Reviews of Dr. Kenneth Kim

Okay so I have always read reviews and not write them but as a thankyou note to Dr. Kim and the friendly staff, I’m going to expound my experience as a patient here.

First off, like any other procedure you want to get, DO PLENTY OF RESEARCH!

I spent months to finally decided to come to Dr. Kim to get Incision Double Eyelid, Ptosis and Epicanthoplasty done. The consultation was concise because he told me EXACTLY what’s best after patiently listened to my concerns, if there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask, it’s your attitude and disposition toward the whole process that determine your result beside the doctor’s skillful hands of course. I was then directed to another room to talk over the cost and what medication to obtain before the procedure with a nurse. The nurses perform their parts as well as the doctor when it comes to explaining the aftercare and assisting the doctor during the surgery, I remember 2 nurses. Just a heads up, the shots in the corner of your eyes will HURT, even when you’re asleep on the relaxants. It felt like a million tiny pinches during the procedure so don’t come in and expect zero pain, be prepared. The receptionist Ruri is attentive, she will call you days before your appointment to confirm and also inquire about your healing process. I asked her over the phone whether it was safe to get my eyebrows pigmented after 3 weeks, she called me back to let me know the doctor’s answer. One month of bare face is absolutely required to prevent any complications. There’s a bit of a wait for the room to be ready but there’s music videos on TV screen and magazines on the table and Kisses chocolate on the front desk My horrific swollen eyes went mild after 5 days of putting on the icepack, which they will give you after the surgery. After about 2 weeks, there’s no bruises or clogged blood around my eyes at all, but everyone’s healing process varies upon factors such as your skin type and health etc. Well you can see after reading this, that I’m more than satisfied and grateful for the work Dr. Kim and the staff have done. I truly recommend this place to anyone who’s interested but is new to the process. Once again, thank you Dr. Kim for doing what you do best, you maybe need a break from all the intensive work :O

To the prospective patients: last but not least, have a driver, be patient, drink lots of water, move around and remember beauty comes inside and out.

by Alice H., Alhambra, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

I had the most wonderful experience with Dr. Kim and his staff for my double eyelid surgery. First and foremost, I do not live in the local area but when looking for surgeons I was extremely particular about schooling, surgical experience, and the whole nine yards. Dr. Kim not only came in the strongest in terms of technical experience and education, he really understood my needs and listened to my concerns, addressing all concerns. He is exceptionally personable and walked me through the entire process. I thought I would be nervous on the day of the procedure but the amount of information I had from Dr. Kim and the office staff going in, I felt more excited about the procedure on the day of.

Every member of the office staff I encountered was extremely organized and professional. Having worked in the hospital industry, including premium out of pocket surgery center, I can tell you- it was a well-oiled machine with an extremely knowledgeable and well-trained staff. I am so happy about my experience and strongly recommend Dr. Kim with no reservations.

** I am now about 3.5 months past my surgery date and I am absolutely Loving my new eyes. The only downtime I really went through was taking it easy the initial week. The swelling and color went down much more quickly than I anticipated, and the postoperative instructions were very low maintenance and easy to follow. I absolutely love how beautiful and natural my eyes look, and am extremely happy that everything was exactly as promised and better. Thank you so very much to Dr. Kim and the wonderful staff, it was truly the best medical experience I’ve ever had!

by Sarah H., Coronado, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

I was recommended to Dr. Kim from a friend of mine to get my double eye lid surgery. I was super nervous as this was my first time getting surgery of any sorts. Made a consult appointment with Dr. Kim and immediately felt at ease talking with him about my desired shape and look of my eyes. He was really patient and attentive during my consultation and just seemed to know exactly what kind of look I wanted. It was so reassuring knowing that this doctor was very experienced in this area and even does surgery to fix droopy eyes. Dr. Kim explained to me their was a procedures he does called ptosis that could help fix this. He showed me many before and afters to give me a clear idea of what I could expect my results to look like. All of his patients looked so much more refreshed and awake after ptosis. I saw a patient that had similar eyes as I do and loved how ptosis really made her appear more youthful. I was so excited to get this procedure done .

During the day of surgery I was sweating bullets, but Dr. Kim and his staff were so sweet and kept reassuring me that everything will be fine and that Dr. Kim does this all the time. During surgery he put me under local anesthesia so you are awake but numb as he is doing the surgery. He sat me up so he could check that the shape of my eyes were symmetrical. He looked at me at various angles to make sure my eyes were perfect. The surgery took about one hour. Immediately after surgery I could feel that my eyes could open wider and I didn’t have to force my eyes to open bigger like I used to. I could feel my eyes using less of my muscles to open my eyes. Never knew I was exerting so much energy into opening and closing my eyes until now.

