© Petra Stadler
Dr. Jinhee Shim from South Korea and Dr. Caroline Kim
April 8, 2025
Judith Cyriax
Facelifts without visible scars, skin boosters redefining skin aging: At the German-Korean Aesthetic Face Meeting 2025 in Munich, leading plastic surgeons and dermatologists presented exciting developments and innovations.
With
Dr. med. Caroline Kim
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Munich hosted the first German-Korean Aesthetic Face Meeting – an international summit of the world's leading plastic surgeons and dermatologists from South Korea, Germany, other European countries, and the USA. The future of aesthetic medicine begins now – and many of the latest developments and trends come from South Korea, the global innovation leader in this field. Leading this get-together was Dr. Caroline Kim, plastic-aesthetic surgeon and member of the PREMIUM MEDICAL CIRCLE.
The catalyst was a trip by Dr. Kim in November 2024 to Seoul for the congress of the Korean Society for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. There, together with Prof. Dr. Lukas Prantl, specialist in plastic, aesthetic, and reconstructive surgery, she initiated the “Memorandum of Understanding” between the Korean Society for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the German Society for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery.
An absolute novelty, as South Korea is partnering with a European country in this field for the first time. “South Korea is the global leader in aesthetic medicine – whether in plastic surgery, dermatology, or technological advancement,” says Dr. Caroline Kim. “Therefore, it is important for us specialists in Germany to look beyond our borders and keep up with the latest developments.”
And so the dedicated doctor created with this meeting a platform that promotes intercultural exchange, enables dialogue between experts, and creates space for new collaborations. With leading experts from Korea, colleagues from Europe and the USA, but also with other members of the PREMIUM MEDICAL CIRCLE such as Dr. Juliane Bodo, DDr. Susanne Steinkraus, Dr. Neda Nabavi and Dr. Wolfgang Funk.
© Petra Stadler
Dr. Jongseo Kim, Dr. Roy Kim, and Dr. Caroline Kim
South Korea is internationally regarded as a pioneer in the aesthetic medicine and cosmetics industry. With a market value of over 10 billion US dollars, the Korean beauty industry is a world leader. Unlike in Germany, cosmetic surgeries have long been part of everyday life there. In Seoul alone, there are said to be more than 500 clinics - the large clinics even all in the inner city district of Gangnam, where they have now displaced the flagship stores of major luxury brands.
However, this mass and variety of clinics and doctors is not the only difference to Germany: "In Korea, aesthetic procedures are quite normal. People talk about it, because it is an important social prestige to be able to afford it," explains Dr. Roy Kim, a plastic-aesthetic surgeon from San Francisco and guest and speaker at the German-Korean Aesthetic Face Meeting.
“People who look good are more successful. Be it in job or love. So it is quite common for patients to start changing their appearance at a very young age,” says Dr. Roy Kim. A little filler in the lips and Botox in the forehead can be easily integrated into a lunch break. But even an eyelid lift or a nose correction is done quickly.
Dr. Roy Kim: “In Korea, for example, no one is bothered by going to lunch with obvious post-op signs, such as noticeable stitches around the eyes.” No wonder, then, that the most proportional procedures, whether invasive or minimally invasive, are performed in Korea. "Plastic surgeries, even those with drastic changes, are much more desired than here, where naturalness is the top priority," explains Dr. Caroline Kim. In addition, aesthetic procedures are still very private in Germany, and the question of when you are socially acceptable again plays an important role.
The beauty ideals are also very different – in Germany a defined jawline, i.e. tight tissue without jowls or double chin, is in the foreground, in Korea it is a V-shaped face with delicate features and a fair complexion.
Dr. Caroline Kim: "In Germany, the primary basis for surgery is to correct signs of aging. Unlike in Korea, where the desire for change is clearly in the foreground." And so, according to the expert, the trend of "V-shape face contouring" (among other things, bone is removed from the lower jaw) is unlikely to catch on here.
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Dr. Alexis Verpaele and Dr. Ji Yeoun Shin
In high-profile panels, workshops, and expert discussions, speakers and participants discussed the central developments and trends in the industry both nationally and internationally. These four main topics emerged as absolute gamechangers in the field of aesthetic beauty:
Instead of relying solely on Botox and fillers, regenerative medicine is increasingly coming into focus. Dr. Gun Young Ahn from South Korea demonstrated new radiofrequency methods that enable effective skin tightening and rejuvenation through targeted collagen stimulation – with shorter downtime and more natural results.
Dr. Young Ahn is best known as the inventor of the Agnes and DoubleTite technology: During the Agnes treatment, special small needles are introduced into the top layer of skin, briefly heated to 70 to 80°C, causing them to emit radio frequency energy to the surrounding tissue. The radio frequency energy stimulates collagen production and causes fat cells to shrink. Additionally, the heat causes the collagen fibers to contract, renewing the skin from within and tightening it.
DoubleTite is a device that combines three highly effective treatments – microneedling, radiofrequency therapy, and mesotherapy. All together, this leads to a significant rejuvenation and improvement in skin quality. The Korean dermatologist Dr. Shin Ji-Yeoun demonstrated how precisely and quickly revolutionary needleless injectors can introduce active substances into the skin, all without needles and without any downtime afterward.
The development of facelift techniques has made enormous progress in recent years. Modern facelifts, as presented by Dr. Alexis Verpaele from Belgium, enable improved volume transference and longer-lasting results. "Dr. Verpaele was the first plastic-aesthetic surgeon to combine the facelift with the use of nano fat," explains Dr. Caroline Kim.
The benefit? While the facelift significantly tightens the face and often brings it back to its "original" form, the injection of nano fat ensures that volume is built up in the mid-face, preventing the typically "operated" appearance and avoiding a flat and one-dimensional look. "Combination treatments are one of the most important trends in our field to achieve the most natural results possible," says the expert.
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On trend: Treatments with high-tech devices
"AI will revolutionize our daily work in aesthetic medicine – from patient consultations to treatment planning," emphasize Dr. Roy Kim from San Francisco and Dr. Sangmun Choi from Seoul, who are deeply engaged with the role of AI in plastic surgery.
"AI-supported simulations allow doctors and patients to predict outcomes more accurately and plan more individually, while also making everyday practice much more efficient. Even diagnoses can be analyzed more quickly," reports Dr. Caroline Kim. "Unfortunately, AI still plays a minor role in practices in Germany and the rest of Europe, but we can certainly accelerate this process through international exchange and inspire each other," the doctor continues.
K-Beauty remains the innovation driver of skincare and minimally invasive aesthetics, focusing on highly effective ingredients such as polynucleotides, which hydrate the skin and promote collagen formation, while exosomes are used for regeneration, repairing damaged skin cells, and possessing anti-inflammatory properties.
Polylactic acid, which is injected into the skin, provides more volume and a smoother skin texture. In general, the focus is on combination skin boosters that sustainably improve skin quality and are considered gentle but effective alternatives to more invasive methods. This applies not only to the face, according to Dr. Caroline Kim, there will also be minimally invasive skin boosters for tightening body skin in the future.
What does Dr. Caroline Kim expect from this extraordinary collaboration? "Germany, like South Korea, has very strong strengths and qualities in this field. The cooperation means mutual inspiration, the opportunity to build joint scientific events, and to develop together. Young doctors should additionally be given the chance for exchange options".
