Skip to content

Hyung-Tae Kim (Yeson)

Location: Seoul, South Korea
Procedures: VFS

Overview

Dr. Hyung-Tae Kim is the founder and lead surgeon of Yeson Voice Center (예손성형외과) in Seoul, South Korea. He is widely regarded as the world's premier vocal feminization surgeon, with patients traveling internationally specifically for his VFSRAC technique.

Yeson Voice Center focuses exclusively on voice and throat procedures — it is not a general plastic surgery clinic. The team includes voice trainers and speech therapists who work with patients before and after surgery.

The VFSRAC Procedure

VFSRAC (Vocal Fold Shortening and Retrodisplacement of the Anterior Commissure) is Dr. Kim's signature technique, a refined variant of the Wendler glottoplasty / anterior glottic web formation procedure.

The procedure works by:

  1. Removing epithelium from the anterior (front) portion of both vocal folds
  2. Suturing the front portions together, creating a permanent anterior web
  3. Shortening the effective vibrating length of the vocal folds — like shortening a guitar string, this raises the fundamental frequency (pitch)

The "retrodisplacement" component is Dr. Kim's innovation: rather than just creating a web, the anterior commissure is set back further than in standard glottoplasty, allowing greater pitch elevation with reportedly more natural results.

Why VFSRAC over other methods?

  • More reliable and natural-sounding than Cricothyroid Approximation (CTA)
  • Less invasive than Feminization Laryngoplasty (FemLar)
  • Performed entirely through the mouth (endoscopic) — no external neck incision
  • Specifically designed to preserve speaking resonance, not just raise pitch

Measured Results

Patients have documented pitch measurements before and after:

Patient Pre-op Post-op Notes
transthrwaway2019 ~115 Hz ~200 Hz+ Documented in detail
nishaofvegas Low male range Passed as female on phone 2022
galjer10n Male-range Comfortable female range 2023

Most patients report being perceived as female on phone calls without voice training effort post-surgery — a key metric the community uses.

Patient Experiences — Positive

The overwhelming majority of documented patient experiences are positive. Key themes:

  • Phone passing: Multiple patients report being consistently perceived as female on phone calls within months of surgery
  • Natural resonance: Unlike some VFS outcomes, most patients describe a natural-sounding voice rather than falsetto
  • Professional care: Consistent praise for the team's thoroughness, the pre/post voice therapy support, and communication with international patients

Representative quotes:

  • transthrwaway2019 (2023), who also had FFS and documented both journeys exhaustively: wrote a very detailed post covering the complete surgical experience, results, and recovery
  • galjer10n (2023): "I had VFSRAC at Yeson in South Korea yesterday" — immediate post-op report, later updates showing good progress
  • nishaofvegas (2022): conducted a pre-surgery AMA; detailed recovery notes

Patient Experiences — Negative

One significant negative case exists in the evidence:

A patient reported intubation damage — injury to the vocal folds during anesthesia intubation, not from the VFS procedure itself. This resulted in temporary vocal complications and distress. The patient documented their recovery and was ultimately satisfied with the final result, but the experience was frightening.

This is a known risk with any procedure requiring general anesthesia and intubation, not specific to Dr. Kim's technique.

Recovery Timeline

Post-VFSRAC recovery typically follows:

  • Days 1–3: Very hoarse or nearly voiceless; patients instructed not to speak
  • Week 1–2: Complete voice rest; writing or texting for communication
  • Weeks 2–4: Limited whispering allowed; voice begins to return
  • Month 1–3: Progressive return of voice; pitch gradually stabilizes higher
  • Month 3–6: Voice largely settled; most patients doing post-op voice therapy
  • 6–12 months: Final results; some patients report continued improvement

Singing ability: Many patients are concerned about singing post-VFSRAC. Results vary — some report good singing recovery, others lose access to lower ranges. The procedure narrows the effective range, which means lower notes may become inaccessible but higher notes are generally preserved or improved.

Comparison to Other VFS Surgeons

Surgeon Location Technique Community Consensus
Dr. Kim (Yeson) Seoul, Korea VFSRAC Best results globally; gold standard
Dr. Natalie Thomas Glasgow, UK Glottoplasty Highly regarded in Europe/UK
Dr. Gerhard Haben Rochester, NY CTA + variations Prominent US option
Dr. Spiegel Center Boston, MA Glottoplasty + CTA Good reputation

Pricing

Pricing has increased over the years as demand has grown:

  • ~2019–2021: approximately $7,380 USD for VFSRAC
  • ~2022–2023: approximately $8,400 USD
  • Current pricing: contact Yeson directly (see booking process below)

See: Yeson First Contact Thru Booking with price by transthrwaway2019 (2023)

Booking Process

  1. Contact Yeson Voice Center via email through their website (us.yesonvc.com) or the Korean site
  2. Send voice recordings (requested samples of speaking and singing)
  3. Receive a remote consultation / evaluation
  4. Surgery dates are typically scheduled several months in advance
  5. Plan for approximately 2–3 weeks in Seoul (surgery + recovery + follow-up)

International patients are common — the clinic has staff who communicate in English.

Seoul Travel Tips

From community members who've visited:

  • Neighborhood: Yeson is in the Gangnam area of Seoul, convenient to Sinnonhyeon station
  • Accommodation: Many patients stay in Gangnam guesthouses or Airbnbs; the clinic can recommend options
  • Cost of living: Seoul is generally affordable for Western visitors; food especially so
  • Language: English is sufficient for most tourist interactions; the clinic communicates in English
  • Recovery: Most patients recommend staying for the full 2-week minimum; being in Seoul while recovering with access to the clinic provides peace of mind

See: Yeson Clinic - travel tips by galjer10n (2022)

Key Research Papers

  • Kim HT — Original VFSRAC technique publications. Search PubMed for "Hyung-Tae Kim vocal fold"
  • The Yeson Voice Center YouTube channel includes surgical overview videos

Websites

Evidence

Reddit

Susan's

YouTube

Other

Evidence spans 2013–2023, 52 total links.