Pricing FAQ — What the Base Quote Does Not Include

Pricing transparency is where the corridor patient experience most often breaks down. The base-quote price the patient sees on the clinic's English-language page or on the coordinator's first reply is rarely the total the patient actually pays at the appointment. The gap is sometimes legitimate — additional zones added at consultation, an upgrade transducer the patient agreed to in person, a post-treatment kit included by default — and sometimes is not. This FAQ walks through the line items, the legitimate versus marginal cost categories, the airport-transfer billing variants, and the corridor-specific extras that turn a clean quote into a real total. It is written in question-and-answer format because that is how the pricing question actually arrives in the coordinator inbox. Authority anchors: KHIDI for the foreign-patient pricing-disclosure framework, Merz Aesthetics for platform-specific protocol economics, MFDS for Korean device-authorisation context, and Korea Tourism Organization medical division for the medical-tourism pricing context.

What does the base Ultherapy Prime quote typically include?

The base quote at a corridor clinic typically includes the device-time fee, the physician fee, the consultation fee, the topical numbing application, the standard transducer set (1.5mm, 3mm, 4.5mm), and the in-clinic post-treatment skincare application. It is usually quoted as a full-face protocol price in the 400-to-600-line shot-count range, in Korean won, with a foreign-patient discount or package rate applied. What it does not typically include — and what the patient should ask about explicitly — is the airport transfer, the take-home post-treatment kit, premium or upgrade transducers, any neck or decolletage add-on zones, and the optional oral analgesia at the appointment. The clean way to verify what is included: ask the coordinator for the itemised quote in writing, not the bundled headline number. A serious corridor clinic produces this without resistance.

Is the airport transfer included?

Sometimes. The airport-transfer line item is the single most common source of corridor-quote ambiguity. Some clinics include round-trip airport transfer in the base quote as part of the corridor-patient package. Some include one-way transfer (typically the airport-to-clinic leg) and charge separately for the clinic-to-airport return. Some quote without transfer entirely and offer it as an add-on at a flat rate of typically 80,000 to 150,000 KRW per direction depending on terminal, time of day, and vehicle type. The vetting question: ask the coordinator explicitly whether the quote includes airport transfer, in which directions, by what vehicle (private sedan, shared limousine, AREX subsidy), and what the add-on rate is if not included. Do not accept 'transfer is included' as the full answer — the direction and vehicle type matter for the corridor-window time calculation.

What are premium or upgrade transducers, and are they extra?

The standard Ultherapy Prime transducer set covers the three principal depths (1.5mm superficial, 3mm mid, 4.5mm deep). Merz Aesthetics also produces additional transducer cartridges for specific applications — for example, a high-density transducer for tighter focus and a body-application transducer for off-face zones. The standard full-face protocol does not require upgrade transducers, and the base quote at a corridor clinic should include the standard set without surcharge. Some clinics offer premium-transducer protocols at a quoted upcharge, typically 20 to 40 percent over the base. The legitimate version: the upcharge is disclosed in writing at booking, and the patient can decline. The marginal version: the upcharge appears at chairside as a recommendation the patient feels pressured to accept after travelling for the appointment. The vetting question: ask the coordinator before booking whether the quote includes the standard transducer set only or includes premium transducers, and whether premium transducers will be offered at the appointment.

What are zone add-ons, and how are they priced?

Ultherapy Prime is most commonly performed as a full-face protocol — forehead, periorbital, mid-cheek, jawline, submental — but optional zone add-ons include the neck (anterior and lateral), decolletage, and brow zones for targeted lift. Zone add-ons are typically priced separately from the full-face base. The neck add-on, for example, is typically quoted at 30 to 50 percent of the full-face protocol price. The vetting question: ask the coordinator which zones are included in the base quote, which are available as add-ons, what each add-on costs in your currency, and whether the corridor-window time allows the full-face plus the add-on you are considering. A 60-minute corridor window typically accommodates full-face only; the full-face-plus-neck combination requires a 90-to-120-minute corridor window.

