KYE Dermatology Clinic director Kim Shin-han (third from left, front row), and honorary director Kim Joong-ho (fourth from left, front row) pose for a pictrue with the clinic's employees. (KYE Dermatology Clinic)

Celebrating its 61st anniversary this year, KYE Dermatology Clinic said it has treated over 8 million patients since it opened in 1961.

The clinic started out as a one-office hospital, operated by one doctor in 1961, about a decade after the Korean War, in Yeongdeungpo-gu, western Seoul.

Pioneering the field of dermatology in Korea, the clinic was refurbished in 1981, growing from its original one-doctor, one-office system to a facility with nine-doctors and seven offices and over 30 employees.

In 2001, the hospital extended its skin- and beauty-care facilities, as the demand for such beauty treatments increased. It moved one block down to its current location in 2017, acquiring a larger hospital facility composed of two buildings.

Today, the establishment boasts a faculty of seven dermatology specialists. This is larger than most university-affiliated hospitals. The doctors work together and pool their specialties to treat difficult diseases, the clinic said.

As some skin conditions are caused by larger problems in other parts of the body, the hospital has established a network with other hospitals to transfer patients for treatment.

“It is uncommon for specialists to work at one hospital for a long time. However, some of our doctors have been with us for more than 30 years. Patients have built trust with these doctors, and that is a big asset and pride for our clinic,” said KYE Dermatology Clinic director Kim Shin-han. “Some of our patients have been with us for over 40 years.”

The clinic has been renovating its facilities, and archiving data starting last month. It said with the remodeling project and data archiving, the clinic will lead the trend of beauty treatments and continue its legacy as a trustworthy medical establishment.