Eye Surgery Korea: 7 Mistakes, Gangnam Good Eye Clinic

The most common first-timer mistake with eye surgery in Korea is doing things in the wrong order: booking flights before asking how many days to stop wearing contact lenses. Gangnam Good Eye Clinic is closed Thursdays, Sundays and public holidays, and the pre-surgery exam takes about 2–3 hours. The 2026 listed prices already include same-day surgery, an SNS review and a companion discount, so going alone costs ₩100,000 more, and medication is paid separately at about ₩40,000+ for one month.

What is the biggest mistake first-timers make with eye surgery in Korea?

For first-timers, problems with eye surgery in Korea almost never come from the surgery itself. They come from the order of preparation: flights booked before checking how long to stop wearing contact lenses, a visit date that lands on a Thursday closure, or the assumption that a same-day surgery discount will be deducted again from the listed price.

This article uses Gangnam Good Eye Clinic's opening hours and 2026 price list to walk through the 7 most common mistakes and how to avoid each one.

Mistake 1: Booking flights before asking how long to stop wearing contact lenses

The right order is to ask about the contact lens break first, then count back from that to choose your flights. The number of days depends on your lens type and the clinic's instructions, and soft, hard and astigmatism lenses all differ.

If you stop too late, corneal thickness and prescription can't be measured accurately, and the pre-surgery exam data can't be used. Changing flights after booking is usually far more hassle than asking one question first.

Mistake 2: Scheduling your trip on a closed day

Gangnam Good Eye Clinic is closed on Thursdays, Sundays and public holidays. A Thursday arrival and Sunday departure, a very common short-trip itinerary, lands exactly on both closed days.

Opening hours are Monday–Wednesday 10:00–18:30, Friday 10:00–20:00 and Saturday 09:00–16:00. Friday runs latest and Saturday opens early, which makes them the two most useful days for a short trip.

Mistake 3: Leaving only 1 hour for the exam day

The pre-surgery precision exam takes about 2–3 hours. It checks corneal thickness, dry-eye level, prescription and overall eye condition, after which Director Kim Jun-heon explains the results and the procedure that suits you.

The exam and surgery can be done on the same day, so don't plan anything else for that day. If you arrive in the afternoon, confirm first that there is enough time.

Mistake 4: Expecting the same-day surgery discount to be deducted again

The 2026 listed prices already apply the same-day surgery discount (myopia −₩300,000, presbyopia −₩100,000), the SNS review discount (−₩100,000) and the companion discount (−₩100,000). The clinic does not deduct these three again from the listed price.

Conversely, if you don't have surgery on the day of your exam, the same-day discount doesn't apply, and the companion discount doesn't apply if you go alone. For example, SMILE Pro is listed at ₩4,000,000, but going alone it is ₩4,100,000.

Mistake 5: Remembering the coupon only after booking

The K-Clinic coupon must be claimed first and then used when you book through this site. It can be combined with other offers: SMILE Pro and LBV presbyopia package −₩200,000, SMILE LASIK −₩100,000.

For SMILE Pro: two people travelling together pay 4,000,000 − 200,000 = ₩3,800,000; going alone is 4,100,000 − 200,000 = ₩3,900,000. The actual procedure and cost depend on your pre-surgery exam results.

Mistake 6: Not telling the doctor when you fly home

Tell the doctor your return date at the consultation so they can confirm it against your procedure and recovery. Post-surgery discomfort varies by procedure and by person, so don't book a return flight that leaves no margin.

Budget for medication too: medication is paid separately at the pharmacy, about ₩40,000+ for one month. K-Clinic's advice is to keep your eye drops in your carry-on on the way home, not in checked luggage.

Mistake 7: Wearing eye makeup and forgetting sunglasses on surgery day

On surgery day, no eye makeup and no perfume, and bring sunglasses for going outside afterwards. These need to be done before you leave your hotel.

After surgery, use your eye drops as the doctor instructs and rest well. Surgery isn't the end of the process: whenever you want a follow-up visit or a check-up later, you can arrange it through this website.

FAQ for first-time visitors

Q. Do I need to choose a procedure before I go?
No. Whether SMILE Pro, SMILE LASIK or Evo ICL suits you is decided by the doctor based on your pre-surgery exam. Come with your budget and preferences, and decide after the exam.

Q. What's the difference between the list price and the discounted price?
The discounted price already includes the same-day surgery, SNS review and companion discounts. For example, the SMILE Pro full package is ₩5,000,000 at list price and ₩4,500,000 at the discounted price.

Q. Is it okay if I don't speak Korean?
Yes. You can book and get a consultation through this website's Request booking button or live chat, so no Korean is needed.

Q. Where is Gangnam Good Eye Clinic?
It is at 107 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 7th and 9th floors, about a 2-minute walk from Gangnam Station.

Book Gangnam Good Eye Clinic through K-Clinic

For a first visit, the biggest risk is getting the order wrong. Get a free consultation through K-Clinic's Request booking button or live chat, and settle your contact lens break before you book flights.

Tell us your contact lens type, planned travel dates, whether you're coming alone or with one other person, and your return date. We'll help you confirm the lens break, time slots that avoid closed days, and the coupon that applies. Remember to claim the coupon before you book.

The actual surgical method and cost depend on your pre-surgery exam results.

Clinics in this article

Gangnam Joeun Eye ClinicSeoul・Eye・Vision correction
About 2 min walk from Gangnam Station