Is the post-treatment skincare kit included?

Variably. Some corridor clinics include a take-home post-treatment skincare kit — typically a barrier-repair moisturiser, a centella-based ampoule, a hydrating mist, and a high-SPF sunscreen — in the base quote as part of the corridor-patient package. Some quote the kit as an optional add-on at typically 50,000 to 120,000 KRW depending on contents. Some do not offer a kit and expect the patient to bring their own post-treatment skincare. The vetting question: ask the coordinator whether a kit is included, what is in it if so, and whether you should bring your own skincare regardless. For the corridor patient flying onward within hours, a kit is genuinely useful for the cabin window even if the patient already has skincare at home; the cabin-format travel-size items in a corridor kit are practical for the onward leg.

Are taxes and surcharges already included in the quote?

Korean clinical pricing is typically quoted inclusive of VAT (value-added tax) for the foreign-patient market. Confirm this with the coordinator — a quote that excludes 10 percent VAT and adds it at billing is a corridor-patient irritation. Foreign patients may also be eligible for a VAT refund on cosmetic procedures under the Korean tourist-refund scheme for treatments above a threshold, with the paperwork handled at the clinic or at the airport. The vetting question: ask the coordinator whether VAT is included in the quote, whether the clinic processes a tax-refund certificate for foreign patients, and what the threshold is for refund eligibility. The refund is not automatic and requires the patient to keep the receipt and process the refund at the airport tax-refund kiosk before departure.

What about consultation fees if I do not proceed?

Korean clinics treating foreign patients vary on consultation-fee policy. Some absorb the consultation fee into the procedure quote and charge nothing if the patient ultimately does not proceed. Some charge a standalone consultation fee — typically 30,000 to 100,000 KRW — that is credited against the procedure cost if the patient does proceed. Some require a non-refundable deposit at booking that is forfeited if the patient cancels inside a defined window. The vetting question: ask the coordinator about the consultation-fee policy and the cancellation policy in writing. The corridor patient who is unsure about proceeding should not book at a clinic with a non-refundable deposit until the consultation is complete.

What does the optional oral analgesia cost, and is it worth it?

Ultherapy Prime is tolerated by most patients on topical numbing alone, but some clinics offer optional oral analgesia at the appointment — typically a benzodiazepine-paracetamol combination — for patients with low pain tolerance, prior poor experience with topical numbing, or for the brow and forehead zones specifically. Pricing is typically 30,000 to 80,000 KRW per dose. The vetting question for the corridor patient: ask whether oral analgesia is available, at what cost, and whether it is compatible with onward-flight cabin operation (no driving, but flying as a passenger is generally fine). The corridor patient should not take oral analgesia if they need to operate any vehicle, including a rental car, post-appointment, but cabin transit as a passenger on the onward flight is acceptable with most regimens.

How do I read a corridor pricing quote critically?

A clean corridor pricing quote has the following structure: a headline base price, an itemised breakdown of what is included, an itemised list of optional add-ons with prices for each, the airport-transfer line item separately, the tax treatment (inclusive or exclusive), the consultation and deposit policy, and the all-inclusive total in the patient's currency at the prevailing exchange rate. A marginal quote has a single headline number, a vague 'package includes' statement, no add-on pricing, and a 'we will discuss at consultation' deflection on anything specific. The vetting heuristic: if the quote does not produce a clean all-inclusive total in your currency in writing before booking, you are not getting a corridor-standard quote. Ask again, or move on to a different clinic.

“A clean corridor pricing quote has a headline base, an itemised breakdown of what is included, an itemised list of optional add-ons, the transfer line item separately, the tax treatment, and the all-inclusive total in the patient's currency. Anything less is not a corridor-standard quote.”

