expect visible bruising or swelling in your going-home photos. If you have 5-7 days before departure, most bruising will have faded, though the final result may still be settling. A trip of 10+ days after the appointment gives the closest look at the finished result before you leave Korea.

Book near the start of your stay. Not the night before your flight. That buffer is the actual decision here, more than which clinic is a few thousand won cheaper.

Booking a same-trip appointment: what one Hongdae clinic requires

Project U Hongdae – Expert Fillers & Rejuran Skin Clinic (Korean: 홍대 초정밀 피부명가 – Project U) sits at 서울 마포구 양화로 162, 6th floor, a 41-meter walk from Hongik Univ. Station (Line 2). It's open Monday to Friday 10:30-20:30 and Saturday-Sunday 10:00-17:00, with no weekly closed day listed.

Reservations are free through the booking platform and confirmed within 1-2 business days, so don't walk in expecting a same-day slot without confirming first. Bring your passport and your reservation confirmation to the front desk. During busy periods, the clinic notes a consultation wait of up to an hour even with a booking, so build slack into your schedule rather than stacking this right before a train or another appointment.

Cancellation is free up to the day before your scheduled time; after that, you'll need to contact the clinic directly about any refund already paid on-site, since payment itself happens in person, not through the booking platform.

One detail worth flagging for 2026 travel: the clinic's own booking notes state that tax refunds will no longer be available starting January 1, 2026, which is different from the VAT refund process some other clinics still advertise. Check current eligibility before counting on a refund. Our tax refund guide covers how the standard process works elsewhere.

Aftercare rules that catch tourists off guard

No alcohol or smoking for one week after the procedure. That's a real rule here, not a vague suggestion, since both can worsen swelling and bruising. Redness, small bumps, or bruising are described as normal reactions by the clinic. If they don't improve, contact the clinic through its listed support email rather than showing up unannounced.

That's a meaningful limitation for anyone leaving Korea within a few days: follow-up care effectively becomes an email exchange, not an in-person recheck. If you're prone to bruising easily or you're on blood thinners, factor that into how much buffer you leave before your flight.

This is separate from a general skincare visit; if what you actually want is a facial or laser session rather than an injectable, our one-day skin clinic guide covers what fits into a single appointment instead.

Should this be a day-one or day-five booking?

If your main goal is the finished look for your return-home photos or a specific event, book early in your trip and treat the appointment itself as separate from your sightseeing days. Pair it with a slower morning: Hongdae has plenty of cafés nearby to sit and let any initial redness fade before you're back out on the street. For getting to and from the clinic without hunting for Wi-Fi, grab a Korea eSIM before you land so Naver Map and messenger confirmations work from the airport onward.

Injectable results and healing speed vary by individual, product, and technique, and only a licensed practitioner examining you in person can confirm what's suitable for your skin and medical history. This guide describes typical costs and timelines reported by clinics and does not predict your personal outcome.