Despite worldwide economic losses and unemployment at record highs and South Korea is no exception, some patients are using the time off of work and social distancing and mask wear and government bailout money to schedule cosmetic surgery. South Korea has lifted its restrictions sooner than the United States, so these surgeries are allowed to be performed. So there seems to be a paradoxical surge in cosmetic surgery in South Korea at this time. However, this may or may not be true overall. Certainly, many patients have been scared away from cosmetic surgery due to concerns about the coronavirus transmission. Also, there should be a surge as months have passed with the virus lockdowns, and those patients who were once scheduled for surgery and cancelled have now rescheduled for their procedures.

South Korea has a reputation for getting cosmetic surgery, and the coronavirus has not brought the cosmetic surgery interest to an end. Obviously, some doctors have offered discounts and incentives during hard financial times to attract those patients as well.

Dr. Kenneth Hughes has been quoted about the South Korean plastic surgery industry in the past and has followed plastic surgery practices in the United States and other countries as the coronavirus pandemic has brought about sweeping changes in the industy.