Five days after surgery I returned to get my sutures removed. Pretty quick and painless. I could already see my eyes healing nicely and my new eye lid shape start to form. Can’t believe they already looked so natural!! A few weeks later my swelling has improved even more. My friends and family love my new eyes and are shocked as well that I just had surgery only a few weeks ago. Not only do I have beautiful eyes, but I can now open my eyes more effortlessly. My eye lids just feel more lighter and it just feels easier to open my eyes. Thank you Dr. Kim for giving me my amazing new eyes and really taking care of me throughout the whole process. You and your staff have been so incredible!! Hope you like the treats I sent!

by Jenny C., Los Angeles, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

Best choice I ever made having my double eye lid surgery done with Dr. Kim. The results are exactly what I wanted and the whole process itself was smooth and painless. This was the first time getting any surgery done, so I made sure to do my research and ask around before choosing my doctor. Three of my friends have gotten their double eye lid surgery done by Dr. Kim, but I still wanted to research around to see my options. In the end though, I ended up choosing Dr. Kim for three important reasons.

The first was that he had the most experience compared to other doctors. Especially in double eye lid surgery. During my consultation, he was very detailed and clear in his explanations of the procedure and my expected results. Throughout the whole process I knew exactly what would happen and it pretty much turned out exactly how he said it would. He also had many pre and post op pictures of his patients with excellent results. I’ve always been envious of my girlfriends’ gorgeous eyes and now they are envious of mine lol.

Second, he is a very passionate about what he does. He really made recommendation of what he thought would be best for me and did not just agree with what I wanted. During my post op, he was very good at returning my calls and answering any concerns I had even if it was late at night.

Finally, he is very caring person. I find that this is hard to come by. While meeting other doctors (I met with four) I really felt like just another patient. With Dr. Kim, I did not feel that at all. He was extremely patient and attentive throughout the whole process. He understood that this was my surgery and really took his time to explain things and make me feel comfortable. Even in the operating room he would always tell me what was going on and how I was doing. He even had conversation with me during the surgery to help calm my nerves in the beginning. I was such a nervous mess but Dr. Kim and his staff really made me feel comfortable and calm. The surgery wasn’t too long at all. It was about an hour but seemed quicker. I have wanted to get this surgery done for such a long time so I am so happy that everything turned out great and my eyes look amazing!! They have healed into a beautiful shape and look so much more bright and youthful. Thank you Dr. Kim and your wonderful staff for taking such great care of me!!

by Emily Y., Burbank, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

I always thought plastic surgery is mostly for improving the looks which I did not feel the necessity until my eyelids and neck muscle started to feel sagging as I mature. It got to the point my eyelids felt so heavy that I had to compensate my eyelid movement with the help of my eyebrows and forehead muscle, and my poached forward neck was affecting my posture.

I had an online consultation with Dr. Kim in the middle of June. Then I decided to go ahead with his recommendation for the upper eyelid lift to correct the Ptosis and the lower face lift to improve my neck condition. One month later, I came from Canada by myself and found my way to Dr. Kim’s clinic. I had my in person consultation, the upper eyelid lift and lower face lift procedures all done in the same day. Right after the surgery, my upper eyelids felt much lighter and were able to open and close with relaxed eyebrows and forehead muscle. Also, I could stand straighter and taller and hence, I felt an instantaneous posture improvement. Of course, enhancing the look and functionality of my eyes and neck are important to me because I have been involved with dancing since childhood and now I am still enjoying ballroom dancing as a competitive amateur in my retirement.

I am very happy to have made the right choice for Dr. Kim to perform the corrective procedures on me. He and his office staff have been very friendly and kind to me. It was quite late at night by the time Dr. Kim finished my surgery. He asked his administrative assistant Jenny to give me a ride back to the hotel. I was very moved by the kind gesture because if would have been nerve wracking if I had to take a cab under the circumstance. Jenny had been very helpful over the phone since my first inquiry in June.

by Nancy L., Calgary Canada

5.0 ★★★★★

This review has been loooong overdue….

