SM TOWN,Apgujeongdong

medical tourism

medical tourism, also called health tourism, surgical tourism, or medical travel,  international travel for the purpose of receiving medical care. Many patients engage in medical tourism because the procedures they seek can be performed in other countries at relatively low cost and without the delay and inconvenience of being placed on a waiting list. In addition, some patients travel to specific destinations to undergo procedures that are not available in their home country. Examples of such procedures include stem-cell transplants and sex-change operations.

History and growth of medical tourism

Throughout history people have traveled long distances for health care. In ancient Greece, for example, worshippers of Asclepius, the Greco-Roman god of medicine, would make pilgrimages to his temple in Epidaurus, where they would undergo healing through “incubation rituals,” which were rooted in prayer, fasting, and ceremony. Likewise, spas and public baths have long been popular destinations for those seeking medical cures. In the 17th century the emergence of spa towns in appealing settings like the Pyrenees attracted wealthy people from all over Europe. In later centuries, as travel and tourism increased, spas and health resorts in countries worldwide often attracted clientele from overseas. In addition, the establishment of facilities such as the nonprofit Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., provided new opportunities for patients in need of treatments and surgical procedures not available elsewhere.

The practice of traveling internationally for surgery, however, is a relatively recent phenomenon. For example, Costa Rica experienced an influx of foreigners seeking cosmetic and dental surgery in the 1980s. By the 1990s physicians there actively worked to attract foreign patients, offering various types of plastic surgery, from face-lifts to liposuction, at low cost. Near the end of the first decade of the 21st century, an estimated 20,000–25,000 medical tourists visited Costa Rica, representing a significant increase over previous years. That growth appeared to parallel the worldwide boom in medical tourism that took place in the early 21st century. In 2010, for example, nearly 1.5 million Americans traveled outside their country for medical care—nearly twice the number from just three years earlier.

Destinations and services offered

Medical tourists may be citizens of developed or developing countries, although affluent individuals from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom account for a large proportion of the consumer base. Popular destinations for medical tourism include Brazil, Costa Rica, India, Mexico, Panama, Singapore, South Africa, and Thailand. The types of health and medical clinics that cater to medical tourists are often state-of-the-art facilities and are staffed with physicians who possess advanced medical degrees. Medical tourism Web sites and travel agencies typically offer package deals, with recuperation from surgery advertised as vacation-like. Services offered range from cosmetic, cardiac, eye, dental, or orthopedic surgeries to psychiatric services and procedures such as sex-change operations that may be socially or culturally unacceptable and hence unavailable in other countries.

Social and ethical issues in medical tourism

Inconsistency in quality of care is a major source of criticism for the medical tourism industry. One of the primary mechanisms implemented for the standardization of international health care is accreditation. Accreditation attempts to ensure that medical tourism facilities meet basic safety standards, are staffed with trained personnel, and have appropriate medical equipment to perform the procedures offered. Among the major accreditation organizations for international hospitals are the Joint Commission International (JCI), a branch of the U.S.-based Joint Commission Resources; Accreditation Canada International; and the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International. Those organizations charge fees to clients who want to have their facilities surveyed for accreditation, and each organization maintains a list of accredited hospitals to help persons wishing to travel internationally for health care select a facility that will meet their needs.

Another issue in medical tourism concerns the illegal trafficking of organs. Countries with indigent or vulnerable populations frequently have a greater availability of organs for medical use, since members of these populations are often tempted to risk their health and give up an organ with the promise of monetary compensation. Combined with the lack of adequate resources for donor care, the practices surrounding organ obtainment have been targeted as an aspect of medical tourism in need of greater regulation and oversight. Likewise, the exploitation of medical procedures for which efficacy is unproven or for which safety is unknown is a point of discussion for standardization and regulation.

In addition, in all countries, medical tourism could polarize national health care policy, creating or furthering disparities in health care services made available to citizens versus foreigners. Because the latter bring money into countries and hence bolster national economies, they often enjoy greater access to doctors and medical resources than do the actual citizens of the country.

Kara Rogers

Apgujeong-dong

Apgujeong-dong is a residential, fashion, shopping, and educational district in the Gangnam district of Seoul. The dong originates from a pavilion with the same name founded by Han Myeong-hoe ( 한명회,  韓明會 1415-1487), a high-ranking government officer during the Joseon dynasty.
It is served by Apgujeong Station and Sinsa Station on the Seoul Subway Line 3.

