Two menus can use completely different words for the same kind of machine. Ultherapy and Shurink are both focused-ultrasound lifting devices (often called HIFU). Thermage and Oligio both deliver monopolar radiofrequency (RF). Botox, Xeomin and Dysport are all botulinum toxin type A. To compare two menus fairly, translate each brand name into its generic category. Then check what unit the price is counted in: shots, kilojoules, cc, units, areas or sessions. Only compare lines that match on both. A brand name tells you who made the device. It does not tell you how much treatment you get, or whether two lines on two menus are the same thing.
This guide goes through the common categories you’ll see on a Seoul menu, using MIO Clinic’s published menu as a worked example. All MIO prices below are as published at the time of writing and exclude VAT. Choosing a specific doctor adds KRW 100,000. USD figures are rough conversions and will move with the exchange rate.
Why do clinic menus use brand names instead of device types?
Clinic menus use brand names because patients search for them. “Ultherapy” gets far more searches than “microfocused ultrasound with visualization”, so menus list the brand. Brand names also tell you something real: different manufacturers’ devices differ in transducer design, energy delivery, cooling and handpiece options, and some patients have a preference.
The catch is that one category can show up under several names, sometimes on the same menu. For a visitor, that means:
- Two names can sit in the same category and still differ in price, depth options or how the session feels.
- One name can cover more than one product line (for example, a “Prime” version of a device or a separate eye handpiece).
- Where a device sits on a menu doesn’t always tell you what it’s best known for internationally.
So treat the brand name as the start of the question. “What category is this, and what does the price buy?” is the useful follow-up.
Which brand names belong to which generic category?
Here’s a translation table for the device and product names you’re most likely to see on a Seoul menu. The categories are general industry knowledge. The units are how MIO’s menu counts each one.
| Brand name on the menu | Generic category | How MIO’s menu counts it |
|---|---|---|
| Ultherapy Prime | Microfocused ultrasound (HIFU-type lifting) | Shots |
| Shurink | Focused ultrasound (HIFU-type lifting) | Shots |
| Thermage | Monopolar radiofrequency | Shots |
| Oligio | Monopolar radiofrequency | Shots |
| ONDA / Body ONDA | Microwave-based energy | Kilojoules (kJ), plus depth for body |
| Potenza | Radiofrequency microneedling | Full face, per session |
| PicoSure | Picosecond laser | Per session (toning variants) |
| Genesis Toning | Laser toning (Nd:YAG-type) | Per session |
| Allergan Original / Xeomin / Dysport / Domestic | Botulinum toxin type A | Areas or units (u) |
| Juvéderm / Restylane / Belotero / Domestic | Hyaluronic acid filler | Per treatment area |
| Rejuran (Healer, HB, i) | Polynucleotide skin booster | cc |
| JUVELOOK | PDLLA-based skin booster | cc |
| Radiesse | Calcium hydroxylapatite filler | Per treatment |
Note the last column. Even two devices in the same category can be counted differently on different menus, and that’s where most comparison mistakes happen.
How do you compare two focused-ultrasound lifting lines?
Compare focused-ultrasound lines by shot count first, then by which areas those shots usually cover. Brand comes last.
On MIO’s menu, two ultrasound-type lifting lines sit side by side:
- Ultherapy Prime 300 shots: KRW 1,090,000 (about USD 790), numbing required.
- Shurink 300 shots: KRW 59,000 (about USD 43), a brief sting rather than full numbing.
Both are “300 shots”, but the prices are very far apart. A shot on one device isn’t the same as a shot on another. Devices differ in energy delivery, transducer design and how the clinic plans coverage. A shot count only means something within one device line, not across brands. If one clinic quotes “300 shots of Ultherapy” and another quotes “300 shots of HIFU”, you have to ask which device the second clinic means before the numbers say anything.
MIO also lists an Eye/Derma Ulthera 100 shots line at KRW 399,000, which MIO advises scheduling on the last day of a trip, and an Eye/Derma Shurink 100 shots line at KRW 39,000. The eye-area versions are separate menu lines, not a smaller slice of the full-face price.
