CoolSoniq Lifting in Seoul
쿨소닉 · 2026 Guide
The same HIFU principle as Ultherapy, plus patented contact cooling — a Korean ultrasound lift built to hurt less while delivering more output.
What Is CoolSoniq?
If you’ve had Ultherapy, you probably remember two things: it worked, and it hurt. CoolSoniq (쿨소닉) was made for exactly that problem. It’s a Korean HIFU lift that uses the same focused-ultrasound principle as Ultherapy, but with a cooler built into the handpiece that keeps your skin surface chilled the whole time. In Seoul, a standard 5,000-shot face session costs about ₩790,000–₩880,000 (2026 event prices). It’s approved by Korea’s MFDS, and its US FDA 510(k) submission is still pending as of November 2026.
Because the skin stays cold, most clinics do CoolSoniq without numbing cream — and the manufacturer used that extra comfort margin to push the energy output higher, not lower. The price is also less than half of a typical Ultherapy session in Seoul. You’ll see it spelled “Coolsonic” online too; it’s the same device.
One honest note before we dive in: no celebrity has publicly said they’ve had CoolSoniq yet. Its maker, Asterasys, is better known in Korea for Coolfase, an RF device advertised by actress Ha Ji-won — and Coolfase did receive FDA clearance in October 2025.
- What it is
- HIFU (focused ultrasound) lifting with built-in contact cooling
- Made by
- Asterasys, Korea (KOSDAQ-listed; maker of Liftera HIFU)
- Depths & areas
- 1.5 / 3.0 / 4.5mm · jawline, double chin, lower cheeks, nasolabial area, brows, neck
- Pain & time
- Most clinics skip numbing cream · about 20–40 min for 5,000 shots
- Downtime
- Mild swelling or tenderness for 1–3 days · makeup the same day
- Results
- Noticeable at 1–2 weeks, best at 2–3 months, lasting about 6–12 months
- Seoul price (2026)
- 5,000 shots ₩790,000–₩880,000 (VAT included)
- Approvals
- Korea MFDS (Feb 2025) · Taiwan (Jul 2025) · US FDA 510(k) pending (Nov 2026)
Same Principle as Ultherapy — So Why Does It Hurt Less?
HIFU works a bit like focusing sunlight through a magnifying glass. Ultrasound energy is concentrated onto a tiny point under the skin, creating micro thermal coagulation points of about 60–70°C. The moment they form, lax tissue contracts, and as it heals, new collagen is built. CoolSoniq swaps between three cartridges — 1.5mm (dermis), 3.0mm (subcutaneous layer) and 4.5mm (the SMAS, the same layer surgeons tighten in a facelift) — just like Ultherapy and Shurink.
The catch has always been pain. When a coagulation point forms, the nerves that carry sharp pain from the skin react instantly, which is how HIFU earned its “painful lift” reputation. CoolSoniq adds its own ACC (Active Conduction Cooling) technology: every handpiece contains a micro-cooler, so the tip touching your skin stays cold. With the surface nerves calmed, pain and burn risk go down — and according to the manufacturer, that margin let them raise the output above conventional HIFU.
The cooling applicator is patented, and many doctors say it sits well on curved areas such as above the nasolabial folds, the brows and under the chin — spots where older HIFU tips were harder to place precisely.
CoolSoniq comes from Asterasys, a KOSDAQ-listed Korean company that has sold more than 3,000 units of its earlier HIFU, Liftera, since 2019 and distributes in 62 countries. CoolSoniq was approved by Korea’s MFDS in February 2025 and in Taiwan in July 2025, then relaunched with a new design in November 2025. In 2026 it began reaching international doctors through KIMES and IMCAS Asia sessions built around one idea: cooling is becoming the new standard.
Who Is CoolSoniq a Good Fit For?
- You’ve had Ultherapy or Shurink, but the pain put you off going back
- You’ve never had HIFU and the stories about pain make you nervous
- You’re in your 20s–30s with early sagging and want a light start (around 5,000 shots)
- You’re 40+ with jawline, lower-cheek or double-chin sagging and want Ultherapy-level lifting (8,000–10,000 shots)
- Your concern is the area above the nasolabial folds, the brows or eyelids — spots older HIFU struggled to treat delicately
- You keep postponing treatment because of swelling or redness before important plans
What Changes Can You Expect?
