Hongdae
Chief MD
Jae-wook Kim
I will give my best with the attentiveness to catch even the smallest change.
Treatment comparison
Thermage FLX vs Ultherapy PRIME at Abijou Hongdae: how they differ and what the Hongdae menu lists
The two devices work differently. Thermage FLX delivers radiofrequency heat beneath a cooled skin surface; Ultherapy PRIME delivers focused ultrasound at 1.5, 3.0 or 4.5 mm after the operator has looked at the tissue layers on a screen. Shot counts, though, are set by each clinic’s menu. In the 12 October 2026 Abijou Hongdae listing, Thermage FLX starts at 600 shots, Ultherapy PRIME also has a 400-shot line, and four combined lines carry an event label. Suitability is for the doctor to judge in person.
- Thermage FLX
- Monopolar capacitively coupled RF, reverse thermal gradient; tips Total 4.0 and 3.0 cm², Eye 0.25 cm², Body 16.0 cm²
- Ultherapy PRIME
- MFU-V (micro-focused ultrasound with visualization); transducers at 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm
- Hongdae menu units
- Thermage FLX 600 and 900 shots, Eye 225 and 450 shots; Ultherapy PRIME 100, 300, 400, 600 and 900 shots, Eye 100 shots; four event set lines
- Price snapshot
- Booking-centre listing of 2026-10-12; VAT excluded; historical, not a 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.
What is the actual difference between Thermage FLX and Ultherapy PRIME?
The energy. They are different products from different makers, so shot counts and prices are not a like-for-like comparison.
Solta Medical’s description of Thermage: monopolar, capacitively coupled radiofrequency with a reverse thermal gradient, so the surface is cooled while the layer beneath warms.
Ultherapy PRIME is the control unit Merz Aesthetics launched on 23 September 2024. Before delivering energy at a chosen depth, the operator looks at the tissue layers on screen; Merz Korea’s name for that imaging is DeepSEE.
Sources: Solta Medical UK — professionalsMerz Aesthetics — Ultherapy PRIME launch (2024-09-23)Merz Korea — Ultherapy PRIME
Which settings do the makers list: tips for Thermage, depths for Ultherapy?
Think tip for Thermage FLX and depth for Ultherapy PRIME. Merz Korea lists transducers of 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm, and Merz Aesthetics Taiwan says the 4.5 mm one reaches the SMAS layer. Thermage tips are named by the size of the treated surface.
- Thermage areas named by the maker: forehead, mid-face, lower face, jawline, under the chin, and body sites such as abdomen and thighs. Its Eye Tip is described as a shallower heating option for the eye area and eyelids.
- Ultherapy, in the official U.S. wording: lifting the brow, lifting neck and under-chin skin, softening décolleté lines, and (by a later clearance) abdomen, arm and knee skin laxity.
- Areas on a list are not a statement about you. Ask which tip and shot count, or which depths and lines, your plan uses.
Sources: Merz Korea — Ultherapy PRIMEMerz Aesthetics Taiwan — PRIMEUltherapy official — physicians, body indicationThermage official (Solta Medical)Solta Medical UK — professionals
What are the Ultherapy PRIME + Thermage FLX lines on this menu?
The Hongdae Thermage and Ultherapy PRIME pages each show combined lines labelled [Event]: four in the 12 October 2026 snapshot, each one session, VAT excluded. Because they are labelled as events, treat them as time-limited and confirm they are still offered.
- Ultherapy PRIME 400 + Thermage FLX 600 shots: KRW 3,245,000.
- Ultherapy PRIME 300 + Thermage FLX 900 shots: KRW 3,949,000.
- Ultherapy PRIME 400 + Thermage FLX 900 shots: KRW 4,345,000.
- Ultherapy PRIME 600 + Thermage FLX 900 shots: KRW 4,840,000.
- A set is just a price format. Whether to combine the two, on one day or two, and which first, is the doctor’s decision.
Sources: Abijou booking centre, Hongdae Ultherapy PRIME menuAbijou booking centre, Hongdae Thermage menu
How does discomfort come up, and how should you plan around a flight?
For micro-focused ultrasound, a 2024 meta-analysis pooling 42 MFU-V studies gave a mean pain rating of 4.85 on a 10-point scale, with settings, areas and protocols varying between studies. Thermage FLX pairs surface cooling with deeper heating; ask what comfort measures the branch uses for your tip and area.
- Give your flight date when you book, and ask what the first couple of days usually involve for your device and areas.
- Call the clinic soon if you notice blisters, a possible burn, pain that keeps rising, spreading redness or heat, fever, lasting numbness.
Sources: MFU-V systematic review & meta-analysis, Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2024Solta Medical UK — professionals
Booking and visiting the Hongdae branch
The branch is on the 3rd floor of Ilex Tower, about 50 m from Exit 1 of Hongik Univ. Station. Payment is made at the clinic on the day, with no deposit and no online prepayment.
