I returned to Korea for my mother’s cancer treatment. I had no reason to hesitate. While the government is indeed making efforts to improve medical services, I find it impossible to compare them to Korea’s standards. To my knowledge, Kazakhstan’s medical system is outstanding among CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Azerbaijan. However, it still falls significantly short of Korea’s standards. I also understand that our investment in public healthcare is much lower compared to that of developed countries.

My mother was also diagnosed with cancer at a hospital in Kazakhstan. Naturally, it brought back vivid memories of my father. Our family didn’t need to weigh or measure anything; the decision to go to Korea had already been made. It was the obvious choice as a caretaker. My mother was admitted to Severance Hospital in Sinchon and underwent several tests before a surgery that lasted for six hours. The test results from the hospital in Kazakhstan weren’t promising, which made me apprehensive about the potentially challenging treatment in Korea. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize that my worries were unfounded. The surgery was successful, and incredibly, my mother was able to walk the day after the surgery. It was an incredible experience, and I was deeply impressed by the Korean medical technology, which is something we cannot expect in Kazakhstan.

Mr. Pak Vladislav

My mother was discharged three days after major surgery. In Kazakhstan, the post-surgery care period is typically much longer, so this was quite surprising. I believe it would be beneficial to provide patients with sufficient time for recovery.

Process of Health Check-up in Korea

The health check-up was arranged through an agency named “Medical Avenue”. A friend introduced me to the agency, and to my surprise, many acquaintances of mine had also used it. My friend’s mother and another friend’s son organized their medical tourism through this agency. I also received a comprehensive health check-up in Korea three years ago. Not only were the facilities and environment outstanding, but the systematic approach to the check-up was most impressive. The great flexibility allowed me to complete the check-up promptly without waiting too long. If it had been in Kazakhstan, just waiting for a medical appointment would have been a time-consuming and inconvenient process.

Unfortunately, I have never visited Korea purely for tourism. However, I did have a chance to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace. My heart raced, perhaps because of my Korean heritage as a Koryo-saram. I found everything beautiful. The contrast between high-rise buildings and the old palace was exotic, and I envied people enjoying Gyeongbokgung Palace wearing Hanbok in various designs and bright colors. Their relaxed expressions were quite impressive. I also wanted to join in, walk around in Hanbok, and take pictures, but due to constraints in my schedule, I wasn’t able to, which was quite disappointing.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

First, I would like to dress in Hanbok and visit Gyeongbokgung Palace. I will explore every corner of the palace dressed in the King’s costume, and take a lot of pictures to share with my friends back home. I also want to visit Gangnam. As a K-pop fan, I’ve enjoyed listening to PSY’s “Gangnam Style.” I’d love to take a selfie in front of the “Gangnam Style” wrist statue.

“Statue of Gangnam Style” at COEX, Samseong-dong