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For years, Americans have crossed borders in search of affordable healthcare, whether it be for dental work in Mexico, prescription drugs in Canada, or hair transplants in Turkey. But a new destination in medical tourism is gaining momentum among Black American women, who are increasingly booking flights to Seoul, South Korea, for something else: care that feels inclusive.
South Korea holds a reputation as the global capital of cosmetic dermatology and plastic surgery. But many visitors are discovering comprehensive preventive medicine, extensive diagnostic testing and appointments that are more affordable and easier to access than in the United States. “Our clients have told us they want to know what’s actually going on in their body,” says William Ban, the co-founder and COO of Himedi, a preventive health platform that connects American clients with comprehensive diagnostic screening in South Korea. “They arrive in Korea and access a level of diagnostic thoroughness with same-day imaging, comprehensive panels and specialist review that would take months and significant out-of-pocket cost to assemble in the US, if they could access it at all.”
According to Ban, requests from Black American women have risen significantly over the past several years, particularly for comprehensive health check-ups. “It’s a pattern worth paying attention to. The interest we see isn’t primarily cosmetic; it’s diagnostic. Clients want comprehensive panels like gynaecological, thyroid and cardiovascular screenings. The procedures that come up most often track closely with the health conditions where Black women in the US face the steepest disparities and the most documented gaps in clinical attention.”
It checks out. Black American women face disproportionately high rates of cardiovascular disease – the leading cause of death among the group – and have the highest prevalence of hypertension in the world, yet studies have found they are more likely to experience delays in diagnosis and treatment. Black women are also more likely to experience delayed diagnosis or delayed treatment for gynaecological disorders such as endometriosis, fibroids and breast cancer, driven by a combination of structural inequities, implicit bias and differences in access to timely diagnostic testing. Against that backdrop, preventive care in the form of one-day health examinations, where cardiovascular imaging, thyroid ultrasounds, gynaecological screenings, bloodwork and specialist consultations are often bundled into a single visit, offers Black women convenience, as well as an opportunity to have their concerns investigated comprehensively.
“The experience was night and day. I went in and felt right at ease based on the level of thoughtfulness and the questions I was being asked in advance,” said Adzua Agyapon, a 36-year-old non-profit worker and founder of Verdant Earth, based in Washington DC. Agyapon visited Medione medical center in Seoul in April, where she found out she had a 10cm fibroid during her comprehensive health exam. “I had no idea about it despite having annual checkups and having a good relationship with my medical team at home,” she said. The fibroid was found with an ultrasound and then confirmed minutes later with an MRI, an experience Agyapon says felt simple rather than frustrating. “The medical staff were just so accommodating, so kind, and so patient. That level of compassion and concern is not something I’ve ever experienced in America,” she said. Agyapon’s comprehensive health check-up was just under $600.
Many Black American women navigating the US healthcare system describe having their symptoms minimized or dismissed, forcing them to become their own advocates. This often involves pushing for additional testing and specialist referrals, seeking second opinions, and coming to appointments overly prepared with knowledge about their conditions and potential treatment options in order to be taken seriously. “In the US, when I go to see a doctor, I usually feel rushed, not heard, and that I don’t even have time to give them all the information. If I don’t coordinate my notes and say everything in one breath, I’m not even going to get the attention that I need,” said Elizabeth Oputa, a 42-year-old brand strategist in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Oputa has traveled to South Korea twice for health checkups, alopecia and skin treatments, and spa treatments. She wears a wig as a result of hair loss from her alopecia, and tends to remove it during medical appointments. The difference in how she’s perceived is stark. “In Korea, I don’t feel any type of prejudice. I feel heard, and they’re taking their time and they understand me,” she said, noting that she attended an appointment wearing a wig and no one judged or eyed her when she removed it. “In the US, I’ve picked up on visible reactions … some surprise, occasional light comments and a sense that it became a topic of conversation after I stepped out, whether at the desk or among staff.” In Seoul, “I felt very much at ease. I felt like a patient given the same level of care as the next person. It just felt very unique to me.”
Beyond K-beauty
The experience of feeling valued is not limited to healthcare – it includes skincare too. For Fumi Ekhator, a 35-year-old attorney based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, whose best friend is Korean and has gifted her Korean skincare products after her trips, the decision to travel came after realizing she could not find similar products locally. While western skincare often focuses on correcting existing skin problems by using aggressive and potent lab-derived actives, Korean skincare aims to prevent them by using gentle, barrier-repairing and hydrating natural ingredients. For instance, many Korean retinol products are formulated with relatively low concentrations – often about 0.1% – whereas western formulations typically begin at roughly 0.25% and are frequently available in higher strengths.
In September 2025, Ekhator visited a skin clinic in South Korea where she underwent an analysis and treatments. At first, she was apprehensive because she has dark skin, which can be prone to hyperpigmentation with certain chemical peels and lasers. “It’s a country that’s like over 95% homogenous. So I didn’t know if they were going to be aware or understand the precautions for my skin tone, but I was relieved when I went to the clinic, and they brought it up during my consultation,” she said. In the conversation, it was recommended that she use gentler methods over time to get a final result so she would not risk triggering inflammation and hyperpigmentation.
“It was nice not having to like press for anything, or explain anything,” Ekhator said. “It just made me feel like they understood that [skin tone] was a factor, and that made me feel a lot more comfortable.”
While the technology and products initially caught her attention, she says the caution itself became the defining part of the experience. “I went to a Korean pharmacy, for example, and when I went to check out, I bought a hydroquinone product and the pharmacist walked me through proper use and told me it can be really irritating to dark skin. There was just an awareness and sort of caution that felt very inclusive.”
Patient-first approach
One of South Korea’s biggest draws is its patient-first approach that is evident in preventive care. “Preventive health checkups are deeply embedded in Korean healthcare culture. Employers sponsor them, the government subsidizes them for citizens, and clinics are purpose-built around the checkup experience. Clients aren’t navigating a system designed primarily for sick care,” said Ban. “They’re using infrastructure that was purpose-built for what they actually want: to know their baseline and catch problems early.” The American healthcare system, in Ban’s view, is more about intervention, structured around acute and episodic care, while the South Korean healthcare system is structured around catching problems before they become emergencies.
When Dr Terika L Haynes, a 44-year-old travel adviser in Orlando, Florida, found herself without health insurance after becoming self-employed, South Korea became an obvious choice to continue care. In May, she booked a trip, along with a comprehensive medical exam and a dermatology appointment. “Everything was centralized, which made it super efficient and convenient,” she said, noting that she had blood work, vision and hearing tests, a mammogram, pap smear, and vein test, all under three hours. “They did a lot more testing than we typically do at an annual checkup in the US.”
Medical tourism is, of course, not a cure-all. The ability to travel abroad for healthcare remains a privilege reserved for a relatively small share of Americans with the financial means and flexibility to do so, and it does nothing to address the systemic inequities that produce disparities in Black women’s health. For many Black women, the lasting memory isn’t just the treatment or affordability, but the positive experience in a medical setting. While follow-up care must often continue back home, the women interviewed all plan to return to South Korea for routine checkups and view their trips as an investment in care itself. “I felt like they were very open and welcoming to any questions and concerns that you may have, which is different for a lot of Black women in the US who seek healthcare. I felt like the hospitality altogether was just very warm and welcoming and accepting,” Haynes said.
As South Korea becomes synonymous not only with beauty innovation but comprehensive healthcare, the country’s growing appeal may reveal less about what it offers than what many Black American women feel has been missing all along. “A trip to Korea will be amazing and fun,” said Agyapon, “but it could also literally save your life”.
