Lifting
Shurink vs Ultherapy in Seoul: two HIFU platforms and which one your face needs
Both focus ultrasound to the same three depths, so imaging, area and budget decide, not strength. At 300 shots our list reads 159,000 KRW for Shurink Universe and 1,200,000 KRW for Ultherapy Prime.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Jang Dong-hoon · Founder & Medical Director
Published · 11 min read
Shurink vs Ultherapy is a choice between two HIFU platforms that focus ultrasound to the same three depths: 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm under the skin. The short answer is that Ultherapy Prime shows the tissue on screen while each line is placed and costs several times more per shot, while Shurink Universe is priced for smaller areas and shorter intervals. Which one your face needs depends on where the looseness sits, not on which name you have heard more often.
Both machines are on our price list, together with the earlier Shurink and the Ulthera line, so we have no reason to steer you towards either. The director who reads your scan is the one who performs the session, whichever platform it is.
Below you will find what the two share, where they really differ, what each costs here by shot count, and when radiofrequency suits your skin better than either. The order never changes: scan and consultation first, then the platform, the shot count and the price.
Shurink vs Ultherapy: the same depths, a different way of aiming
Both are high-intensity focused ultrasound. The energy passes through the surface without wounding it and forms small coagulation points underneath, the deepest at the SMAS, the fascial layer a surgical lift tightens. Tissue contracts on the day, and new collagen follows over the next weeks.
| Question | Shurink Universe | Ultherapy Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Focused ultrasound (HIFU) | Focused ultrasound (HIFU) at 60–70 °C |
| Depths | 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm | 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm, dermis to SMAS |
| What guides each shot | Nine cartridges, matched to the depth each zone needs | DeepSEE imaging, showing the tissue in real time |
| Handpieces and modes | Ultra F linear, pen-type Ultra Booster, dot and MP modes | Three transducers, one for each depth |
| Sensation | Moderate | Moderate, brief per line |
| Downtime listed | None | None |
| Typically lasts | 3–6 months | 6–12 months |
| Our list starts at | 55,000 KRW for 100 shots | 400,000 KRW for 100 shots |
The real difference is how the energy is aimed and what each shot costs. Ultherapy Prime puts the tissue on screen, so the operator sees which plane the energy is entering and what to stay away from. Shurink Universe relies on the cartridge depth and the doctor's mapping of the face, at a fraction of the price per shot.
Prices are from the list of 20 August 2026 and exclude 10% VAT. The final figure is confirmed at consultation, after the 3D Meta-Vu scan and before anything is started.
Shurink, Shurink Universe, Ulthera and Ultherapy Prime: four lines, two families
Searches for Shurink vs Ultherapy often mix four names, and our list carries all four. Shurink is the Korean name for the Ultraformer line made by Classys: the earlier Shurink runs on the Ultraformer III and Shurink Universe runs on the Ultraformer MPT. Ulthera and Ultherapy Prime are two separate lines from the Ultherapy family, each on its own price ladder.
Is Shurink Universe the same as Ultraformer MPT?
Yes. If a clinic abroad quoted you for Ultraformer MPT, compare it with the Shurink Universe rows on our list, shot count for shot count. Classys states that MPT stands for Micro-Pulsed Technology and presents it as a newer generation of the series than the Ultraformer III, using micro and macro ultrasound energy.
What the Universe generation adds is the pen-type Ultra Booster, which follows the small, curved areas a standard cartridge skims past: around the eyes, around the mouth and along the edge of the jaw. Ultra F covers broad planes such as the cheeks with linear energy. Dot mode packs the coagulation points densely and MP mode lays them in a continuous line, chosen area by area.
Ulthera or Ultherapy Prime?
Ulthera sits on our list on a lower ladder than Ultherapy Prime. Our treatment page describes Ultherapy Prime: three transducers at fixed depths and DeepSEE imaging on screen through the session. Which of the two lines suits your plan is settled at consultation, and our Ultherapy price guide sets out both ladders in full.
When Shurink Universe is the one we suggest
Shurink Universe suits mild to moderate looseness along the cheeks, the jawline and under the chin, where the aim is a clearer outline rather than moving tissue back into place. Because each shot costs little, the shot count can follow the face rather than the budget.
- A first HIFU treatment. Shurink Universe can be booked from 100 shots, so one zone or a first try is a small commitment.
- Small, curved areas. The Ultra Booster reaches around the eyes and the mouth, and Shurink eye is one of three options we use around the eyes, with the Volnewmer eye tip and Eye Thermage.