Characteristics
The area contains upscale department stores, shops, boutiques, private educations, cafes and restaurants. It is also the location for the headquarters of K-pop entertainment agency S.M. Entertainment. The Caffè Pascucci coffee chain in Apgujeong was used as one of the main filming locations for Seoul Broadcasting System's 2001 drama Beautiful Days, starring Lee Byung-hun, Choi Ji-woo, Ryu Shi-won, Shin Min-a, Lee Jung-hyun and Lee Yoo-jin.

Apgujeong is an affluent area located in northern part of Gangnam district in Seoul. Apgujeong, well acknowledged as one the most affluent (nouveau riche) part of Seoul, must be looked at in two different aspects. The first is the luxury shopping and day-time activities one can find only in Apgujeong. The second is the unique nightlife that has sprung up in this high-class neighborhood.

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Apgujeong is an important high-priced shopping district in Seoul. The Cheongdam Fashion street houses some of the most famous brands from around the world like Prada, Gucci and Giorgio Armani. Department stores, shops and boutiques which abound in this neighborhood are devoted to the goods of fashion and beauty. Rodeo Street in particular is a sort of fashion mecca that leads fashion trends with its friendly shops and high quality products. Those who love shopping will find it hard to pull themselves away.
At night Rodeo Street is transformed. Apgujeong has a booming nightlife, but unlike the types of environments one might find in Hongdae or Itaewon, Apgujeong focuses on high culture. Many bars are expensive wine bars or jazz clubs. Most nightclubs are more exclusive than other areas leading to long lines as party goers wait patiently in hoping to get in. Theaters and centers for culture and art have also recently started emerging giving the neighborhood additional flare.

Cheongdam-dong

Cheongdam-dong is a ward of Gangnam-gu in Seoul, South Korea. It is referred to as "Fashion and Art Street" of Gangnam, "Rodeo Street" (a reference to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California) or "Yuppie Street" with a clientele of professionals in their 30's.

Characteristics
This area was originally named Chungsutgol for a clean pond that existed here during the Joseon Dynasty. It was underdeveloped up till 10 years ago, during which time, galleries moved to this area and formed the existing gallery street. It is now known as an upscale residential area, especially for Korean celebrities such as actors and K-pop artists. The area has shops of imported foreign brands, local fashion designers, and galleries near the upscale Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong-dong towards Cheongdam Park.
The major characteristics of the population of this area include experience living abroad, financial affluence, and a tendency to enjoy paintings and art products. Many children of rich parents studied abroad during their 20's. They returned to Korea and began work as high wage earning professionals. They migrated to Cheongdam-dong because of the galleries and first class fashion shops. The foreign brands, modern galleries, fusion restaurants, and exotic cafes seemed to satisfy their cultural needs. However, Cheongdam-dong is also criticized for its high prices for clothes and coffee which can be 3 or 4 times as much as in other places.
This region has created an inner circle for the upper class that is separated from outside.

The area is the location for the headquarters of K-pop management companies JYP Entertainment and Cube Entertainment.
In June 2012, luxury bridal gown designer Vera Wang opend her third global and first Asian flagship store 'Vera Wang Bridal Korea', helmed by President Jung Mi-ri, in Cheongdam-dong.

World Trade Center Seoul (WTC Seoul) , commonly known as the COEX, is a building complex centered around the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center on Teheranno in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu district of Seoul.

It contains the ASEM Tower, the Trade Tower, and the COEX InterContinental Seoul.
The 54-story building Trade Tower was built in 1988 with a height of 228 meters (748 feet), and is one of the tallest buildings in South Korea.
The 836-meter (914-yard) section of sidewalk along Yeongdong Boulevard from exit No.5 of Samseong Station on Seoul Subway Line 2, outside Convention & Exhibition Center and ASEM Tower is designated as a smoke-free zone by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Bongeunsa Buddhist temple

                                          Main Hall of Bongeunsa temple

                                         Night scene of the temple
Bongeunsa is a Buddhist temple located in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu in Seoul, South Korea. It was founded in 794 during the reign of King Wonseong by the monk Yeon-hoe (연희), then the highest ranking monk of Silla, and originally named Kyongseoungsa (견성사: 見性寺). It is located on the slope of Sudo Mountain, across the street from the COEX Mall.

History

During the Joseon Dynasty, Buddhism in Korea was severely repressed. However, Bongeunsa was reconstructed in 1498 under the patronage of a Joseon Queen. With the support of Queen Munjeong, who revived Buddhism in Korea for a short time in the mid-16th century, it became the main temple of the Korean Seon (Zen) sect of Buddhism from 1551 through 1936. Monk Bo-wu was appointed head of the temple in 1548 by Queen Munjeong but was killed soon afterwards as the anti-Buddhist factions regained dominance in Korea towards the end of Queen Munjeong's rule.

