Gangnam
Chief MD
Duk-ha Kim
The trust our patients have placed in this clinic was built on conviction and principle. We intend to hold to both, unchanged, through the next hundred years.
Career
Treatment comparison
Thermage FLX vs Ultherapy PRIME at Abijou Gangnam: how they differ and what the Gangnam menu lists
Thermage FLX and Ultherapy PRIME use different energy. Thermage FLX is monopolar radiofrequency that heats tissue below a cooled skin surface; Ultherapy PRIME is micro-focused ultrasound placed at set depths (1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm transducers) while the operator views the tissue layers on screen. At Abijou Gangnam both are sold by shot count, and the 12 October 2026 menu also lists six Ultherapy PRIME + Thermage FLX set lines. Whether one, both or neither suits you is decided at an in-person consultation.
- Thermage FLX
- Monopolar, capacitively coupled RF with a reverse thermal gradient; tips 4.0 cm², 3.0 cm², Eye 0.25 cm², Body 16.0 cm²
- Ultherapy PRIME
- Micro-focused ultrasound with visualization (MFU-V); transducers 1.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 4.5 mm
- Gangnam menu units
- Thermage FLX 300, 600, 900 shots and Eye 225, 450 shots; Ultherapy PRIME 100, 300, 600, 900 shots and Eye 100 shots; six combined set lines
- Price snapshot
- Booking-centre menu, 2026-10-12, VAT excluded, not a current quote
Language support and contact channels
This branch lists KakaoTalk, WhatsApp for international enquiries. Channel availability and the language of the responding staff can vary, so confirm both when you contact the clinic.
- KakaoTalk: use the official contact link in the booking section below.
- WhatsApp: use the official contact link in the booking section below.
Are Thermage FLX and Ultherapy PRIME the same kind of treatment?
No. They come from different makers and deliver different energy. Thermage FLX is radiofrequency (RF); Ultherapy PRIME is focused ultrasound. Comparing them by price or shot count alone mixes two different procedures.
Solta Medical describes Thermage as a monopolar, capacitively coupled radiofrequency system that utilizes a reverse thermal gradient: the surface is cooled while the tissue below is heated.
Ultherapy PRIME is the control unit Merz Aesthetics launched on 23 September 2024. It delivers micro-focused ultrasound at a chosen depth while the operator checks the tissue layers on screen before energy is delivered; Merz Korea names this imaging function DeepSEE.
Sources: Solta Medical UK — professionalsMerz Aesthetics — Ultherapy PRIME launch (2024-09-23)Merz Korea — Ultherapy PRIME
What does each maker say about depth and target areas?
Ultherapy PRIME is planned by depth; Thermage FLX is planned by tip. Merz Korea lists Ultherapy PRIME transducers at 1.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 4.5 mm, and Merz Aesthetics Taiwan describes the 4.5 mm transducer as reaching the SMAS layer. Thermage FLX tips are defined by treatment-surface size: Total Tip 4.0 cm², Total Tip 3.0 cm², Eye Tip 0.25 cm² and Body Tip 16.0 cm².
- Thermage: the manufacturer lists the forehead, mid-face, lower face, jawline and under the chin, plus body areas such as the abdomen and thighs. Solta Medical describes the Eye Tip as delivering shallower heating for the area around the eyes and the eyelids.
- Ultherapy: the official U.S. wording covers lifting the eyebrow and the skin on the neck and under the chin, improving lines and wrinkles on the décolleté, and, through a later clearance, skin laxity on the abdomen, arms and knees.
- An area list is not a statement that a treatment suits you. For Ultherapy PRIME ask which depths and how many lines per area; for Thermage FLX ask which tip and how many shots.
Sources: Merz Korea — Ultherapy PRIMEMerz Aesthetics Taiwan — PRIMEUltherapy official — physicians, body indicationThermage official (Solta Medical)Solta Medical UK — professionals
Does Abijou Gangnam list Ultherapy PRIME and Thermage FLX together?
Yes. The Gangnam Thermage menu lists six set lines, each one session, pairing Ultherapy PRIME 300, 400 or 600 shots with Thermage FLX 600 or 900 shots. They range from KRW 3,168,000 (Ultherapy PRIME 300 + Thermage FLX 600) to KRW 4,840,000 (Ultherapy PRIME 600 + Thermage FLX 900), VAT excluded, and are listed as regular package lines rather than promotions.
- The 400-shot Ultherapy PRIME count appears only inside these sets, not as a single item.