- Cheeks, jawline and a double chin together. Our treatment page lists all three as areas the platform addresses in one session.
- Upkeep between visits. The effect is listed at 3–6 months, and a repeat is usually spaced 3–6 months apart at the single-session rate.
- A short trip. No downtime is listed, so dinner the same evening and a flight the next day are workable.
When Ultherapy Prime is the one we suggest
Ultherapy Prime is the one we reach for when descent is the main problem: cheeks drifting towards the nasolabial folds, a heavy brow and upper lid, fullness under the chin, or neck lines that need a smoother contour. It focuses ultrasound at 60–70 °C into three fixed depths, through one transducer for each depth.
DeepSEE imaging is the reason to choose it. The patented real-time ultrasound shows which plane the energy is entering before each line is delivered, and what to avoid. Aiming rather than estimating is what the higher price per shot pays for.
Tissue contracts on the day and new collagen arrives over eight to twelve weeks, so the change is judged weeks later, not in the mirror on the way out. The effect is listed at 6–12 months, about twice the 3–6 months listed for Shurink Universe.
What the published evidence says, and does not say
A 2023 systematic review of microfocused ultrasound for facial skin tightening pooled 16 studies, all of them in women. It measured brow lifts of 0.47–1.7 mm and found the treatment effective for mildly to moderately lax skin, while very loose skin and a BMI over 30 weakened the results. It described the treatment as moderately painful, with brief redness and sometimes swelling, and other effects in about 2% of patients.
The American Academy of Dermatology puts ultrasound tightening in the same modest terms: after one treatment, most people see some lifting and tightening within 2 to 6 months. Neither source compares the two platforms head to head, so read them as evidence for focused ultrasound in general, not for one brand.
Shurink vs Ultherapy cost, shot by shot
All of these lines are priced per session by shot count, and each figure below is one visit. A repeat is charged at the single-session rate on the list in force at that time.
| Shots | Shurink Universe | Ulthera | Ultherapy Prime |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 55,000 | 280,000 | 400,000 |
| 300 | 159,000 | 840,000 | 1,200,000 |
| 600 | 319,000 | 1,680,000 | 2,400,000 |
| 900 | 469,000 | 2,520,000 | 3,600,000 |
The earlier Shurink, on the Ultraformer III, is listed at 29,700 KRW for 100 shots and 89,000 KRW for 300. Prices are from the list of 20 August 2026 and exclude 10% VAT. The final figure is confirmed at consultation, after the 3D Meta-Vu scan and before anything is started.
At 100 shots, Ultherapy Prime costs a little over seven times as much as Shurink Universe. Shot counts are not interchangeable between platforms, because the transducer, the depth and the number of lines per zone all differ. In a Shurink Universe vs Ultherapy Prime quote, 300 shots on one machine and 300 on the other are two different treatments.
The Shurink Universe ladder also falls slightly per shot as the count rises, while both Ultherapy ladders are linear. That is a reason to agree the count with the doctor first, not a reason to buy more shots than your face needs. The detail for each platform is in our Shurink Universe price guide.
When radiofrequency fits better than either HIFU
HIFU works down to the SMAS and answers descent. The HIFU or RF question is really a question of layer: when the scan shows skin that has thinned in the dermis more than it has dropped, radiofrequency is the better conversation.
- [Thermage FLX](treatment:thermage-flx): monopolar RF that contracts existing collagen in the dermis and provokes new fibres over the following months, listed at about 12 months. We suggest it when skin has thinned more than it has dropped.
- [Oligio](treatment:oligio): monopolar RF with contact-gas cooling and vibration, and a handpiece that senses the skin and adjusts its output as it goes. It is a reasonable first RF for sensitive or reactive skin.
- Thinning and descent together: we plan the order of two platforms rather than adding more shots to one. Ultherapy vs Thermage explains that dermis and SMAS split in detail.
On our list, Oligio starts at 109,000 KRW for 100 shots and Thermage FLX at 1,990,000 KRW for 600 shots. Prices are from the list of 20 August 2026 and exclude 10% VAT. The final figure is confirmed at consultation, after the 3D Meta-Vu scan and before anything is started.
Some faces need neither kind of energy. When tissue has fallen further than energy can lift, thread lifting repositions it, and when the face looks hollow rather than loose, the question is volume.
