EP.09 Why Do Koreans Look at Negative Reviews Before Positive ones?
Updated: 2026-07-22
Why Koreans Read Negative Reviews First
It is natural to read positive reviews first when searching for a hospital.
However, among Korean patients, there are many who check negative reviews and the hospital's response before positive ones.
This is not to find a hospital that is completely free of complaints. It is to see how the hospital responds when a problem arises.
The results cannot be the same for every patient.
The outcomes of plastic surgery and skin procedures can vary depending on an individual's facial structure, skin condition, recovery speed, and history of previous surgeries.
Therefore, it is difficult for any hospital to guarantee that every patient will be equally satisfied.
What matters is how the hospital listens to and responds when a patient complains of discomfort.
What to Check in Negative Reviews
When reading reviews, instead of just looking at emotional expressions, please check the following points.
When did the problem occur? Did the patient revisit the hospital? Did a doctor personally check the condition? Did the hospital provide treatment or management? Was there a sufficient period of follow-up observation? What discrepancies exist between the hospital's and the patient's explanations? How was the dispute ultimately resolved? The hospital's response method is also important.
If the hospital responded to a complaint review, review the content of that response as well.
You can partially gauge the hospital's customer service style by observing whether they guide you through specific verification procedures and suggest a follow-up visit, or if they blame the patient or deny all responsibility.
However, you should not judge the exact nature of medical negligence based solely on online reviews. Medical disputes often require medical records and expert judgment.
Just because there are complaints does not mean the hospital is bad.
If a hospital treats thousands of patients, some complaints are bound to exist.
It is more important to look at whether the same problem recurs and whether the hospital has a system in place to resolve issues, rather than focusing on the mere existence of the complaints.
Korean Local Tip
A problem can happen. The response matters. Finding a clinic that responds appropriately when problems arise may be a more realistic choice than one that only has perfect reviews.
Local Price Korea provides the criteria necessary for your selection.
Local Price Korea is not a platform that attacks specific clinics or ranks them based solely on the number of reviews.
It helps foreign patients compare various criteria together, such as price, medical staff, consultation, and aftercare.
Choose a clinic that communicates clearly before and after treatment.