I Had Seven Surgeries Done At Once In Korea! Ft. Makeup Artist Judy Lim
Amy Chang
48,346 views
What does it actually take to fly to South Korea alone and change your face? Judy Lim — globally renowned bridal and hair makeup artist, and one of the most trusted names in luxury soft-glam — did exactly that. Multiple procedures, one trip, no pain medication, and months of emotional recovery nobody talks about.
In this episode, Judy pulls back the curtain on everything. The specific procedures she had done and what they cost. How she researched and chose her clinic, negotiated her price, and navigated the entire process without a translator or a support system. What it felt like to wake up and question everything. And what she wishes someone had told her before she went.
This is not a results reel. It's the full story — the pain, the doubt, the healing, and ultimately, why she'd do it again.
⏰ Timecodes
00:00 Why she chose Korea over the US — and what the American aesthetic gets wrong
02:17 The rise of medical tourism: 38 million procedures and why Korea leads
05:26 Did she consider surgeons in Canada or the US first?
06:38 Every procedure she had done — and what it cost
08:23 Navigating the language barrier and Korean clinic culture
09:23 How she researched and chose her clinic
15:50 The consultation process: translators, consultants, and meeting the doctors
17:27 Day by day: what actually happens from the moment you land
20:16 Negotiating price — and how she got over 50% off
23:11 Surgery day: 10 hours under and waking up in serious pain
25:48 Pain management in Korea: what nobody tells you before you go
27:22 Recovery in Seoul — bandaged, swollen, and somehow shopping every day
29:36 What she would change about the experience 31:36 The emotional rollercoaster of healing: months of "what did I do?"
33:57 The jaw surgery that scared her most during recovery
38:36 Her plan (or lack of one) for complications after flying home
41:07 Revealed: she also had surgery in Colombia — what she had done and why
45:46 Why she kept the Colombia surgery private — and the transparency conversation
49:31 The three Korean surgeons who worked on her face
50:06 What she'd do next — and the one procedure she'll never get
54:35 What good plastic surgery actually looks like
→ Have a beauty question you want me to tackle on the next Inbox? DM @mirrormirrorwithamy on Instagram
→ Subscribe so you don't miss next week's full Mirror Mirror episode.
ABOUT MIRROR MIRROR
Mirror Mirror is a podcast that cuts through the noise and uncovers the science shaping beauty and the psychology driving our desire for it. Hosted by Amy Chang — LA Times contributing writer, Marie Claire 2024 Power Player, and a trusted authority in beauty, with over 2.4 million followers who turn to her for insights on cutting-edge treatments and science-backed skincare.
Expect unfiltered conversations, expert insight, and the freedom to love your lipstick — while still questioning what perfection means.
LISTEN ANYWHERE
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/bh/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NcpTY7...
Instagram: @mirrormirrorwithamy
#beautymyths #skincare #aesthetics #haircare
20 Comments
* Two week update, I’m not very happy with my upper lip lift shape, I’m gonna give it a couple months and then consult with a plastic surgeon in the US about it. He brought up the Cupids bow, but did not bring up the sides, so it kind of look like a rabbit. I am going to give it more time to settle. Just want to continue giving updates.
7/22
Not happy with my outcome, although the surgical side of it was excellent as far as incisions and execution. The artistry side of it was not good at all. My chin implant was too large for my face and now have a more masculine looking chin. My lip lift he only brought up the Cupid bow not the edges. The corner lip lift has scars that makes it look like I have a frown. I will be consulting with US doctors to see what I can do to get this fixed. I’m not comfortable in front of the camera currently.
I still have Botox immobilizing under my nose, so I’m not really sure how the final look will be.
*2 month update… It is starting to settle in now and I don’t look as artificial. I will circle back at the 3 month mark.
I Had Seven Surgeries Done At Once In Korea! Ft. Makeup Artist Judy Lim
Amy Chang
48,346 views
What does it actually take to fly to South Korea alone and change your face? Judy Lim — globally renowned bridal and hair makeup artist, and one of the most trusted names in luxury soft-glam — did exactly that. Multiple procedures, one trip, no pain medication, and months of emotional recovery nobody talks about.
In this episode, Judy pulls back the curtain on everything. The specific procedures she had done and what they cost. How she researched and chose her clinic, negotiated her price, and navigated the entire process without a translator or a support system. What it felt like to wake up and question everything. And what she wishes someone had told her before she went.
This is not a results reel. It's the full story — the pain, the doubt, the healing, and ultimately, why she'd do it again.
⏰ Timecodes
00:00 Why she chose Korea over the US — and what the American aesthetic gets wrong
02:17 The rise of medical tourism: 38 million procedures and why Korea leads
05:26 Did she consider surgeons in Canada or the US first?
06:38 Every procedure she had done — and what it cost
08:23 Navigating the language barrier and Korean clinic culture
09:23 How she researched and chose her clinic
15:50 The consultation process: translators, consultants, and meeting the doctors
17:27 Day by day: what actually happens from the moment you land
20:16 Negotiating price — and how she got over 50% off
23:11 Surgery day: 10 hours under and waking up in serious pain
25:48 Pain management in Korea: what nobody tells you before you go
27:22 Recovery in Seoul — bandaged, swollen, and somehow shopping every day
29:36 What she would change about the experience 31:36 The emotional rollercoaster of healing: months of "what did I do?"
33:57 The jaw surgery that scared her most during recovery
38:36 Her plan (or lack of one) for complications after flying home
41:07 Revealed: she also had surgery in Colombia — what she had done and why
45:46 Why she kept the Colombia surgery private — and the transparency conversation
49:31 The three Korean surgeons who worked on her face
50:06 What she'd do next — and the one procedure she'll never get
54:35 What good plastic surgery actually looks like
→ Have a beauty question you want me to tackle on the next Inbox? DM @mirrormirrorwithamy on Instagram
→ Subscribe so you don't miss next week's full Mirror Mirror episode.
ABOUT MIRROR MIRROR
Mirror Mirror is a podcast that cuts through the noise and uncovers the science shaping beauty and the psychology driving our desire for it. Hosted by Amy Chang — LA Times contributing writer, Marie Claire 2024 Power Player, and a trusted authority in beauty, with over 2.4 million followers who turn to her for insights on cutting-edge treatments and science-backed skincare.
Expect unfiltered conversations, expert insight, and the freedom to love your lipstick — while still questioning what perfection means.
LISTEN ANYWHERE
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/bh/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NcpTY7...
Instagram: @mirrormirrorwithamy
#beautymyths #skincare #aesthetics #haircare