The rise of ‘tweakment tourism' to South Korea
Beauty isn't so much an industry in South Korea as a way of life. 'There's a mantra there that within a beautiful body rests a beautiful soul,' says Dr Christine Hall, a British-Korean GP who practises aesthetic medicine at the Taktouk Clinic in Knightsbridge. The importance of presenting the best version of yourself is ingrained from young, she explains, and considered a sign of respect for others. 'There are good and bad sides to this — there's a lot of pressure to look good.' It has ultimately led South Korea to be a world leader not only in products but also in treatments: Seoul has more plastic surgeons per capita than anywhere else on the planet. 'It's estimated that South Korea is about 10 to 12 years ahead of us when it comes to beauty innovations. As an example, PDRN [the buzzed-about salmon DNA treatment that has taken off in the UK] arrived in South Korea in 2014. In fact, it was first formulated into a cosmetic injectable there.'
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