I had ptosis correction and double eyelid surgery done in the summer of 2012 by Dr. Kim. Looking back, I realize it was very uncharacteristic of me to choose a doctor without doing much research. Sure, I did plenty of research on the actual procedure, but I didn’t even bother to look for different surgeons. Why? It’s because I loved the results of one of my friend’s eyes, and she strongly recommended Dr. Kim.

It’s been two years already, and I love my eyes. Before, I would always feel insecure about taking pictures or people would constantly comment on how sleepy I looked. However, now I get so many compliments on how pretty my eyes are! Dr. Kim recommended the perfect eyelid height for me! I wanted super big creases (I don’t know what I was thinking), but he said something smaller would suit my face better. I have no regrets!

About the actual surgery: I’m not going to lie; surgery was painful. I was crying for almost the entire 3 and half hours. The reason for the pain was the ptosis correction. He wasn’t able to numb me completely otherwise my muscles would relax or something. But after seeing the results, I’d say those few hours of pain were worth it.

My left and right eyes healed at different rates, so for the first two months my left crease was noticeably more swollen and higher than my right. It took me about 8 months for ALL swelling to disappear, and now my eyes/eyelids are very even. Make sure to give your eyelids enough healing time before you make any judgments!

I seriously cannot stress how much I love my eyes now, and I felt a huge boost in my self-esteem as silly as it may sounds.

by Jessica W., Orange County, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

Just had my 2 months follow up visit with Dr Kim today. Thought my appointment was at 4PM; but upon arrival I realized it was actually at 10:30AM. No fuss, the front desk associates were friendly and accommodating as always. Not only did Dr Kim make himself available but he spent time to sit down with me and answered all my questions. I know it would take 6 months to a year before my eyes would “settle”; but with that said I am pretty happy with Dr Kim and his crew.It was my primary care doctor (non Korean) who first suggested that I consider a plastic surgery to correct my condition — my eyes had more fat deposit combined with weak eye muscle to lift them (just lovely), and as I get older they were simply getting worse. So I started to do some due diligence including several consultations with plastic surgeons (not all Koreans). When I first sat down with Dr Kim, he patiently listened to my stories (why I was there and what I was looking for) and took the time to thoroughly answer my questions whilst helping me maintain realistic expectations. I was a bit nervous about the surgery (I have very low pain tolerance). There were some pulling and tugging sensations here and there that I was not very familiar with; but the whole procedure went smoothly and I did not feel any pain (thank you, Xanax!). He spoke gently with even tone during the procedure to describe what he was doing that helped me calm my nerve as well. I have to say, though, it was a bit painful when it came time to remove stitches. The nurse was very patient and understanding with me, although I was squirming and complaining constantly.I will be returning to see Dr Kim in four months for another follow up. Not that I would consider other elective surgeries, but I would be very comfortable recommending Dr Kim to my family and friends and would go back to him, if I were to consider having other work done.

by CJ S. La Canada, Flintridge, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

First off, keep in mind I got a breast augmentation, not eye surgery, so my review will obviously be very different than the others who received eyelid procedures.

It’s been about 6 months post-op. After many weeks of researching capable doctors, I chose Kenneth Kim based on his experience and just my intuition nudging me to. The day of the consultation, he spent over an hour sitting with me discussing the surgery procedure, before & after effects, and answered any questions I had. He wasn’t in a hurry to push me out even though he had a waiting room full of patients, and made sure I felt comfortable and was knowledgeable about the entire procedure. I also didn’t feel like he was pushing me to hurry and make another appointment for the actual surgery – but no need for him to. I already had a great feeling talking to him and afterwards sat with one of the nurses (also very nice, helpful and knowledgeable) to discuss costs and scheduling.The day of the surgery comes two weeks later – yes, I was impatient I went under local anesthesia and am INFINITELY grateful for that decision. After taking a couple prescription pills I knocked out. It was pretty much like going under general anesthesia, I felt like I just took a long and comfortable nap. I know I wasn’t completely out of it because I remember bits and pieces of leaving the building afterwards and going home, but obviously during the actual procedure I remember nothing. I’ve been under general anesthesia several times and it takes me weeks to recover, but choosing local this time was amazing because I felt fine the next day. I was awake, alert and pretty much normal besides the pain.Recovery time was astonishingly short. I was back to work three days after the surgery and walking around, and two weeks later I actually went to a club with friends! Aside from the initial expected pain, nothing else out of the ordinary happened and my implants are beautifully healed now. I got an axillary incision, and those scars are still visible but have faded a lot and I hope they continue to fade at the same rate. I have absolutely no complaints and am so happy I chose Dr. Kim to do my procedure. I’ve received follow-up calls to check on my progress, and also great assistance whenever I call with questions.

