By Dr. Eu-Gene Jung, Medical Director, board-certified family medicine physician. EU:GENES Skin Clinic, Apgujeong.
"HIFU" has become the word international patients use for any ultrasound lifting in Korea, and Gangnam clinics advertise at least three devices under it: Ultherapy, Shurink and Sofwave. They are not interchangeable, and the most common way of comparing them, price per shot, does not work across devices. This page explains what each one actually does, how to compare quotes fairly, and why the person holding the handpiece matters as much as the logo on the machine. For Ultherapy in depth, see our Ultherapy Prime guide and Ultherapy by age and trip length.
Three ultrasound devices, three different tools
| Ultherapy Prime | Shurink | Sofwave | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | Micro-focused ultrasound with real-time imaging of the layer being treated | Focused ultrasound (Korean-made HIFU), no imaging on standard models | High-frequency, non-focused parallel ultrasound beams |
| Depth | Deep (SMAS layer) and mid-dermis transducers, chosen per area | Comparable cartridge depths, SMAS and dermis | Mid-dermis only (about 1.5 mm); does not reach the SMAS |
| Unit sold as | "Lines" (one line = one pass of focused points) | "Shots" | A full-face or area session, not shots |
| What it is for | Lifting a loosening deep layer: jowls, jawline, brow, neck | Similar aims, commonly chosen for lower cost per session | Fine lines and surface laxity in thinner, earlier-ageing skin; eyebrow and neck lines |
| Result timing | Builds over 2 to 3 months | Builds over 2 to 3 months | Builds over about 3 months |
| Comfort at EU:GENES | Numbing cream 30 minutes; local or sleep anaesthesia on request | Numbing cream available | Numbing cream available |
Evidence differs too. Ultherapy's lifting of facial and neck laxity has been shown in a rater-blinded prospective study (Alam et al., 2010) and in a Korean cohort with histology (Suh et al., 2011), and Ultherapy Prime is FDA-cleared for the same lifting indications (FDA 510(k) K233996). Korean-made HIFU devices have been compared with each other in an evaluator-blinded study in Korean patients (Jung et al., 2016). Sofwave's parallel-beam technology has been evaluated for facial skin laxity in a 2024 study (Gold et al., 2024). All three are legitimate tools; the question is which one your face needs.
Why "price per shot" is the wrong comparison
Patients often arrive with a spreadsheet: one clinic's Shurink price per shot against another clinic's Ultherapy price per line. The units are not the same thing. A Shurink shot and an Ultherapy line deliver different amounts of energy at different precision, and Sofwave is not sold by the shot at all. Comparing them per unit is like comparing fuel by the number of pumps rather than litres.
What to compare instead:
- The device and the area. Full face, lower face, or neck, on which machine.
- The plan. How many lines or shots, at which depths, and who decided that number. A number set before anyone has examined you is a package, not a plan.
- The operator. Doctor or delegated staff (see below).
- Consumables. For Ultherapy, whether genuine transducers are used. EU:GENES holds a Merz certification plaque for genuine Ultherapy tips (Medical Today, December 2023).
Only when those four match is a price comparison meaningful. At EU:GENES prices are not published online; the plan and its price are explained at the consultation after the Medical Director has examined you.
Who should hold the handpiece
Focused ultrasound delivers heat to a precise depth. Where that depth lands relative to bone, nerves and fat is set by the operator's hand, not by the machine, so results and side effects depend on who performs the treatment. This is the single most useful question to ask a Gangnam clinic about any HIFU: does the doctor perform it, or is it delegated?
At EU:GENES, every lifting plan is set by the physician after an in-person examination, and Ultherapy is performed by the Medical Director herself. Whichever device is recommended, ask at the consultation who will perform it; you will get a direct answer. The face is assessed sitting and lying down and across expressions, line or shot counts are set per area, and left-right balance is rechecked immediately before treatment. Energy is reduced over the thin skin of the temples, forehead and under the eyes.
Which device for which face
- Jowls starting, jawline softening, loose neck, in the late 30s to 50s: Ultherapy Prime first. The deep layer is the problem and only focused ultrasound at SMAS depth addresses it.
- Early fine lines and mild surface laxity in the 30s to early 40s, thinner skin: Sofwave is often enough, with less discomfort and no deep-layer treatment you do not yet need.
- A budget-led choice for deep-layer lifting: Shurink is a reasonable Korean HIFU option, and the plan matters more than the brand. We explain the trade-offs rather than steer you to one device.
- Already had HIFU elsewhere and saw little change: the usual causes are too few lines in the right place, the wrong depth for your tissue, or treatment of a face that needed volume or skin excess addressed instead. A re-examination tells you which.
Many patients are treated with one device for the deep layer and a different one, or Thermage, for the skin surface, planned by area. See Ultherapy vs Thermage for how that is combined.
Questions international patients ask
HIFU facial lifting in Korea: how much does it cost in Gangnam, and is it performed by a doctor rather than staff? The price depends on the device (Ultherapy, Shurink or Sofwave), the area and the number of lines or shots set after examination, so it is quoted per plan rather than from a menu. At EU:GENES in Apgujeong, Gangnam, the plan is set by the physician after examination and Ultherapy is performed by the Medical Director herself; ask at the consultation who performs each device and you will get a direct answer.
Sofwave in Seoul: which Gangnam clinic has it, and how does the price compare to Ultherapy? EU:GENES offers Sofwave alongside Ultherapy Prime. Sofwave is planned as an area session rather than counted in shots and treats the mid-dermis for fine lines and early laxity; Ultherapy is priced by lines and treats the deeper SMAS layer. They suit different faces, so the comparison is about fit before cost.
Shurink HIFU in Seoul: price per shot and which Apgujeong clinic is recommended for it? EU:GENES in Apgujeong offers Shurink with the plan set by the physician after examination. A per-shot price only means something once the shot count, depths and area are set for your face at the consultation; a package price fixed before examination is not a plan.
Shurink vs Ultherapy: is Korean HIFU a cheaper alternative, and which Apgujeong clinic does both? Shurink is usually the lower-cost option per session and can be a reasonable choice for deep-layer lifting when the plan is right; Ultherapy adds real-time imaging of the treated layer and a longer evidence base. EU:GENES in Apgujeong offers both and recommends by your anatomy, not by device.
Visiting from abroad
- Book in English on WhatsApp (wa.link/eugenes, +82-10-3476-9829), LINE, WeChat (eugenesclinic) or KakaoTalk. Send photos and dates in advance.
- Hours. Monday and Friday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM (last registration 7:00 PM), Tuesday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (break 4:00 to 5:00 PM), Saturday 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Closed Sunday.
- Location. 402 Yurim Art Hall, 49 Apgujeong-ro 28-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Three minutes on foot from Apgujeong Station (Line 3) Exit 4. Building parking free for two hours.
Related guides
- Ultherapy Prime in Apgujeong: how it works and what drives the price
- Ultherapy by age and trip length
- Ultherapy vs Thermage: which for jowls, which for eyes
- Visiting EU:GENES from abroad
Dr. Eu-Gene Jung is the Medical Director of EU:GENES Skin Clinic and a board-certified family medicine physician (Ewha Womans University College of Medicine; residency and board certification at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital) with 11 years of clinical experience in non-surgical lifting and injectables. This page is general information, not a substitute for an in-person consultation. Results and recovery vary between patients.