The Seoul orthopedic hospital that implants cord blood stem cells into worn knee cartilage.
Gangnam JS Hospital is a 100-bed orthopedic hospital in southern Seoul. It opened in November 2013 and is known for one procedure above all others: implanting mesenchymal stem cells taken from donated umbilical cord blood into damaged knee cartilage. Its first well-known patient was Guus Hiddink, who coached South Korea to the 2002 World Cup semi-finals and had been told by surgeons in the United States and Germany that a knee replacement was his remaining option. He had the cell implant in Seoul in late 2013 instead. Chief director Song Jun-seop has performed the procedure on roughly 3,000 patients since, and the hospital has published eight SCI(E)-indexed papers on its cartilage results. The rest of the practice is ordinary orthopedics: arthroscopic knee and shoulder surgery, spine endoscopy, sports injury work, and inpatient rehabilitation, run by about 55 staff that includes doctors who have covered Korean national football squads. Imaging, operating theatres and rehab are all in the same building, so a foreign patient is not being routed between facilities. International enquiries go through a separate English-language desk, and the hospital is listed as a medical travel destination by the Korea Tourism Organization.
Board-Certified Physicians
Hospital Affiliation
Accreditations are records-based and do not imply endorsement of any treatment's safety or efficacy.
Starting from
On consultation
consult to quote
No prices are published. The hospital quotes after MRI review, because the figure depends on the size of the cartilage defect and whether other work is done in the same operation. Korean national insurance covers part of the bill for residents; foreign patients pay privately and should ask what the quote covers beyond the implant itself, including the inpatient stay, imaging and follow-up.
Pricing is indicative and set by each clinic. Confirm the final cost directly before treatment.
Individual results vary and are not typical or guaranteed. Case studies and testimonials reflect one person's experience.
Song Jun-seop
Chief Director
MD, Orthopedic Surgery
Song opened the hospital in 2013 and implanted cord blood mesenchymal stem cells in Guus Hiddink's knee later that year. He has carried out the procedure on around 3,000 patients since and has published eight SCI(E)-indexed papers on the cartilage outcomes. He has also worked as a team physician to Korean national football squads, and takes referrals from the Gulf, China, Europe and North America.
Kim Na-min
Hospital Director
MD, Orthopedic Surgery
Handles sports injuries, arthritis and knee correction surgery, including osteotomy for bow-legged alignment before or alongside cartilage work.
Hwang Yoon-ha
Clinical Director
MD, Neurosurgery
Board-certified neurosurgeon covering the spine side of the practice: herniated discs, stenosis and endoscopic decompression.
Lee Sun-yong
Clinical Director
MD, Radiology
Board-certified radiologist. Reads the MRI that decides whether a knee has a focal cartilage defect worth implanting into.
Koh Kyung-hee
Director of Anesthesiology
MD, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Runs anesthesia and post-operative pain management for the hospital's surgical cases.
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40% Regenerative Orthopedics ยท 30% Bone-Marrow-Derived Therapy ยท 20% Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
Pricing on consultation
45% Regenerative Orthopedics ยท 25% Bone-Marrow-Derived Therapy ยท 20% Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)
Starting from
โฉ250,000
70% Stem Cell Banking / Storage ยท 20% Bone-Marrow-Derived Therapy ยท 10% Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Therapy
Starting from
$3,000