MIO Clinic publishes four separate lifting lines: Ultherapy Prime, Thermage, Oligio and Shurink. All four are priced by shot count, but a “shot” is not the same thing across devices, so a 300-shot session on one line does not do the same work as 300 shots on another. Two of them use focused ultrasound and two use radiofrequency. Ultherapy Prime is the only one MIO lists as needing numbing. The other three are listed as a brief sting. None of the full-face sessions are tied to a particular day of your trip. The one exception is the small eye/derma Ultherapy option, which MIO recommends for the last day. Which line suits your face, and how many shots, is decided at consultation. This guide shows what each line is, what it costs as published, and how it fits around your flights.
All prices below are MIO’s published menu at the time of writing. They exclude VAT, and choosing a specific doctor adds KRW 100,000 (about $72). USD figures are approximate and use roughly KRW 1,380 to the dollar. Your final cost depends on your assessment and can’t be quoted before you are seen.
What are the four lifting lines on MIO’s menu, in one table?
Two lines use focused ultrasound (Ultherapy Prime, Shurink) and two use monopolar radiofrequency (Thermage, Oligio). Within each pair, one is a long-established international brand and one is a Korean-developed device at a much lower price point.
| Line | Energy type | Priced in | Full-face rows (KRW / approx. USD) | Eye or small-area row | Numbing (as MIO lists it) | MIO trip timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultherapy Prime | Micro-focused ultrasound | Shots | 100 shots 399,000 (~$289) · 300 shots 1,090,000 (~$790) · 600 shots 1,890,000 (~$1,370) | Eye/Derma Ulthera 100 shots 399,000 (~$289) | Numbing required | Any day (eye/derma: last day) |
| Thermage | Monopolar RF | Shots | 300 shots 1,190,000 (~$862) · 600 shots 1,990,000 (~$1,442) | Eye Thermage 225 shots 1,190,000 (~$862) | Brief sting | Any day |
| Oligio | Monopolar RF | Shots | 300 shots 349,000 (~$253) · 630 shots 690,000 (~$500) | Eye Oligio 200 shots 390,000 (~$283) · 430 shots 690,000 (~$500) | Brief sting | Any day |
| Shurink | Focused ultrasound (HIFU) | Shots | 300 shots 59,000 (~$43) · 600 shots 109,000 (~$79) | Eye/Derma Shurink 100 shots 39,000 (~$28) | Brief sting | Any day |
MIO also lists a Shurink 300 + Oligio 300 pairing at KRW 399,000 (~$289). That pairs an ultrasound line with an RF line in one visit. We cover when a two-device visit makes sense, and when one device is enough, in our guide to combination lifting packages.
Why can’t you compare the four lines shot for shot?
Each device defines its own “shot”. On the ultrasound lines, a shot is one line of focused energy placed at a set depth. On the RF lines, a shot is one pulse of heat delivered through a treatment tip. One device’s shot does not deliver the same energy as another’s, so the shot count only means something when you compare it within the same line.
That is why Shurink 600 shots (KRW 109,000) and Ultherapy Prime 600 shots (KRW 1,890,000) are not “the same session at different prices”. They are different devices, built differently, used for different reasons. Comparing them shot for shot is like comparing two prices that are counted in different units. We explain how to read shot counts and compare quotes that don’t match in What Does a “Shot” Actually Mean on a Lifting Menu.
The useful comparisons are:
- Within one line: a 300-shot versus a 600-shot session on the same device. The higher count usually means more passes or more coverage.
- Across lines: the energy type (ultrasound or RF), how deep it reaches, how much it is likely to sting, and how often people usually repeat it.
Ultherapy Prime: what is it, and why is it the only one MIO numbs for?
Ultherapy Prime uses micro-focused ultrasound with real-time imaging. The operator can see the tissue layers on screen and place energy at specific depths, including the deeper layer that surgical facelifts also work on. That depth is the main reason it is the most expensive of the four, and also why it is the most uncomfortable. MIO lists it as requiring numbing.
- How it’s sold at MIO: 100 shots KRW 399,000 (~$289), 300 shots KRW 1,090,000 (~$790), 600 shots KRW 1,890,000 (~$1,370). There is also an Eye/Derma Ulthera 100-shot option at KRW 399,000 (~$289).