I understand there are some people who haven’t had the same luck I had with him based on some of the negative reviews, but I really feel like those people didn’t do the proper amount of research. I realize I know nothing about their situations and am in no place to make judgments…but I researched for months and met various doctors before choosing Dr. Kim. It sounds like a lot of people had legit medical problems with their eyes, so I don’t know if automatically going to plastic surgeon before seeing an ocular surgeon was the best idea. But what do I know about eyelid surgery? All I’m saying is that for future potential surgery-goers, don’t base your opinion just on the negative reviews you see. I assure you this doctor has adequate experience and makes sure you are comfortable and knowledgeable, and does not pressure you in any way. You’ll realize what I mean once you meet him and speak with him during consultation.

I’m so happy with my results I can never thank him enough for saving me from the misery of being flat-chested. Best decision I have ever made!!!

by Joella M., Foothill Ranch, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

이제 8학년되는 딸아이의 쌍거풀 수술을 앞에두고
많은 걱정이 되었습니다. 제생각엔 대학갈때쯤 하는게 좋을듯한데.
워낙 아이가 컴플렉스가 심하고 그때문에 성격까지 점점 의기소침하고
우울해하는 모습을 계속지켜보면서 상담이라도해봐야겠다는 생각으로
선생님을 찾아뵈었죠. 여기 저기서 좋은 병원이라고 추전을 해주셨지만
전화상담을 했을때 드림성형에서 가장 친절하고 자세히 설명을 해주셔서
왠지 제마음이 이쪽으로 끌렸습니다.
2시간 운전을 해야하는 먼 거리에도 불구하고 첫상담때 저는
마음을 정하게되었습니다.
부모의 마음을 잘읽어주시는 선생님때문에 오랜상담시간동안
너무 친절하고 제아이에게만 집중해주시는 선생님을믿게되었죠.
그리고도 집에와서 또 고민을했습니다.
너무 어린건아닌지..
하지만 선생님께서 말씀하신것처럼 더 시간지나서 하나 지금하나 같다고
또 예민한 사춘기에 오히려 자신감도 생기고 성격도 밝아질수있다는 말에
방학하자마자 바로 날짜를 잡았습니다.
수술날 두번째 방문때에도 선생님께선 차분하게 아이의 눈모습을 보고 저와
많은 말씀을 나누어주셨습니다.어느정도 크기로 하면 적당하고 자연스러울지..
덕분에 저와 제딸아이는 두려움없이 수술을 받게되었습니다.
마지막에 제가 선생님께 부탁드렸죠.손예진이나 이효리처럼 해달라고.
웃는 모습이 이쁜 제딸을 생각하며 두시간후에 수술이 끝났습니다.
지금은 아직도 많이 부어있는 상태지만 저는 너무 만족합니다.
잘했다는 생각이 들어요.
하루에도 몇번씩 딸의 눈을 봅니다.
그리고 상상하죠 붓기가빠진 이쁜눈을 가진 제딸을요.
그리고 새학년이되며 좀더 자신있고 친구도 더많이 사귈수있는
그래서 더욱 밝아질 제딸의 모습을생각하면
요즘은 밤에 자는 모습을 자주 들여다보면 웃기기도 하지만 좋은 선택이었고 결정이었다고
생각합니다.
성형은 외모뿐아니라 마음이나 성격도 조금은 예쁘게 만들어주는건아닐까요?
저는 적극 드림성형외과를 추천합니다.
선생님과 간호사분들이 모두 환자가 자기 가족인것처럼 신경써 주시니 믿음이 갈수밖에요.
내일은 실풀러 가는데 또 기대가 됩니다.오늘 보다 더 이뻐질거라서요

by Mrs. K 님께서 올려주신 성형후기 입니다.

5.0 ★★★★★

I am Chinese and I had double eyelids, just small ones. Prior to half a year ago, the thought of doing the double eyelid surgery never even crossed my mind. I always thought it was a Korean girls thing, or a movie star thing. I’d imagined that it’d cost an arm and a leg, and turn someone super hot… who was… well… super not.My boyfriend loves the change. He says my eye “vocabulary” has expanded (he’s so funny); I can now give him that superstar drawn-out sexy gaze, but on the other hand, can also shoot him a sharp and painful glare of death.MY WISDOM TO YOU:

Must use Dr. Kim
It’s financially doable
It’s not a one-time surgery
Not painful
Months later… you’re hot! And you know it.

