턱 성형술 (teok seonghyeongsul — chin surgery) in Korea covers two fundamentally different procedures: implant insertion and bone-cutting genioplasty. The price gap between them is significant, and the right choice depends on the dimensional change you need. This page breaks down what each costs and why.
Chin Surgery Price Comparison by Technique
| Technique | KRW Range | USD Range | AUD Range | GBP Range | Typical Hospital Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chin Implant (Silicone) | ₩1,500,000–2,500,000 | $1,087–1,812 | $1,648–2,747 | £882–1,471 | Day case |
| Chin Implant (ePTFE/Medpor) | ₩1,800,000–3,000,000 | $1,304–2,174 | $1,978–3,297 | £1,059–1,765 | Day case |
| Sliding Genioplasty (Advancement) | ₩3,000,000–5,000,000 | $2,174–3,623 | $3,297–5,495 | £1,765–2,941 | 1 night |
| Sliding Genioplasty (Vertical + Horizontal) | ₩4,000,000–6,000,000 | $2,899–4,348 | $4,396–6,593 | £2,353–3,529 | 1–2 nights |
| Combined V-Line Package | ₩7,000,000–15,000,000 | $5,072–10,870 | $7,692–16,484 | £4,118–8,824 | 1–2 nights |
Implant vs Sliding Genioplasty: Which Is Right for You?
The price difference between chin implant (₩1.5M–3M) and sliding genioplasty (₩3M–6M) reflects a genuine difference in what each procedure can achieve, not just operative difficulty.
A chin implant adds projection and, depending on the implant shape, can add modest vertical height and lateral width. The silicone approach takes 30–60 minutes under IV sedation through either an intraoral incision (no external scar) or a small submental incision. ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, sometimes called Medpor) implants integrate more directly with surrounding tissue and are less likely to shift, at the cost of increased difficulty if revision is ever needed.
Sliding genioplasty cuts the chin bone (osteotomy at the symphysis) and repositions it in up to three dimensions: forward, backward, up, or down. This allows corrections that an implant physically cannot make — reducing vertical height, correcting asymmetry, or achieving large projections that would require an unrealistically large implant. The procedure requires general anaesthesia, 1–2 hours of theatre time, and a one-night hospital stay in most Korean settings. For patients needing more than 5–6 mm of projection change, or any vertical or asymmetry correction, genioplasty is the functionally superior choice regardless of the higher cost.
Combined V-Line Surgery Packages
A V-line package pairs jaw angle reduction (각 절제술) with sliding genioplasty (이부성형술) to simultaneously narrow the jaw and refine the chin. Combined package pricing (₩7M–15M) is consistently 15–25% below the sum of each procedure priced individually, because both are performed under a single anaesthesia session with shared theatre time.
The upper end of the package range (₩12M–15M) reflects additional components: a T-osteotomy to narrow the chin shape, malar (cheekbone) reduction, or mandibular body narrowing to address width across the full lower face rather than just at the angle and chin. For patients considering any of these additions, requesting a comprehensive package quote is almost always more cost-effective than pricing each component separately.
What Drives the Price Difference Between Clinics
Two factors drive meaningful price variation between Korean clinics for the same chin procedure:
Surgeon experience and annual case volume. Facial contouring is one of the highest-volume specialties in Gangnam. Hospital-based clinics where surgeons perform 200+ jaw and chin cases per year price at or above the market midpoint. Clinics at the bottom of the range may have surgeons with lower per-surgeon volume — not necessarily a quality indicator for implant procedures but more material for complex genioplasty.
Facility tier. Clinics attached to registered hospitals charge 10–20% more than standalone aesthetic clinics, reflecting inpatient nursing capability, on-site imaging, and immediate surgical support if needed. For bone-cutting procedures under general anaesthesia, the hospital setting is a meaningful safety consideration worth the premium.
Total Trip Budget for Chin Surgery in Korea
Surgery cost is the largest single item. For a complete trip budget, add return flights from your home country, 7–10 nights accommodation in central Seoul (budget approximately ₩80,000–150,000 per night for Gangnam-adjacent guesthouses or serviced apartments), airport transfers, post-op soft-diet meals, and a pharmacy budget of approximately ₩100,000–200,000 for prescribed medications. A 10–15% contingency is recommended for any procedure requiring general anaesthesia.
Is a chin implant or sliding genioplasty cheaper in Korea?
Chin implants (₩1.5M–3M) are consistently cheaper than sliding genioplasty (₩3M–6M) because the implant procedure takes 30–60 minutes under IV sedation whereas genioplasty is a 1–2 hour bone-cutting surgery typically under general anaesthesia. However, genioplasty results are permanent and allow three-dimensional repositioning that an implant cannot match, so the higher cost often reflects a better long-term outcome for patients needing significant projection or height change.
Does the quoted price include anaesthesia and aftercare?
Most Gangnam clinics quote all-inclusive prices for chin surgery that cover surgeon's fee, anaesthesia, operating theatre, and two to three follow-up visits. Always confirm in your consultation whether the quote is inclusive or whether anaesthesia (₩200,000–500,000) and post-op medications are billed separately. Get the breakdown in writing before signing a consent form.
How much does revision chin surgery cost in Korea?
Revision chin implant surgery (for malposition, capsular contracture, or size change) typically costs ₩2,000,000–4,500,000, roughly 30–50% more than primary. Revision sliding genioplasty involving re-osteotomy costs ₩5,000,000–9,000,000 and requires a surgeon with specific revision experience. If revision is needed within 12 months of primary surgery at the same clinic for a complication, many reputable clinics will cover the surgical fee; you may still pay anaesthesia and consumables.