How Deposits Work in Korean Plastic Surgery Clinics
예약금 환불 (yeyaggeum hwanbul, booking deposit refund) policy is one of the least-standardised parts of the Korean aesthetic medicine experience — and one of the most consequential for international patients who book from abroad.
Korean clinics operate with two structurally distinct deposit types, and conflating them leads to misplaced expectations.
Consultation deposits are charged to secure a consultation appointment with the surgeon — not the clinic coordinator. The typical range is ₩200,000–500,000 (≈$144–360 USD / ≈$220–550 AUD at the July 2026 rate).¹² These amounts are credited in full toward the surgical fee if the patient proceeds to book surgery. They serve two functions: they reduce no-show rates at high-demand clinics, and they signal that the clinic’s time has monetary value before any scalpel is discussed.
Booking deposits are charged when a patient confirms a specific surgery date. Most clinics set this at 20–30% of the quoted surgical fee. For a ₩7,000,000 rhinoplasty surgical fee, a 25% booking deposit is ₩1,750,000 (≈$1,260 USD / ≈$1,925 AUD).¹² The remaining balance is settled on the day of surgery — typically at check-in, before the patient enters the pre-operative area.
A third, less common structure is the full pre-payment model, where some premium clinics — particularly those that manage high international patient volumes — request 100% payment 7–14 days before surgery. This model comes with stricter cancellation terms but sometimes includes airport transfer and accommodation coordination as bundled services. Always confirm what is bundled versus invoiced separately.¹
All quoted figures represent the surgical fee only. Anesthesia, facility fee, and post-operative medications are quoted and invoiced separately.² If a clinic’s booking deposit is calculated against a “total package price” that already includes these items, confirm the breakdown in writing before transferring any funds.²
Refund Policies by Clinic Type and Timing
Refund outcomes depend on three variables: how far in advance the cancellation occurs, whether the cancellation is patient-initiated or clinic-initiated, and whether the deposit is a consultation deposit or a booking deposit. The table below captures the standard pattern across economy, mid-range, and premium tiers based on BPSK’s sampled clinic data.¹²
Two factors consistently improve refund outcomes regardless of timing: cancellation delivered in writing (email or messaging app with read receipts) and a copy of the original deposit receipt. Verbal cancellations are difficult to date and dispute.
If a clinic’s contract contains language such as “deposits are non-refundable under all circumstances,” this is a material term — not boilerplate — and should be negotiated or treated as a disqualifying factor before payment.¹
Red Flags in Deposit Requirements
Not all deposit structures signal a trustworthy clinic. These specific patterns are worth treating as hard stops before transferring funds.
Deposit exceeds 50% of the surgical fee before any consultation has occurred. A booking deposit is appropriate after a surgeon consultation has taken place and a treatment plan has been agreed. Requesting more than half the surgical fee before the patient has met the surgeon removes the patient’s primary lever — the decision not to proceed.
No written deposit receipt or contract. Reputable clinics issue a written document specifying the deposit amount, the surgery date, the surgical procedure, the total fee against which the deposit is credited, and the cancellation terms. A clinic that explains deposit policy only verbally — or only in Korean with no translated summary — should be asked directly for written documentation. Refusing this request is a red flag.¹
Refund terms that change between initial contact and booking. If a clinic’s coordinator quoted a “full refund up to 7 days before surgery” during early inquiries but the formal contract states “no refund within 14 days,” the discrepancy matters. Request that the quoted terms be written into the contract before signing.
Pressure to transfer funds before visa confirmation. International patients cannot guarantee their travel dates until visas are confirmed. A clinic that demands a non-refundable booking deposit before the patient has confirmed visa status is creating a scenario where the patient bears the full risk of administrative delays outside their control.
Deposits accepted only by international wire transfer with no dispute pathway. Wire transfers are difficult to reverse. Clinics that accept credit card deposits — even with a processing fee — provide the patient a chargeback mechanism under extreme circumstances.¹
K-MEDI’s Position on Deposit Disputes
K-MEDI (한국의료분쟁조정중재원, Hanguk Uiryo Bunjaeng Jojung Jungjaewon, Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency) is the Korean government body responsible for mediating and arbitrating disputes between patients and healthcare providers.³
Deposit and billing disputes — including refusal to return a booking deposit after cancellation — fall within K-MEDI’s mediation remit.³ Patients do not need to demonstrate medical negligence to file; a financial dispute arising from a clinic’s failure to honor its written cancellation policy is sufficient grounds.
Who can file: International patients may file a mediation claim within 3 years of the date of the incident giving rise to the dispute.⁴ English-language support is available for international patient inquiries.⁷
Cost to the patient: Filing a claim with K-MEDI is free. K-MEDI absorbs mediation costs, which are not passed on to the claimant.⁵
Timeline: The average mediation duration for standard cases is approximately 90 days from the date the application is accepted.⁶ This is not a fast resolution pathway — it is appropriate for disputes where direct negotiation with the clinic has failed.
Binding outcomes: If both parties agree to arbitration rather than mediation alone, the arbitration decision is legally binding.⁴
What to prepare before filing: Written evidence is the foundation of any K-MEDI claim. Assemble the original deposit receipt, the signed contract or booking confirmation, all written communications with the clinic (email, messaging apps), and any documentation supporting the reason for cancellation (flight records, medical certificates, visa rejection letters).
K-MEDI can be reached by telephone at +82-1670-2545.⁷ For international patients unable to call during Korean business hours, the online filing portal accepts written submissions.
If You Change Your Mind After Surgery
Post-surgical dissatisfaction is legally and procedurally distinct from pre-surgical cancellation. Once a procedure has been performed, the cancellation framework no longer applies — the relevant framework shifts to medical dispute resolution.
If you are dissatisfied with a surgical outcome and the clinic refuses to offer revision surgery or compensation:
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Request a written clinical explanation from the clinic detailing their assessment of the outcome relative to the agreed treatment plan. This creates a paper record of the clinic’s position.
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Do not sign any settlement or waiver offered by the clinic before independent advice — some clinics offer nominal goodwill payments in exchange for releasing all future claims.
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File with K-MEDI if direct resolution fails. Ghost surgery (대리수술, daeri susul — where an unlicensed or unauthorized person performs all or part of a procedure without the patient’s knowledge or consent) is explicitly recognized as grounds for a K-MEDI mediation claim.⁸ Outcome dissatisfaction that falls short of ghost surgery or negligence can also be mediated, though outcomes depend on the specifics of each case.³
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Timeline: The 3-year filing window from the date of the incident applies to post-surgical disputes as well as deposit disputes.⁴
Revision surgery requests made within a reasonable post-operative recovery window — typically 6–12 months, depending on the procedure — are a normal part of the clinical relationship at reputable clinics and should be discussed directly with the surgeon before any formal dispute process is initiated.