Demand for K-medical and K-beauty services is rising as more foreign patients and tourists visit South Korea.
K-beauty platform startups are intensifying marketing efforts to attract foreign customers to Korea, expanding the broader ecosystem.
Healing Paper, operator of aesthetic medical platform "Gangnam Unni," announced on the 4th that it has opened "Unni Guide Center," a dedicated space for foreign medical tourists.
The Unni Guide Center serves as a K-beauty information hub to strengthen foreign patient recruitment. Gangnam Unni plans to expand into an integrated online-offline global platform based on 11 years of accumulated mobile platform data.
The offline center opening aligns with the Korean government's push to foster K-medical and K-beauty industries, as foreign patient and tourist arrivals have noticeably accelerated. According to Ministry of Health and Welfare statistics, approximately 1.17 million foreign patients visited Korea in 2024. Last year's figure is estimated to have reached 1.4 million, up about 20%.
The center provides one-on-one reservation guide services for foreigners who previously struggled with medical information asymmetry and language barriers. The two-story facility features a K-beauty exhibition and experience zone, skin analysis services, and a powder room. On display are products from domestic cosmetics brand Anua and "Shrink Home" devices from aesthetic medical device company Classys.
The core of Unni Guide Center is providing "Equal Price" information. The reservation support service focuses on hospitals and clinics that offer identical pricing to domestic and international consumers. The strategy aims to help foreigners enjoy more transparent and trustworthy K-beauty experiences.
Going forward, Unni Guide services will operate across both mobile and offline channels. Users can receive one-on-one hospital reservation support through the "Unni Guide" button on the global mobile app "UNNI," or visit the offline center directly without an app reservation. Interpretation services in Chinese, Thai, English and other languages are available for foreign customers facing Korean language barriers.
"This Unni Guide Center will connect our online platform with offline experiences to create a convenient and standardized K-beauty service paradigm, contributing to foreign patient recruitment," said Hong Seung-il, CEO of Healing Paper.