For more on how the Ultherapy tiers break down, see Ultherapy Prime at MIO: What 100, 300 and 600 Shots Each Cost.
How do you compare two monopolar RF lines like Thermage and Oligio?
Same approach: confirm both are monopolar RF, then compare shot counts within each brand, not across them.
On MIO’s menu:
- Thermage 300 shots: KRW 1,190,000 (about USD 860), brief stinging.
- Oligio 300 shots: KRW 349,000 (about USD 250), brief stinging.
- Eye Thermage 225 shots: KRW 1,190,000. Eye Oligio 200 shots: KRW 390,000.
Both brands deliver monopolar radiofrequency to heat deeper skin layers. That differs from the ultrasound category above, which focuses energy at set depths. Clinics often pair the two categories, and MIO’s menu has combination lines such as Ultherapy Prime 300 shots + Thermage 300 shots at KRW 2,190,000. If you’re comparing a “lifting package” from two clinics, list which categories it actually includes. A package with one ultrasound line and one RF line is a different plan from one with two RF lines.
The difference between the two energy types is covered in more depth in Thermage at MIO: Shot Tiers and How RF Differs From Ultherapy.
Why does one menu list toxin by brand and another just say “Botox”?
In everyday speech, “Botox” means any botulinum toxin type A. On a menu it can also mean one specific product. MIO’s menu splits the category into three price tiers by manufacturer, priced the same way:
- Wrinkle Botox, 3 areas (Allergan Original): KRW 189,000 (about USD 137)
- Wrinkle Botox, 3 areas (Xeomin, Dysport): KRW 139,000 (about USD 100)
- Wrinkle Botox, 3 areas (Domestic Premium): KRW 39,000 (about USD 28)
All three are toxin type A for the same three areas, and none uses numbing. MIO advises scheduling them on the first day of a trip. The difference is which product goes into the syringe. When another clinic quotes “Botox, 3 areas” with no product named, ask which of these tiers it matches. Otherwise you may be comparing a domestic price to an imported one.
Watch the unit too. Masseter and temporalis lines on MIO’s menu are counted in units (50u), not areas, and Masseter Botox 50u ranges from KRW 35,000 (Domestic) to KRW 165,000 (Allergan Original). “Jaw botox” on another menu might be priced per session with no unit count. Ask how many units it includes before you compare.
Do filler and skin-booster brand names work the same way?
Mostly yes. The generic category matters more than the logo, and the unit matters most.
- Hyaluronic acid filler: MIO prices filler per treatment area, with an imported line (Juvéderm, Restylane, Belotero) and a Domestic line. Nose Filler is KRW 399,000 imported vs KRW 159,000 domestic. Chin Filler is KRW 299,000 vs KRW 99,000. A clinic quoting filler “per syringe” or “per cc” is using a different unit, so you can’t line the two prices up directly. Same Area, Two Filler Prices covers how to ask which line you’re being quoted.
- Skin boosters are an umbrella term, not one category. Rejuran is a polynucleotide product. JUVELOOK is PDLLA-based. Radiesse is calcium hydroxylapatite. They’re injected for different reasons and counted in different units. Rejuran Healer 2cc is KRW 189,000 (about USD 137). JUVELOOK Skin Booster 2cc is KRW 109,000 (about USD 79). JUVELOOK Volume 2cc is KRW 249,000. That last one shows a single brand name covering two products with different purposes and prices.
“2cc of booster” on two menus can be two unrelated substances. Get the product name, then the cc.
What if a device appears in an unexpected section of the menu?
Ask what it’s being used for in your plan. Menu sections are a clinic’s own grouping, not a technical classification.
For example, Soprano Titanium is best known internationally as a diode-laser hair-removal platform. MIO’s menu lists it under Lifting, priced by kilojoules (20kJ at KRW 250,000 up to 100kJ at KRW 900,000). That isn’t an error on the reader’s side. It just means the brand name alone doesn’t tell you the treatment goal, and you should hear it from the clinic. The same goes for ONDA, which MIO lists for the face under Lifting and for the body under Body Contouring, both counted in kJ, with body lines also specifying depth (7mm or 12mm).