It all started with a close relative of mine who had, in my mind a “legitimate” reason for doing the dbl eyelid surgery. Together, we searched, visited, and interviewed half a dozen Asian plastic surgeons in LA. It’s still kind of hard to say why we both felt Dr. Kim was the “right” one. His office had a lot of sunshine and it was spotless, and although we had to wait awhile for him to get out of surgery to see us, we enjoyed looking at his credentials (top of his Yale med class… dang!) He didn’t talk much, and his voice was soft, but he had a very kind face. This was the one! I thought. I guess it was just a gut feeling.

I normally wear the eyelid tape so I always knew what I would look like if I were to get the eyelid surgery. But it wasn’t until finding out how financially doable the surgery was that… like in Inception… the idea of actually getting the surgery grew in mind. Of course I liked the way I looked with the bigger double eyelid that I constructed with tape each day, but more than ever, I wanted to look like that without the tape, to look like that the moment I woke up, when I’m swimming, etc.

The surgery itself wasn’t bad. I had anesthesia, and I could feel some tugging and pulling here and there, but no pain in general. I did the suture method. (I later found out Dr. Kim is the king of this particular suture method. No other LA doctor does this exact method.) Now, 6 months later, if I close my eyes, there is absolutely no trace of surgery on my eyelid. Yeah, it’s that awesome!

Dr. Kim recommended this Ptosis procedure as well. Truthfully I didn’t want to get it done, and even after doing it, I regretted it because it made my eyes swell more. I regretted it up until the last few weeks of heeling when it seemed like day by day my eyes opened bigger and bigger, and I looked more awake; it really boosted the effect of having bigger double eyelids. Lesson to self… trust the veteran doctor. But beware ptosis requires adjustments. So you may need to go in a few more times. Lesson for you… schedule these adjustments for Friday. I always de-swell by Monday.

Dr. Kim himself stayed true to our original expectation. Kind, soft voiced, very knowledgeable, but not very social. He’s definitely not the type of doctor to hold your hand through the surgery, and may probably seem kind of cold or snooty. But he’s actually just shy and not super social. I think he saw me as a canvas and just wanted to paint a really good picture. That’s really all that matters I think. He reminded me of Dr. House, and I’m glad I got such a skilled doctor.

by Nancy Y., Santa Monica, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

I found Dr. Kim through yelp and Korean magazines. I wasn’t sure if I could trust all the back and forth reviews so I had to schedule an appointment to see what all the negative was about. I went in really timid because I was fine with the way I looked – my mom kept pressuring me to get the double eyelid procedure done. I was so turned off by everything and I was just being super pessimistic.The consultation (aside from my attitude) was great. I scheduled a second appointment ($150) because I didn’t get to ask him many questions the last time and I wanted to be SURE that I would want this permanent change. Once I decided to go through with the dynamic procedure, the $150 went towards my surgery.

Surgery day – took some before shots, assistant put some numbing cream on my eyelids, and waited in the surgical room listening to EDM (his fav!! & mine too!). I have THE lowest pain tolerance so the local injections hurt but he asked questions to take my mind off of it. I don’t really remember how long the procedure was because I was completely drugged. Didn’t feel anything at all…just a few tugs for the stitching. I rarely remember our conversations but I remember talking the whole time. Towards the end, he asked me to open and close my eyes..felt like someone was sitting on my face. Felt really unnatural. Afterwards, they gave me some orange juice and I was ready to go! They gave me a goody bad filled with two ice packs, q-tips, and some gauze.

Post-Surgery – I read Dr. Kim’s blog and had my mom make me some pumpkin porridge. Pumpkin, tomatoes, and pineapples. That was my diet for the first week. Really reduces the swelling…plus the constant ice packing. Talk about BOREDOM. It’s not like I can read or watch TV because I’m constantly having to put ice on my eyes. But I have been practicing the function of my muscles so opening my eyes have become easier. That’s the only negative I would give this whole process…haven’t left my house in 2 weeks minus getting my stitches out. (which stung & led to a few tears, but manageable) It’s been about 2-3 weeks and the swelling has gone down a lot but still looks way bigger than what I hope it will look like. I got a pair of glasses to hide it..kinda..and heading back to work!!

There is no way of choosing a doctor based off of Yelp reviews. Everyone goes through different experiences – go see for yourself!