- Two different sets share the same listed amount, KRW 3,949,000: Ultherapy PRIME 600 + Thermage FLX 600, and Ultherapy PRIME 300 + Thermage FLX 900. Ask which split of shots fits your areas.
- A set on the menu is a pricing format, not a medical recommendation to combine. Whether combining suits you, and in what order, is the doctor’s call.
What is known about discomfort, and how should travellers plan?
For micro-focused ultrasound, a 2024 meta-analysis of 42 MFU-V studies reported a pooled mean pain score of 4.85 out of 10, across studies with different settings, areas and protocols. Thermage FLX is designed to cool the surface while heating the tissue below; ask the branch what comfort measures it uses for your tip and area.
- Give the branch your departure date before booking so the session and any check-up fit your trip, and ask what the first days are expected to look like for your plan.
- Contact the clinic promptly for blistering, a suspected burn, increasing pain, spreading redness or warmth, fever, persistent numbness, new weakness or facial asymmetry.
Sources: MFU-V systematic review & meta-analysis, Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2024Solta Medical UK — professionals
Visiting Abijou Gangnam for either treatment
The branch is a one-minute walk from Gangnam Station, and payment is made at the clinic on the day with no deposit or online prepayment.
- Getting there
- About 100 m from Exit 10 of Gangnam Station (Line 2 and Sinbundang Line), about 1 minute on foot
- Address
- 3F, 11F & 13F, Nude Zone Building, 9 Seocho-daero 77-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06615
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 10:00–14:00 and 15:00–20:00; Sat 10:00–16:30 (no lunch break); closed Sundays and public holidays
- Languages
- English, Japanese and Chinese alongside Korean
- Phone
- 1544-0377
What should you ask before choosing?
These questions keep the decision about your skin and the written plan, not the brand name.
- Which device fits my concern and area, and why that one rather than the other?
- For Ultherapy PRIME: which transducer depths and how many lines per area? For Thermage FLX: which tip and how many shots?
- Is the quote a single session or a set, and is VAT included?
- If you suggest both, are they done on the same day, and in which order?
- Disclose pregnancy or breastfeeding, implanted electronic devices or metal near the area, active skin infection, medicines affecting bleeding or healing, and recent fillers, toxins, lasers or other energy treatments.
Thermage FLX and Ultherapy PRIME at Gangnam, side by side
Use this table to line up what to confirm. It is not a ranking and does not say one device works better.
| Factor | Thermage FLX | Ultherapy PRIME |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Monopolar, capacitively coupled radiofrequency with a reverse thermal gradient | Micro-focused ultrasound with real-time visualization (MFU-V) |
| Depth or target, per maker | Tissue below a cooled surface; tips by surface size (4.0 cm², 3.0 cm², Eye 0.25 cm², Body 16.0 cm²) | Transducers at 1.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 4.5 mm; Merz Taiwan describes 4.5 mm as reaching the SMAS layer |
| Gangnam menu units | 300, 600, 900 shots; Eye 225 and 450 shots | 100, 300, 600, 900 shots; Eye 100 shots |
| Gangnam single-session prices (2026-10-12, VAT excl.) | KRW 1,089,000 to KRW 3,069,000 | KRW 429,000 to KRW 3,267,000 |
| Combined set at Gangnam | Six Ultherapy PRIME + Thermage FLX set lines, KRW 3,168,000 to KRW 4,840,000 | Same six set lines |
| Ask at consultation | Tip, shot count, areas, comfort measures | Transducer depths, lines per area, areas, comfort measures |
A consultation map, not an efficacy comparison.
Sources: Solta Medical UK — professionalsMerz Korea — Ultherapy PRIMEMerz Aesthetics Taiwan — PRIME
Abijou Gangnam menu, Thermage FLX and Ultherapy PRIME (snapshot 2026-10-12)
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Ultherapy PRIME 100 shots, 1 session | KRW 429,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 300 shots, 1 session | KRW 1,089,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 600 shots, 1 session | KRW 2,613,600 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 900 shots, 1 session | KRW 3,267,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME Eye 100 shots, 1 session | KRW 429,000 |
| Thermage FLX 300 shots, 1 session | KRW 1,089,000 |
| Thermage FLX 600 shots, 1 session | KRW 2,079,000 |
| Thermage FLX 900 shots, 1 session | KRW 3,069,000 |
| Thermage FLX Eye 225 shots, 1 session | KRW 1,100,000 |
| Thermage FLX Eye 450 shots, 1 session | KRW 1,980,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 300 + Thermage FLX 600 shots, 1 sessionSet | KRW 3,168,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 400 + Thermage FLX 600 shots, 1 sessionSet | KRW 3,245,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 600 + Thermage FLX 600 shots, 1 sessionSet | KRW 3,949,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 300 + Thermage FLX 900 shots, 1 sessionSet | KRW 3,949,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 400 + Thermage FLX 900 shots, 1 sessionSet | KRW 4,345,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 600 + Thermage FLX 900 shots, 1 sessionSet | KRW 4,840,000 |
Historical example from the 12 October 2026 booking-centre snapshot for Abijou Gangnam. VAT excluded; first-visit trial and limited-time promotional lines left out; not a current quote.
