#Korea

A new global trend is reshaping how people travel for health and appearance: the rise of beauty tourism in Seoul, where high-tech skin treatments and cosmetic procedures are a buzzing mix of science, social media, and luxury. In a recent wave of patient stories, Americans have been chasing faster access to cutting-edge therapies at markedly lower prices, sometimes treating a week in Seoul like a social-media-fueled “glow-up” itinerary. The market is booming: Korea’s medical tourism sector chalked up around two billion dollars in 2024 and is forecast to reach roughly three billion dollars by the early 2030s. For Thai readers, this isn’t just a distant curiosity about a faraway beauty capital; it signals a broader shift in how medical services travel across borders, how clinics compete on speed and innovation, and how patients weigh risk, cost, and post-treatment care in a highly connected world.

A new trend is sweeping across South Korea’s youth: personality tests based on the concepts of testosterone and estrogen, labelled as ‘teto’ and ‘egen’, are becoming the latest markers of identity and compatibility, especially among young singles. This hormone-inspired typology is rapidly nudging aside the long-dominant MBTI as the go-to tool for self-understanding, social interaction, and even dating decisions—a phenomenon already echoed by pop culture and social media, and increasingly stirring discussion among experts.

A rapid trend from Korea is reshaping how young people think about identity and compatibility. A 28-question test based on hormonal cues, known as the teto-egen typology, has become a popular shorthand in conversations, dating, and online communities—outpacing MBTI in everyday discussions. The wave has extended into pop culture, fueling debates among educators and researchers alike.

In teto-egen, people are categorized by energy type and interpersonal style. The system identifies four archetypes: teto men who are athletic and bold; egen men who are gentle and appearance-conscious; teto women who are expressive and outgoing; and egen women who are reserved and traditionally feminine. Many youths use these labels to gauge potential romantic compatibility from blind dates to discussions about celebrities. A major Southeast Asian study notes that millions have engaged with these archetypes on Korean personality platforms.