Gangnam expands medical tourism footprint from US to Southeast Asia

The Korea Times - Oct 19, 2026

Long celebrated as the bustling heart of K-pop and luxury fashion, Gangnam District in southern Seoul is rapidly establishing itself as a global hub for medical tourism. Home to the world’s highest density of cosmetic procedure centers — often dubbed the "Beauty Belt" — the district is leveraging its renowned concentration of plastic surgery and dermatology clinics to expand its reach far beyond domestic borders. Following a successful outreach initiative in the United States, district officials and health care providers recently returned from Jakarta, Indonesia, having secured major business agreements and hundreds of consultations with prospective patients. During the three-day CosmoBeauty Indonesia expo held at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition early this month, Gangnam District operated a joint promotional pavilion alongside six partner medical institutions. The delegation, which included specialists in plastic surgery, dermatology, gynecology and spinal health, conducted 117 consultations with local travel agencies, medical tourism coordinators and visitors. Officials proje

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