- Trip timing: MIO lists the full-face rows as fine on any day of your trip. The Eye/Derma 100-shot option is listed for your last day.
- What it feels like: deep, sharp heat in bursts, strongest over bone (jawline, temples), even with numbing. People react very differently.
- Afterwards: mild redness and tenderness are common. Some people get swelling, small bruises or tingling and numbness along the jaw for days to a few weeks. Rarely, raised welts or nerve-related changes take longer to settle.
- Results: they build over roughly two to three months as collagen remodels. They are gradual rather than immediate, and how long they last varies from person to person.
For the full shot-tier breakdown and which areas each tier usually covers, see Ultherapy Prime at MIO: What 100, 300 and 600 Shots Each Cost.
Thermage: how is RF different, and what do the shot tiers buy?
Thermage uses monopolar radiofrequency. It heats the skin and the tissue just below it more broadly, rather than placing energy at precise points. The aim is to tighten and improve skin texture over a wider area, not to lift from a deep anchor point. MIO lists it as a brief sting, and the device cools the skin between pulses.
- How it’s sold at MIO: 300 shots KRW 1,190,000 (~$862) and 600 shots KRW 1,990,000 (~$1,442). The Eye Thermage 225-shot option is KRW 1,190,000 (~$862).
- Trip timing: MIO lists all Thermage rows for any day of your trip.
- What it feels like: a quick burst of heat with each pulse, alternating with cooling. Most people describe it as hot rather than sharp.
- Afterwards: temporary redness and warmth, sometimes mild swelling. Downtime is usually minimal. Uncommon risks include small blisters or temporary surface irregularities.
- Results: some immediate tightening is possible, but the main change develops over the following months. It varies by skin quality and age.
Oligio: where does a Korean RF line fit next to Thermage?
Oligio is a Korean-developed monopolar RF device. It works on the same principle as Thermage, at a much lower published price on MIO’s menu. It suits readers who want an RF-type treatment but whose budget, or whose amount of laxity, doesn’t point to Thermage. MIO lists it as a brief sting.
- How it’s sold at MIO: 300 shots KRW 349,000 (~$253) and 630 shots KRW 690,000 (~$500). Eye Oligio comes as 200 shots for KRW 390,000 (~$283) or 430 shots for KRW 690,000 (~$500).
- Trip timing: any day.
- What it feels like and afterwards: similar to RF in general. You feel warmth with each pulse, then temporary redness, with downtime usually minimal.
- Honest framing: the two RF lines are different devices with different tips and energy delivery. Neither is “better” by default. Your doctor’s choice depends on your skin, the area, how much change you are after, and how often you can realistically come back.
Shurink: why is the HIFU line so much cheaper?
Shurink is a Korean focused-ultrasound (HIFU) device. Like Ultherapy, it places heat at set depths, but it does not have Ultherapy’s real-time imaging and it is positioned as a lighter, lower-cost line. People often repeat it more frequently for maintenance. MIO lists it as a brief sting, not numbing.
- How it’s sold at MIO: 300 shots KRW 59,000 (~$43) and 600 shots KRW 109,000 (~$79). Eye/Derma Shurink 100 shots is KRW 39,000 (~$28). MIO also lists an optional Aurora Ampoule at KRW 29,000 (~$21), with no numbing.
- Trip timing: any day.
- What it feels like: prickly heat along each line, usually milder than Ultherapy, though people react differently over bony areas.
- Afterwards: mild redness and tenderness. Some people have slight swelling or a sore jaw for a few days.
- Honest framing: a low price per session doesn’t mean the same result for less money. It means a different device, used for a different purpose. Whether a lighter line repeated more often fits your goals better than one deeper session is the decision your consultation is for.
How does each line fit around a short trip to Seoul?
For full-face lifting, MIO’s own guidance is any day on all four lines. Downtime is generally short enough that the session doesn’t have to be fixed to your arrival or departure. The exception is the Eye/Derma Ulthera 100-shot option, which MIO lists for your last day.
Some practical points:
- Leave a buffer if it’s your first time with a device. Even when downtime is short, tenderness, swelling or small bruises can show up. A treatment day with no fixed evening plans is easier.
- Ultherapy Prime takes longer in the chair because numbing has to take effect first. Ask how long to allow when you book.