How we choose between Shurink and Ultherapy, before any price
Both platforms sit in the same clinic, so the choice comes from your scan rather than from what needs selling that day. The sequence is the same for everyone.
- 3D Meta-Vu analysis. Makeup comes off and the face is photographed in 3D, as part of the consultation.
- Consultation with the director. Dr. Jang Dong-hoon, Founder and Medical Director, reads the scan with you and judges whether the looseness sits in the dermis, at the SMAS, or in both.
- Platform, depths and shot count. Shurink Universe, Ultherapy Prime, an RF platform or nothing, and which cartridges or transducers go on which zones.
- The price, before treatment. The final figure is confirmed here, with no obligation to go ahead and no deposit.
- Treatment by the director. The session can often follow on the same day, and the consultation fee is waived when it does.
After HIFU, a heavy ache or mild swelling for 1 to 3 days is possible. Skip saunas and hard exercise for a week and alcohol for 24 to 48 hours, and a flight the next day is workable.
We are a 2-minute walk from Exit 5 of Nonhyeon Station. Our own staff interpret free of charge, messages are answered within 24 business hours, and questions after you fly home go to the same WhatsApp thread.
If a page cannot settle Shurink vs Ultherapy for you, let the scan settle it. When you are ready, tick Shurink Universe in the booking selector or tick Ultherapy Prime and send your dates.
The short version
- Shurink Universe and Ultherapy Prime are both HIFU at 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm; Ultherapy Prime adds DeepSEE real-time imaging, and Shurink Universe adds the pen-type Ultra Booster for curved areas.
- Shurink Universe is the Korean name for the Ultraformer MPT, and the earlier Shurink runs on the Ultraformer III.
- On the list of 20 August 2026, before 10% VAT, Shurink Universe is 55,000 to 469,000 KRW and Ultherapy Prime 400,000 to 3,600,000 KRW for 100 to 900 shots, priced per session.
- The effect is listed at 3–6 months for Shurink Universe and 6–12 months for Ultherapy Prime; skin that has thinned rather than dropped is usually an RF question.
- At THE Beautiful Clinic, the director sets the platform and shot count after a 3D Meta-Vu scan, and the price is fixed before treatment with no obligation.
Questions patients ask
Is Shurink the same as Ultherapy?
No. Both are focused ultrasound that reaches 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm, including the SMAS, but they are different platforms on different price lines. Ultherapy Prime shows the tissue on screen with DeepSEE imaging, and Shurink Universe uses nine cartridges and a pen-type booster handpiece.
Which is better, Shurink or Ultherapy?
Neither is better for everyone. Ultherapy Prime suits descent where aiming on screen matters and the effect is listed at 6–12 months; Shurink Universe suits mild to moderate looseness and smaller areas, listed at 3–6 months. The scan and the consultation decide.
How much do Shurink and Ultherapy cost in Seoul?
At THE Beautiful Clinic, Shurink Universe is 55,000 KRW for 100 shots up to 469,000 KRW for 900, and Ultherapy Prime is 400,000 KRW for 100 shots up to 3,600,000 KRW for 900, on the list of 20 August 2026 and before 10% VAT. The final figure is confirmed at consultation.
Is Shurink Universe the same as Ultraformer MPT?
Yes. Shurink Universe is the Korean name for the Ultraformer MPT made by Classys, and the earlier Shurink runs on the Ultraformer III. Compare quotes shot count for shot count.
Does Ultherapy hurt more than Shurink?
Both are listed as moderate. Ultherapy Prime is described as brief on each line, and how it feels varies from person to person; the settings can be adjusted during the session.
Can I fly the day after Shurink or Ultherapy?
Yes, a flight the next day is workable after lifting with no wound. A heavy ache or mild swelling for 1 to 3 days is possible, so avoid saunas and hard exercise for a week and alcohol for 24 to 48 hours.
Can I decide between them before I fly to Seoul?
Send a front and a 45-degree photo with your dates on WhatsApp. We reply within 24 business hours with which platform is worth discussing, or neither, and the plan is confirmed after the scan in Seoul.
Results and recovery vary between individuals, and every treatment can have side effects. Prices are from the clinic's price list and are confirmed at consultation. This article is general information, not a diagnosis.
Sources
About the author
Dr. Jang Dong-hoon
Founder & Medical Director
Founder and medical director of THE Beautiful Clinic in Nonhyeon, Gangnam. He sees every patient's skin analysis before a plan is drawn, and reviews every article on this blog against what the clinic actually does.
Credentials in full