I was & am 100% satisfied…just waiting patiently for my eyes to look somewhat socially acceptable so I can leave my house.

by Jinah P., Wheeling, IL

5.0 ★★★★★

I was very worried to get upper blepharoplasty, but after having researched it for a few years i decided that i was ready.For my first consultation, i had gone to a small office in Diamond Bar because my mom had connections there, but i did not feel comfortable because the doctor was not there to talk to me and the consulters who were there were trying to convince me to get my nose done as well. This was originally supposed to be my only consultation, but seeing as how we had time for one more i went to Dr. Kim’s office.

I did not have an appointment, but the staff was very friendly, and squeezed me into their schedule. Dr. Kim was very professional, and he gave his honest opinion. The thing that i appreciated the most was that he gave his point of view and his recommendation, but he also asked about how i felt as well. However, his credentials and experience were enough to convince me to go along with his opinion. Another thing that was great about Dr. Kim was that he was able to speak korean to my mom and english to me, flawlessly. He was straight to the point and did not try and push any unnecessary operations on me like the prior consultation that i had. Without any hesitation, i made an appointment with Dr. Kim.

Today was the day of the surgery. I usually get extremely nervous, but the atmosphere created by the staff and Dr. Kim was very relaxing. During the consultation the doctor was very professional, but during the operation he was extremely friendly. While on the operation table, i could feel that he was being very delicate and thorough. I could sense the experience and skill he possessed just by lying there. Even though this is the first day post op, i can already see that he has done a wonderful job.

I am shocked that some people have given Dr. Kim one star. My only guess is that they were taken aback by what their eyes looked immediately after surgery. Because the eyes are very delicate, swelling and redness can only be expected.

I highly recommend going to Dr. Kim. He not only possesses experience, but he is also very friendly and professional.

by Irene K., Torrance, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

I got my first double eyelid surgery in Korea five years ago, and I was never satisfied with it. My eyes looked so different on each side. For that reason they looked kind of natural, but they were not even close to what I wanted my eyes to look like.I always wanted to get my eyes redone, but I hesitated a lot as it is my second time. I was afraid that my eyes might get even worse, and revision generally costs more money than the first time. This summer I finally decided to get my eyes redone, and I took about a month searching for a plastic surgeon. And I think Dr. Kim was THE PERFECT CHOICE for me.
In addition to double eyelid revision, I got Epicanthoplasty and Ptosis Repair as well. The result is VERY SATISFYING. Now my eyes are much bigger, symmetrical (yay!), and they look so natural when it has been only two months since I got my eyes done.

Dr. Kim never rushes during consultation or operation. You will have enough time to talk with him about your condition. He thoroughly explained which procedure would be good for me. A side effect is that he spends enough time for every patient, so sometimes you might have to wait even if you make it to your appointment time. But I totally understand, and I actually think it is better. Dr. Kim is also very delicate, that he would fix my eyes to every details.

The staffs are also very nice. They kindly answered any questions that I had.

So to sum up …
as for the result of my eye surgery, FIVE STARS
the doctor, FIVE STARS
the staffs, FIVE STARS

and one tip, I suggest that you do street parking if you do not want to pay $2.40 per every 15 minutes. You do get 1 hour validation from the doctor office, but it normally takes you more than an hour (it did, for me.)

by Jessica K., Los Angeles, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

I had a great experience with Dr. Kim. I had upper eyelid surgery many years ago by a doctor that did not specialize in Asian eyes and it was a big mistake. My eyes were asymmetrical and one eye had to be redone twice. I decided recently that I wanted to get them both redone correctly once and for all.I did a lot of research online and even contemplated going to Korea to get it done, but I wanted to stay close (I live in Washington and it’s just a 2.5 hour flight to L.A.). I was impressed by Dr. Kim’s credentials and extensive experience. I watched all of his YouTube videos and then booked a consultation via Skype. He recommended ptosis correction in addition to the upper eyelid revision in both eyes, and an epicanthoplasty.
I would advise anyone reading this: do not choose a doctor based on cost. Cheap surgeries = cheap results. My first couple surgeries were with doctors that did not charge very much and I have to say – you get what you pay for. This time, cost was not a factor for me and I expected to pay more because I was having yet another revision, which is more complicated than a first time surgery because the doctor has to go in and essentially clean up someone else’s mess.