Editorial Team, Incheon Airport Ultherapy

Frequently asked questions

Is there a discount for booking a corridor slot versus a deliberate-trip slot?

Sometimes. Corridor slots are typically scheduled in the middle of the clinical day when the deliberate-trip patient pipeline is busiest, so corridor pricing is rarely discounted relative to deliberate-trip pricing. Some clinics offer a foreign-patient package rate that applies to both — corridor and deliberate-trip — at a flat 10 to 20 percent below the Korean-domestic-patient rate. Ask the coordinator about the foreign-patient rate at booking.

Can I pay in my home currency, or does it have to be in KRW?

Most corridor clinics accept payment in Korean won at the appointment or by international credit card with the conversion handled at the card-issuer's exchange rate. Some accept USD cash or other major currencies. Wire-transfer payment in advance is sometimes offered at a small discount for non-card-payment patients. The cleanest approach: ask the coordinator for the all-inclusive total in your currency at the time of booking and verify the conversion on payment day; expect a 1 to 3 percent variance depending on card and currency.

Are there any hidden fees specifically for foreign passport holders?

There should not be. Korean clinical regulation prohibits dual-pricing for foreign versus domestic patients beyond the disclosed foreign-patient package framework. If the quote you receive after disclosing your foreign-passport status is higher than the quote you would have received as a Korean-domestic patient, that is a regulatory issue. The legitimate variation: some clinics charge a small administrative fee for the foreign-patient registration and disclosure paperwork, typically 10,000 to 30,000 KRW, which is itemised separately.

Is travel insurance reimbursement available for cosmetic procedures?

Generally no. Cosmetic and elective procedures are typically excluded from travel-medical-insurance coverage, regardless of where the procedure is performed. Some specialty cosmetic-procedure insurance products are available for medical-tourism patients, but they cover complication-management costs rather than the procedure itself. The corridor patient should budget the procedure cost out-of-pocket and treat travel insurance as protection against complications rather than against the procedure cost.

Can I get a refund if I cancel after booking?

Depends on the clinic. Most corridor clinics refund the procedure deposit minus an administrative fee if cancellation is more than 7 days before the scheduled appointment. Cancellations inside 7 days typically forfeit a portion of the deposit, and cancellations inside 48 hours typically forfeit the full deposit. Ask the coordinator for the written cancellation policy at booking and read it before paying the deposit.

How does the VAT refund work for foreign patients?

The Korean tourist VAT-refund scheme applies to cosmetic procedures above a threshold value at participating clinics. The clinic issues a tax-refund certificate at discharge; the patient presents the certificate at the airport tax-refund kiosk before departure for refund processing. The refund is typically 5 to 7 percent of the procedure cost, paid by cash, credit card credit, or bank transfer depending on the kiosk option. The patient must keep the receipt and process the refund within 90 days of the procedure date. The corridor patient flying onward the same day should budget 15 to 20 minutes at the tax-refund kiosk before boarding.

What is the typical price range for full-face Ultherapy Prime at a corridor clinic?

The corridor benchmark range is typically 1,500,000 to 3,500,000 KRW for a full-face Ultherapy Prime protocol, depending on shot count, transducer set, included add-ons, and clinic positioning. Quotes substantially below this range are worth scrutinising for platform authenticity or shot-count adequacy. Quotes substantially above this range should justify the premium with documented physician seniority, premium-transducer inclusion, or genuinely concierge corridor logistics.

Should I negotiate the quote?

Korean clinical pricing is not typically negotiated in the way retail pricing might be in some markets. The exception is the foreign-patient package rate, which the coordinator may apply as a flat percentage discount on disclosure of foreign-passport status, and the cash-payment discount, which some clinics offer at 3 to 5 percent for wire-transfer or cash payment versus credit card. Asking for these directly is acceptable; aggressive negotiation beyond the package rate is generally not productive and can signal the patient is shopping primarily on price, which corridor clinics weight against in scheduling.