- Getting there
- About 1 minute on foot from Exit 1, Hongik Univ. Station; the station is served by the AREX Airport Railroad (no transfer from Incheon Airport), Subway Line 2 and the Gyeongui–Jungang Line
- Address
- 3F, Ilex Tower, 147 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul 03995
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 10:30–14:00 and 15:00–20:30; Sat 10:00–16:30 without a lunch break; closed Sun and public holidays
- Languages
- English, Korean, Japanese and Chinese
- Contact
- Phone 1544-0377; KakaoTalk and WhatsApp
What should you ask when comparing the two?
These questions keep the decision about your skin and a written plan, not the brand name.
- Why this device for my concern and area, and why not the other?
- Which tip and shot count for Thermage FLX, or which depths and lines for Ultherapy PRIME?
- Is the quote a single session or a set, is it still on offer, and is VAT included?
- If both are suggested, same day or separate, and in what order?
- Mention pregnancy or breastfeeding, implants or devices in or near the treatment area, skin infection, medicines affecting bleeding or healing, and any recent filler, toxin, laser or energy treatment.
Thermage FLX and Ultherapy PRIME lines on the Abijou Hongdae menu (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 400 shots, 1 session | KRW 1,518,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 600 shots, 1 session | KRW 2,178,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 900 shots, 1 session | KRW 3,267,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME Eye 100 shots, 1 session | KRW 539,000 |
| 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 400 + Thermage FLX 600 shots, 1 sessionEvent set | KRW 3,245,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 300 + Thermage FLX 900 shots, 1 sessionEvent set | KRW 3,949,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 400 + Thermage FLX 900 shots, 1 sessionEvent set | KRW 4,345,000 |
| Ultherapy PRIME 600 + Thermage FLX 900 shots, 1 sessionEvent set | KRW 4,840,000 |
Historical example from the 12 October 2026 booking-centre listing, Hongdae branch only. VAT excluded. Trial and limited promotions omitted. 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 FLX and Ultherapy PRIME?
They use different energy. Thermage FLX heats tissue with radiofrequency while the surface is cooled, and is planned by tip and shots. Ultherapy PRIME sends focused ultrasound to 1.5, 3.0 or 4.5 mm after an on-screen look at the tissue layers, and is planned by depth and lines.
Does the Hongdae menu have a Thermage FLX 300-shot line?
Not in the 12 October 2026 snapshot. Thermage FLX is listed there at 600 shots (KRW 2,079,000) and 900 shots (KRW 3,069,000), plus Eye 225 and 450 shots, VAT excluded. Menus change, so confirm with the branch.
How much is Ultherapy PRIME at Hongdae?
In the same snapshot: 100 shots KRW 429,000, 300 shots KRW 1,089,000, 400 shots KRW 1,518,000, 600 shots KRW 2,178,000 and 900 shots KRW 3,267,000, plus Eye 100 shots KRW 539,000 (single session, VAT excluded). These are menu prices, not a quote.
Does Hongdae list the two devices together?
Yes: four event-labelled lines, KRW 3,245,000 to KRW 4,840,000 per session, VAT excluded. Combining, timing and order are for the doctor to decide.
Which one hurts more?
It varies by person. The pooled MFU-V studies averaged 4.85 out of 10, and Thermage FLX cools the surface as it heats deeper. Ask about comfort measures in advance and tell the operator if it gets hard to bear.
Can I come straight from Incheon Airport?
The AREX Airport Railroad reaches Hongik Univ. Station with no transfer, and the branch is about 50 m from Exit 1. Tell the branch your arrival or departure time when booking so the visit fits your plan.
Do I pay a deposit?
No deposit and no online prepayment; payment is made at the clinic on the day.
Where Hongdae sits in the Abijou network
Abijou began in Gangnam in 2006 and the network now runs 17 branches across Korea. The line the group works to is skin transformation woven into everyday life. Hongdae sits at the station the airport train serves, so many of the people who come in are fitting a visit into a few days in Seoul — and most of the top bookings here are first-visit options.
- One of 17 Abijou branches nationwide
- On the AREX Airport Railroad — reachable from Incheon Airport without a transfer
- 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, Ilex Tower, 147 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul 03995, Republic of Korea
- Directions
- About 50 m from Exit 1 of Hongik Univ. Station — about a 1-minute walk. The station is served by the AREX Airport Railroad as well as Subway Line 2 and the Gyeongui–Jungang Line, so you can ride in from Incheon Airport without changing trains. Come out of Exit 1, keep walking straight past the 8Seconds store, and the building with MEGABOX in it is the one; Abijou Medical Clinic Hongdae is on the 3rd floor.
- Hours
- Mon–Fri, morning · 10:30 – 14:00 / Mon–Fri, afternoon · 15:00 – 20:30 / Saturday (no lunch break) · 10:00 – 16:30 / Sunday & public holidays · Closed
- Phone
- 1544-0377
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