Since I was flying in from out of town, I was able to book my consultation and surgery on the same day. When I arrived, the staff was very professional, kind, and made me feel comfortable. Some people on Yelp have complained about Dr. Kim’s personality but I had no issues with him at all. I thought he was professional, nice, and very straightforward.

The nurses gave me drugs to keep me relaxed and the surgery was really a blur. I could feel a little bit of discomfort and pain during the surgery but that is to be expected during a surgery where you are merely sedated and not under anesthesia. It’s like going to the dentist and getting numbed for a filling – it dulls the majority of the pain to make it tolerable to perform the procedure, but there is no guarantee you won’t feel a thing. I remember when I expressed my discomfort, Dr. Kim was very kind and talked me through it… and the reality is, the minor discomfort and pain was a small price to pay for such an excellent result.

Revisions are much more complicated than a first-time surgery and I would advise anyone looking to get a revision done to go to Dr. Kim. His precision is incredible. I was still skeptical after my surgery because the swelling between my right and left eyes were uneven. When I went to get my stitches out, I expressed concern that one eye was more swollen then the other and I was afraid they were going to asymmetrical again. The doctor and the nurses reassured me and told me not to worry – that after the swelling goes down after a few months, they will look great. I had no choice but to trust them.

It has been two months now and I have to say, they were right. Since my right eye had been operated on for the third time, it was slower to heal than my left eye, but now both eyes are symmetrical. The ptosis correction (which I didn’t think I even needed to begin with, but trusted Dr. Kim’s advice) makes me look MUCH better and more refreshed/awake, and the epicanthoplasty is one of those small details that makes the whole look more natural and complete.

My total time in LA was six days. I stayed in a nearby hotel, brought my laptop with me, and worked until I had to go back and get my stitches out. The whole experience was easy – my only regret is not having gone to Dr. Kim years ago to get this done sooner.

by Sally S., Seattle, WA

5.0 ★★★★★

After undergoing double eyelid surgery (suture method) at a different cosmetic surgery clinic around two years ago, I was unsatisfied with my asymmetrical eyes. After doing extensive research online and sorting through numerous qualified cosmetic surgeons, I came upon Dr. Kenneth Kim’s website. After reviewing his extremely well-qualified credentials, watching his youtube videos, and reading his blog about various double eyelid surgery methods I decided to set up a consultation with him. Upon arriving, the staff at the front desk was very kind and helpful. Plus, the waiting room had a huge TV playing various kpop music videos to help pass the time! ( :My mom and I were led into the consultation room and we were greeted by Dr. Kenneth Kim. I explained my situation and what procedure I wanted to have done and I carefully listened as he shared his professional advice. He recommended that I get the Dynamic Incision Method and surgery to correct my ptosis. Dr. Kim examined my eyes and explained the procedures I would be receiving in detail. Walking out of my consultation, I felt confident and excited that I found a trustworthy doctor who definitely knew what he was doing!

On the day of my surgery the same nurse from my consultation prepped me for the surgery by going over what to expect during and after the surgery. She gave me numbing cream for my eyes so that the shots that they would inject later wouldn’t hurt as bad. Afterwards, Dr. Kim came in to measure and mark my eyes for the surgery (he was extremely meticulous and took his time to ensure that my folds were even, unlike my previous doctor who just scribbled some lines onto my eyelids -___-) Then I went into the actual surgery room and took medicine to help calm my nerves and muscles. I was still slightly nervous but the nurses asked me what type of music I liked, and they gladly played kpop to help calm my nerves! Dr. Kim came in and measured and marked my eyes again (everything is so precise YAY) and I was warned before being injected with anesthesia. Honestly, the shots in my eyes stung a little and the surgery itself was mildly painful but definitely not uncomfortable! During my surgery, Dr. Kim asked me lots of questions to relax my nerves and we had conversations on all sorts of things! ( : I was really nervous so I was glad that he helped me relax and distracted me from the actual procedure. (Who knew that I would be laughing during my operation? ^__^)

Update: It’s been 3 months since my surgery and I’m still patiently waiting for the final results (although I’m pretty satisfied with the way my eyes turned out already!) Looking through these yelp reviews, I’m actually very surprised at the amount of negative reviews there are o__o The Dr. Kim I know is an extremely caring person who goes above and beyond to ensure that his patients are satisfied (sorry to sound kind of cheesy haha). I recently had an eye emergency (corneal abrasion) and even though he was away on a business trip, he was very quick to respond and offer advice (even in the middle of the night!) I’m SO thankful that I finally found a doctor who cares about his patients and who establishes a long term relationship, rather than those doctors who are all about making a quick buck. If you’re interested in undergoing any sort of operation, I would HIGHLY recommend Dr. Kim!

