PHILOSOPHY
“Plastic surgery is an art in the field of a medical science.”
-VIP International Plastic Surgery Center Chief Surgeon Dr. Myung Ju
Lee
Childhood
I was born and raised in a small neighborhood of the countryside in South Korea. In my town, there were many carpenters who endlessly built Korean traditional wooden houses. Surrounded by these workers, I spent my days observing how they assembled pieces and I started to make my own wooden toys under their assistance. I was amazed by how they built houses without using screws, and instead, they shaped the wooden pieces in specific shapes so the pieces were precisely interconnected. The construction site became my playground; since then, I refined my ability to sculpt a withstanding structure which eventually contributed to my plastic surgery hand technique later.
Artistic Mind
As a young man, while pondering about my career path, I realized I wanted to pursue a profession grounded in art. Among countless jobs, reconstructive and plastic surgery truly captured my interest and I poured my passion into studying and working both in Korea and the United States. In 2001, when I returned to Korea, I opened a private clinic in the center of Gangnam, the leading destination of a plastic surgery center.
Since then, I have interacted and worked with many intelligent doctors from all around the world. Some doctors presented innovative research that continues to contribute to the plastic surgery organization and some other doctors worked as professors, diligently fostering the junior surgeons. However, I have realized that not all of these prestigious doctors have a special artistic mind and a skill set required to create an aesthetically pleasing result; especially the artistic mind, a unique characteristic to possess, cannot be predicted by measuring one’s intelligence. Diplomas and certificates are a testament of how much surgeons have refined their knowledge and experience; however, they are not indicators of how developed their artistic mind is or of the important role it plays within the profession.
From my experience, an artistic mind cannot be learned from books; rather it is an innate quality, unique to each individual. The value of possessing a well-developed artistic mind cannot be understated. For instance, its importance is exemplified when the plastic surgeon diligently works creating a harmonized face for the patient. However, solely possessing an artistic mind does not guarantee the success of the plastic surgery. A desire to achieve perfection, hand technique, experience, know-how, detailed delicacy, knowledge, and responsibility all contribute and determine the success of one’s plastic surgery. Therefore, plastic surgery requires not only a surgeon’s skill but also an artist’s skill to bring out the aesthetic into the reality.
Inspiration
Among the many great men who inspired me, Le Corbusier, who is known as the father of a modern architecture, introduced the ‘5 Points of the Architecture’ and an unprecedented architecture method. While I was researching his art work, it made me think about the field of plastic surgery.
I often wondered, what creates an ‘excellent result’ of a plastic surgery? I pondered the question for a while and finally found the answer.
Plastic surgery and architecture share a desire to pursue modernity and, as such, are grounded in parallel principles. To create a ‘solid result,’ a well-structured foundation is the key. No matter how beautifully the structure was built, without a fundamental basement, the structure eventually collapses.
Although my surgical philosophy requires extensive energy and time, I believe that each surgery should be performed as an architectural endeavor – and prioritizing the foundation, design, and safety. With these ideas in mind, we promise to provide our customers with the premium surgery (surgical experience) and services in order for them to truly feel and become our VIP.
Contact Us
If you would like to receive VIP doctor’s comments regarding your interested treatment or surgeries, feel free to contact us via mobile messenger app. Please let us know your interested areas with clear photos (front and side) for a free online consultation. Your photos will be privately used for consultation purposes only.
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