Medical care at Abijou
Consultation and treatment are provided by the medical team at this branch. The clinician shown leads the branch; the doctor assigned to your visit may vary, so confirm the assignment when booking.
Listed branch medical team — not a medical-review byline for this article.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Thermage and Ultherapy?
The energy. Thermage FLX is monopolar radiofrequency that heats tissue below a cooled surface, and it is planned by tip and shot count. Ultherapy PRIME is micro-focused ultrasound placed at set depths (1.5, 3.0 or 4.5 mm) while the operator views the tissue layers, and it is planned by depth and lines.
Which is better for me, Thermage or Ultherapy PRIME?
That depends on your skin, tissue and the areas you want treated, so it is decided at an in-person consultation. This article does not rank them. Bring your concerns, medical history and travel dates, and ask the doctor to explain why one device, both or neither fits.
Which is better for sagging jowls, Thermage or Ultherapy?
This article does not rank them for any area. The Thermage maker lists the lower face and jawline among its treatment areas, and the U.S. Ultherapy wording covers lifting skin on the neck and under the chin. Which approach suits your jawline is an assessment of skin and tissue made in person.
How much does Ultherapy PRIME cost at Abijou Gangnam?
In the 12 October 2026 snapshot, Gangnam listed Ultherapy PRIME at KRW 429,000 for 100 shots, KRW 1,089,000 for 300 shots, KRW 2,613,600 for 600 shots and KRW 3,267,000 for 900 shots, VAT excluded. These are menu prices for one session, not a quote.
Is Thermage FLX more expensive than Ultherapy PRIME at Gangnam?
It depends on the shot count. At 300 shots both are listed at KRW 1,089,000; at 900 shots Thermage FLX is listed at KRW 3,069,000 and Ultherapy PRIME at KRW 3,267,000 (2026-10-12, VAT excluded). Shots are not equivalent across devices, so compare the plan, not just the number.
Can I have Ultherapy PRIME and Thermage FLX together at Gangnam?
The Gangnam menu lists six set lines that pair the two, from KRW 3,168,000 to KRW 4,840,000 per session (VAT excluded). Whether combining suits you, and in which order, is decided by the doctor at consultation.
Which one hurts more?
Pain is personal. Pooled MFU-V studies reported a mean pain score of 4.85 out of 10, and Thermage FLX cools the surface while heating below. Ask the branch what comfort measures it uses for your plan and tell the operator during the session if it becomes hard to tolerate.
Can I fly home a few days after treatment?
Give the branch your departure date before booking and ask what the first days are expected to look like for your device, depth or tip and areas. Agree how to reach the clinic after you leave Korea in case a question comes up.
How Abijou works
We started in Gangnam in 2006 and the network now runs 17 branches across Korea. The line we work to is skin transformation woven into everyday life — care you can keep up with, rather than one dramatic intervention.
- Opened in 2006, the first Abijou branch — now one of 17 nationwide
- We look at the condition first and propose only the scope it needs
- We quote the official published price list as it stands
- Across the 17 branches in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon and Busan: over 1,000 medical professionals and more than 350 certified medical devices
- Authentic products only, in appropriate amounts — the treatment is fitted to the condition, not to a package
Contact and location
- Address
- 3F, 11F & 13F, Nude Zone Building, 9 Seocho-daero 77-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06615, Republic of Korea
- Directions
- About 100 m from Exit 10 of Gangnam Station on Subway Line 2 and the Sinbundang Line — about a 1-minute walk. From Exit 9 it is 126 m, about 2 minutes: come out of Exit 9, walk straight toward Megabox, and the building is the one with a 7-Eleven on the ground floor.
- Hours
- Mon–Fri, morning · 10:00 – 14:00 / Mon–Fri, afternoon · 15:00 – 20:00 / Saturday (no lunch break) · 10:00 – 16:30 / Sunday & public holidays · Closed
- Phone
- 1544-0377
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