p.s: Dr. Kim reminds me of the doctors from the korean drama “Good Doctor”. I can understand that he might be misunderstood at times (unfortunately, a lot of doctors are), but I truly believe that he’s a great person who has great intentions! ^___^

by Sara K., Cerritos, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

Dr. Kenneth Kim is well-known within the Korean community, and it’s for obvious reasons. He’s a fantastic plastic surgeon!!I never had thought I’d EVER get plastic surgery done in my life; in fact, I scoffed at those who did procedures. However, last year, I went to my eye doctor to get advice on whether I should get lasik done and my doc at that time mentioned that before I get lasik, perhaps get a double eye-lid surgery to open my eyes a bit more. Took me a few months on whether I wanted to take that “risk”…

I went to just about 4 different Korean plastic surgeons within LA w/ the help of my mom’s golf friends, as a handful of their daughters had gone through such procedures. One of those mentioned was Dr. Kenneth Kim. We ended up getting consultation w/ him last. The best was definitely the last. He’s calming, very detailed, knowledgeable, has plenty of experience.. and on top of all that, his office has HIGH foot traffic. (Now I know why..)

As I’ve never thought about getting plastic surgery done, I asked Dr. Kenneth himself on what may look good on me (the measurement of the double eye-lid). He mentioned a certain type would; I was fearful that it’d be too big (as I wanted an extreme slight look). In the end, he was right and I’m EXTREMELY glad I went w/ his advice and suggestion! Both eyes are SO natural-looking. My fold is awesome, his incision is precise and I have received so many great compliments from others.

…and now my mom is thinking of getting the bags under her eyes removed by Dr. Kenneth. I would HIGHLY recommend him to any and all my friends.

by El K., Los Angeles, CA

5.0 ★★★★★

I am a Chinese guy that lives in Miami, FL. As a typical eastern Asian with small eyes, I’ve always wanted to have bigger eyes with ceases on the lids but was always hesitant about getting a surgery. A small thing that happened in 2011 eventually made me set up my mind to get surgery done to my eyes. I used to wear glasses, and when I started to wear contacts in late 2011 on various occasions, I found it extremely hard to put my soft contact lenses in my eyes because of the size of my eye sockets. It was very frustrating when I had to attend certain events but couldn’t put my contacts on, and it literally drove me crazy. So I started to look online for cosmetic surgeons that specialize in Asian eyelid surgeries. Since there aren’t many Asians in Florida, I started looking at states/cities where Asian population is relatively more significant. I called several doctors’ offices and they either said they couldn’t do it or had me send them pictures by email and took forever to reply. When I called Dr. Kim’s office, his assistant scheduled a Skype appointment for me right away and Dr. Kim was very nice and patient after I expressed all my concerns. So I booked an appointment with the doctor for the surgery and flew to LA in January, 2012 (east coast to west coast – really exhausting flight -.- ). Doctor Kim’s office was located inside of a nice office building and his suite was arranged in a very vogue and relaxing fashion. The staff were very friendly too. Prior to the surgery, the doctor and I had a conversation about how the surgery is done and he also measured and marked lines/ceases on my eyelids. After all the pre-surgery procedures were done, I finally lay down on the operation bed. I was very nervous at the beginning to be honest and the local anesthetic injection did hurt a bit, which was very normal since the eyelid skin is extremely sensitive. My eyelid skin was numbed and the surgery began. I did both the double eyelid surgery and the epicanthoplasty. The entire operation lasted for about 30 min and it was absolutely painless, but I did smell the burning of skin fat from my eyelids lol. My eyelids were swollen after the surgery and the doctor told me the swollenness would disappear gradually but it’d take up to 3 months for them to look natural. Daily cold compresses were essential to post-surgery recovery and they gave me cold compress pads that I could use repeatedly along with sterile cotton pads. Doctor Kim saw me twice before I left LA to make sure that everything was alright. My eyes looked more and more natural each day and they looked completely normal after about 2 and half months. Doctor Kenneth Kim also followed up with me on Skype February, a year after the surgery and we were both pretty content with my result. Now I’m wearing contacts everyday and it isn’t an issue for me anymore to put in and take off my contacts, and at the same time, I have been very happy and become more confident in the look of my eyes.

by Daniel L., Miami, FL

5.0 ★★★★★

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