- Combining with other treatments: if you are also having filler, MIO’s guidance puts filler on the first day of a trip, for reasons we explain in why filler belongs on the first day. The consultation sets the order of everything else around that.
- MIO is open on Sundays too, which helps if you only have a weekend in Seoul or can’t get a weekday free.
Who decides which line you get, and what happens at consultation?
The doctor decides, after assessing your face in person. That is the honest answer to “which one should I book”, and it is why you should treat the table above as a map of the options, not a menu to order from.
At MIO, consultation starts with detailed clinical photography and AI-assisted facial analysis, which measure your facial structure and skin condition. The doctor uses that data to build the plan instead of judging from a quick look. The analysis supports the doctor’s decision. It does not diagnose anything or guarantee a result. MIO lists the skin analysis scan at no additional charge.
Lifting and contouring are a main focus for two of MIO’s experienced doctors, Jung Guhyun (the medical director) and Shin Seungyong. Both see patients in English. The doctor who treats you is arranged at booking, so if you want to know who handles lifting, ask at consultation.
Questions worth asking:
- Is my concern mainly deeper sagging (where focused ultrasound is usually discussed) or skin quality and laxity (where RF is usually discussed), or both?
- Which line, which shot count, and why that number for my face?
- How many sessions would a realistic plan involve, and how far apart? Can I keep it up from abroad?
- What should I expect in the first week?
When is energy-based lifting not a good fit?
These devices tighten and lift mild to moderate laxity. They can’t replace surgery when skin hangs substantially, and a responsible consultation will tell you so rather than sell you more shots. Other situations to raise with the doctor:
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Treatment is usually postponed.
- Implanted electronic devices, such as a pacemaker. These matter especially for RF lines.
- Active infection, open wounds or a flare-up in the area to be treated.
- Very recent filler, threads or other procedures in the same area. Timing and layering need planning.
- Expecting a same-day transformation. None of these four delivers that. Most of the change comes as collagen remodels over the following months.
No lifting device stops ageing. Results vary with age, skin quality, sun exposure and lifestyle, so the best guide to how long your result lasts is the doctor who has examined your face.
FAQ
Which of MIO’s four lifting lines is the strongest?
None of them is simply the strongest. Ultherapy Prime reaches the deepest layers with imaging guidance. Thermage and Oligio heat more broadly with RF. Shurink is a lighter HIFU line that is often repeated. Which one suits you depends on what your face needs, and the doctor decides that at consultation.
Does MIO use numbing for all lifting treatments?
No. MIO lists Ultherapy Prime as requiring numbing. Thermage, Oligio and Shurink are listed as a brief sting without numbing. How it feels still varies a lot from person to person.
Why is Shurink so much cheaper than Ultherapy if both are ultrasound?
They are different devices. Ultherapy Prime uses real-time imaging to place energy precisely at deeper layers. Shurink is a lighter HIFU line without that imaging. Shot counts and prices are not comparable between the two.
Can I have a lifting treatment on the last day before my flight?
MIO lists full-face Ultherapy Prime, Thermage, Oligio and Shurink as fine on any day of a trip, and lists the Eye/Derma Ulthera 100-shot option for the last day. Tenderness or swelling can still happen, so a buffer helps on your first session.
Do the published prices include VAT?
No. MIO’s menu prices exclude VAT, and choosing a specific doctor adds KRW 100,000 (about $72). Your final cost is confirmed after consultation.
How long do the results last?
It varies with the device, the number of shots, your age and your skin. The changes build over roughly two to three months, and people usually plan maintenance sessions. The doctor can give a realistic expectation after assessing you.
Book at MIO Clinic, Gangnam
Seoul Skin Notes is the official journal of MIO Clinic, a skin & aesthetic clinic in Gangnam, Seoul. The MIO team handles consultations and bookings in English over WhatsApp — tell them what you are considering and they will walk you through your options.
MIO Clinic
2-3F, FINE TOWER, 372 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Gangnam Station, Exit 4 — 3-minute walk
Hours: Mon & Fri 10:00–21:00 · Tue–Thu & Sat 10:00–19:00 · Sun 10:00–19:00
Web：mioclinic.kr/en · Instagram：@mioclinic_global · Email：en-official@mioclinic.kr · Google Maps