 From 1552-1564 it was the center of the Buddhist National Exam.
A fire in 1939 destroyed most of the buildings, and other parts of the temple were destroyed during the Korean War. Fortunately, one of the very few halls which escaped destruction during the Korean War continues to hold the woodblock carvings of the Flower Garland Sutra, completed in 1855 by monk Young-ki .The temple has undergone many repairs and renovations, and is now once again a large, thriving complex. The reconstruction efforts are being waged even today.

Bongeunsa under Japanese rule
Bongeunsa was made one of Korea's 14 major temples in 1902. During the Japanese occupation the temple became the headquarters of 80 smaller Buddhist temples around Seoul. In 1922 and 1929, the head monk Cheong-ho saved over 700 people from drowning in the Han river, an act that inspired a monument of recognition. After colonial rule Bongeunsa became subordinate to the Jogye order, the largest Buddhist sect in Korea.

Tourism
The temple is a notable tourist destination, offering "Temple Stay Program" in which visitors can lead the life of a monk for a few hours.
The area on the main street from the Temple to Park Hyatt Hotel, has a large concentration of vegetarian and other upscale restaurants that serve Korean cuisine with a modern twist.

GarosooGil,Gangnam,Seoul

Very beautiful,nice alley which is good to walk along at your own leisure in Gangnam district, Seoul.

MediaPole in Gangnam district,Seoul

 This is U street around Gangnam subway station in Gangnam district, south of Han river in Seoul.
Gangnam district has been incorporated into Seoul recently since 1970`s. Now it has become the representative area of modern Seoul.

PSY`s "Gangnam Style"

PSY, PSY also spelled Psy, original name Park Jae-Sang   (born December 31, 1977, Seoul, South Korea), South Korean singer and rapper. Although he was originally known in his country as a controversial and satirical hip-hop artist, he achieved international fame in 2012 with the music video to his humorous pop song “Gangnam Style,” which ultimately received a record-setting one billion views on the video-sharing Web site YouTube.
Park Jae-Sang was the son of a successful business executive and grew up in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam (or Kangnam) district south of the Han River. He became interested in music as a teenager but, ostensibly as preparation to follow in his father’s footsteps, went to the United States in 1996 to study English before beginning business studies at Boston University in 1997. An admittedly indifferent student there, he transferred after a semester to the Berklee College of Music (also in Boston). He left without graduating and returned to South Korea in 2000 to pursue a music career. Taking the stage name PSY—a reference to his concept of himself as slightly “psycho”—he made his debut as a hip-hop artist in 2001 with the album PSY from the PSYcho World! Like many of his subsequent releases, it drew controversy because of its raw lyrics. The following year, after an arrest and brief detention for marijuana possession, PSY released the albums Ssa 2 (“Cheap 2”) (which, after a legal challenge based on its “inappropriate content,” was restricted to sale to adults) and 3PSY. He had a hit with “Champion,” a single from the latter.

PSY performed his mandatory national military service from 2003 to 2005. After his discharge he released Ssa Jip (“Cheap House”) in 2006 and began gaining more popularity with his appearances on television game and talk shows. His career was interrupted, however, after officials determined that PSY had neglected his duties while in the military (he had held concerts and performed on television). He was required to serve another term, which lasted from December 2007 to July 2009. Afterward he signed with one of South Korea’s largest talent agencies, YG Entertainment, on whose record label he released his next album, PSY Five in 2010.

In July 2012 PSY released his sixth studio recording, PSY 6 Part I, which contained the single “Gangnam Style,” a lighthearted dance song that mocked the pretensions of people wishing to be associated with that area of Seoul. The video for the single featured a deadpan PSY performing a distinctive comic “horse-riding” dance at various incongruously unstylish locations, including a horse stable and a parking garage. Although other, more-mainstream South Korean acts such as Girls’ Generation, Rain, and Big Bang had achieved international success, none of them had broken through to the level of becoming household names. PSY’s song, however, quickly and unexpectedly caught on with a wide audience. Internet users popularized the YouTube video throughout the summer and fall of 2012 via multiple social media platforms, including Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook. It ultimately became the most-watched video in YouTube history to that point, and sales of the single and the album took off as well.

With “Gangnam Style” a viral video sensation and the song topping international music charts (peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100), PSY spent the second half of 2012 traveling around the world making public appearances and giving live performances. He signed a record deal with the U.S. label School Boy Records in September.

Lorraine Murray