When the section and your expectations don’t match, ask: “What is this device doing in my plan, and what result is it aimed at?” A clear answer is a good sign. A vague one is worth noticing.
How should you line up two menus side by side?
Use a three-column check for every line you’re considering:
- Generic category. Translate the brand into ultrasound, monopolar RF, microwave, RF microneedling, picosecond laser, toxin type A, HA filler, polynucleotide booster, and so on.
- Unit. Shots, kJ, cc, units, areas or sessions. Write it down next to the price.
- What’s included. Numbing, the tier or product line, the treatment area, and whether a doctor choice fee applies (at MIO, KRW 100,000).
Only compare rows where columns 1 and 2 match. If they don’t, the price comparison isn’t telling you anything yet, so ask the clinic to restate the quote in matching terms. Two more points:
- VAT. MIO’s published prices exclude VAT. Check whether the other menu includes it.
- Trip timing. MIO’s menu flags lines it advises for the first day (toxin, filler) or the last day (some injectables and eye lines) of a trip. That affects how you’d actually book them, even if the prices look comparable.
Who decides which device is right for you?
The doctor does, after assessing you in person. MIO’s doctors are experienced clinicians, and each has a main focus. Shin Seungyong works on lifting and contouring. Kim Doyoung focuses on lasers, pigmentation and skin boosters. Jung Guhyun, the medical director, covers botox, filler, lifting, skin boosters and lasers. If you arrive comparing two lifting brands, ask at consultation which doctor’s focus fits what you’re weighing. The device choice depends on your skin, your goal and your trip length more than on which name you saw first.
MIO uses detailed clinical photography and AI-assisted facial analysis to build the treatment plan, so the recommendation rests on measured data and then the doctor’s judgment. The analysis informs the plan. It doesn’t diagnose, and it doesn’t guarantee a result. Results vary between individuals, and no device brand changes that.
A few honest limits apply to every device in this guide. Energy-based lifting can cause temporary redness, swelling or tenderness. Injectables can bruise or swell. Some patients don’t respond as much as they hoped. Any of these treatments may be a poor fit if you have active skin infection, are pregnant, or have certain medical conditions, and the consultation is where that gets checked. If someone promises a same-day dramatic transformation from any brand, be cautious. That isn’t how these treatments work.
FAQ
Is Shurink the same as Ultherapy?
They’re in the same broad category, focused ultrasound for lifting, but they’re different devices from different manufacturers. On MIO’s menu, 300 shots of Ultherapy Prime is KRW 1,090,000 and 300 shots of Shurink is KRW 59,000. A shot on one isn’t equivalent to a shot on the other.
Is Oligio a cheaper Thermage?
Both are monopolar radiofrequency devices, but they’re separate brands with their own handpieces and shot counts. Compare shot counts within each brand. At MIO, Thermage 300 shots is KRW 1,190,000 and Oligio 300 shots is KRW 349,000.
If a menu just says “Botox”, which product is it?
In casual use “Botox” means any botulinum toxin type A. Ask which product it is. MIO lists Allergan Original, Xeomin/Dysport, and Domestic tiers separately, and the gap for the same three areas runs from KRW 39,000 to KRW 189,000.
Can I compare a filler price per area with one quoted per syringe?
Not directly. MIO prices filler per treatment area, while some clinics price per syringe or per cc. Ask both clinics to tell you the product line and, where possible, the expected amount for your area, keeping in mind that the amount is set at consultation.
Why is a device listed in a section I didn’t expect?
Menu sections are each clinic’s own grouping. Soprano Titanium, for example, is widely known for hair removal but appears under Lifting on MIO’s menu, priced by kJ. Ask what the device is doing in your plan.
Do MIO’s menu prices include VAT?
No. MIO’s published prices exclude VAT, and choosing a specific doctor adds KRW 100,000. Prices can change, so treat them as accurate at the time of writing.
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