Turkey Hair Transplant Travel Package Costs 5.91 Million Won, Including Flights, Accommodation, and 1-Year Care

467th Correspondent Report: The World is Now>

'Baldness Mecca' Turkey, a full course including surgery, flights, and accommodation for about 6 million won?! The majesty of 70% of the world's hair transplants.

The 'Hygiene Grim Reaper' Mundhe, who suspended about 170 stores, became an Indian national star—why?

Broadcast: Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 9:30 PM KBS 1TV

Turkey, the mecca for those with hair loss, rises as a major medical tourism destination.

Recently, a meme called ‘Turkish Hairlines’ has been trending on social media. This term is modeled after ‘Turkish Airlines,’ suggesting that there are an unusually high number of bald people at Turkish airports or on flights departing from Turkey. These individuals are medical tourists who visited Turkey for hair transplant surgery. The production team visited Istanbul, Turkey, the 'mecca for those with hair loss,' in person.

Turkey is ranked as one of the world's top 10 medical tourism destinations, with approximately 1.4 million medical tourists visiting annually. Analysis shows that about 70% of these visitors come for hair transplants, and about 70% of all hair transplant surgeries performed worldwide take place in Turkey. Regarding why Turkey is in the spotlight for hair transplant surgery, medical professionals unanimously stated, “First of all, it is economical.”

Compared to other countries, the cost of hair transplant surgery is much cheaper. In fact, a patient from the Philippines met during the reporting used a package deal that included a 4,500-follicle transplant, airfare, pickup limousine, accommodation, and interpretation services, paying 3,800 euros, which is approximately 5.91 million Korean won. In South Korea, a 4,000-follicle transplant costs at least 7 million won, and in the United States, it costs 10,000 dollars (approximately 13.4 million Korean won).

Another reason cited is 'meticulous management.' Even after foreign patients return to their home countries, the clinics provide videos on post-operative care methods and provide 1-on-1 remote management to continuously monitor the surgical site for one year.

However, as the demand for hair transplants increases, unlicensed illegal procedures—so-called 'black market clinics'—are emerging. There are continuous reports of side effects, such as infections or scarring at the surgical site, as people are lured by lower prices into choosing illegal procedures. The program visits Turkey to cover the hair transplant consultation process and investigates why people with hair loss from all over the world are flocking to Turkey.

The birth of a national star, India's 'Hygiene Grim Reaper'

There is a man who has recently become famous by gaining popularity in India. His name is Tukaram Mundhe, the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Maharashtra state, India. His Instagram follower count is 3.8 million, comparable to most famous influencers.

One famous entrepreneur even posted, “Forget Michelin Star, Tukaram Mundhe Approved,” and a video of a customer ordering at a restaurant while holding a photo of Mundhe has been played over 1.5 million times. Why has a government official in charge of food safety suddenly gained such popularity?

Street trash, excrement, and the polluted Ganges River—India is notorious for an image far removed from hygiene. In particular, food hygiene issues are at a serious level. Last year, controversy arose on social media when videos allegedly showing street vendors spitting on food spread, and there was an incident where a foreign object suspected to be a finger was found in ice cream sold through a delivery app. According to data released by the Indian government, about 18%, or one-fifth, of food samples analyzed nationwide in the 2025-26 fiscal year were judged unfit.

However, the atmosphere changed in May when Tukaram Mundhe took office as the head of the Maharashtra state FDA. Since his inauguration, massive crackdowns have been carried out against restaurants, hotels, and street stalls, resulting in 165 businesses being suspended and 764 businesses receiving improvement orders to date. Large franchise companies are no exception. Recently, five large pizza outlets also had their business licenses suspended.

Voices of criticism against Mundhe's actions are also rising within the food industry. Some companies have even filed lawsuits in the Mumbai High Court in protest against the FDA's measures. However, Indian citizens are cheering, saying that Mundhe's strong crackdowns have brought change to India. Last June, Mundhe even banned wrapping the representative street food 'Vada Pav' in newspaper, citing that chemical substances from the ink could seep into the food.

One citizen, claiming to be a fan of Mundhe, even said that Prime Minister Modi should assign him even greater responsibilities. In this week's Correspondent Report: The World is Now, we examine the intense food hygiene crackdowns being implemented by India's FDA head Tukaram Mundhe and the changes this has brought to Indian society.

In the 467th episode of Correspondent Report: The World is Now, announcer Yoon Su-young, Professor Kim Jae-cheon (Sogang University), Director Oh Gun-young (Shinhan Bank), and Professor Moon Chung-sik (Chung-Ang University) will appear, and it will be broadcast live on KBS 1TV on September 12 (Sat) at 9:30 PM.

(Photo provided by = KBS 1TV ‘Correspondent Report: The World is Now’)

◆ At a Glance

· Publishing Institution: KBS

· Category: Correspondent Report: The World is Now

· Distribution: September 11, 10:44

Source: KBS Press Release

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