- Jawline definition
- Double chin
- Heavy lower cheeks & cheek sagging
- Nasolabial folds
- Brow & eyelid lift
- Neck tightening
- Fine lines & skin texture (1.5mm)
CoolSoniq covers the jawline and double chin, heavy lower cheeks and sagging cheeks, nasolabial folds, brows and eyelids, and the neck. With the 1.5mm cartridge, clinics can also work on fine lines and skin texture in the same session.
The timeline is similar to other HIFU. Right after treatment you’re slightly swollen, so it’s hard to see the change straight away. Around 1–2 weeks, as the swelling settles, the lifted areas start to show. Collagen builds up most at 2–3 months, and results usually last 6–12 months — many people repeat once or twice a year.
How a CoolSoniq Session Goes
Exact steps vary by clinic. A typical 5,000-shot face session looks like this.
What to Do Before and After
A little prep makes the session smoother, and the first week afterward is when good habits matter most.
Before Your Session
- Pause peels, lasers and other irritating treatments, plus retinol, for 1–2 weeks
- Cut back on alcohol and smoking in the days before
- Leave at least 2–4 weeks after filler in the same area
- Tell your doctor about any past thread lift
- If your eye area is being treated, skip contact lenses that day
- Disclose pregnancy, metal implants, a pacemaker or active skin inflammation
After Your Session
- Mild swelling, tightness or tenderness when pressed for 1–3 days is a normal response
- Bruising or temporary numbness can occasionally happen
- For about a week, skip saunas, hot baths, intense workouts, heavy drinking, peels and scrubs
- Wash with lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser
- Moisturize and use sunscreen diligently — makeup is fine the same day
- Contact your clinic right away for blisters, ongoing pain or visible asymmetry
CoolSoniq vs Ultherapy, Shurink & Alltite
Same principle as Ultherapy, different experience. Here’s where CoolSoniq sits among the lifting devices you’ll see on Seoul clinic menus.
| Device | How it works | Compared with CoolSoniq |
|---|---|---|
| Ultherapy PRIME | HIFU + real-time imaging (DeepSEE) | The original HIFU, FDA-cleared. Treating while seeing the tissue is its strength, but it hurts more (sedation is offered) and costs more |
| Shurink Universe · Doublo · Liftera | Korean HIFU | Fast delivery and good value, but no built-in cooling |
| Alltite · EMFACE | Shortwave dielectric heating / muscle stimulation | Different principles with less pain, but HIFU still leads for deep SMAS lifting |
| CoolSoniq | HIFU + ACC contact cooling | According to the manufacturer, the first HIFU with built-in cooling. Less pain, higher output, good contact on curves. No real-time imaging, FDA pending, limited long-term data |
Seoul clinics often pair it with Coolfase, the same company’s RF device, as a “CoolSoniq for the SMAS + Coolfase for the dermis” combo. Another common menu mixes 5,000 CoolSoniq shots with 300 Ultherapy shots — Ultherapy for precise work on deep sagging, CoolSoniq to cover wider areas comfortably.
Has Any Celebrity Had CoolSoniq?
Not yet. As of November 2026, no Korean or international celebrity has publicly said they’ve had CoolSoniq — and we’d rather tell you that than stretch a story.
Its maker, Asterasys, is better known in Korea for Coolfase, an RF device advertised by actress Ha Ji-won and widely nicknamed “Ha Ji-won lifting.” The company has been expanding that campaign in 2026, and Coolfase received FDA 510(k) clearance in October 2025. If a CoolSoniq campaign launches, we’ll update this page.
How Much Is CoolSoniq in Seoul?
CoolSoniq is priced in blocks of 1,000 shots, with 5,000 shots as the standard face session. These are publicly listed event prices at Seoul clinics in 2026, VAT included. The tax refund for foreign patients ended in January 2026, so the listed price is what you pay.
| Package | Seoul public event price |
|---|---|
| 1,000 shots (trial) | ₩165,000–290,000 |
| 5,000 shots (standard) | ₩790,000–880,000 |
| 8,000 shots | ₩1,430,000–1,760,000 |
| 10,000 shots | ₩2,090,000 |
| 5,000 shots + Ultherapy 300 shots | ₩2,145,000 |
1,000-shot trial offers are often around half the regular rate and limited to first visits, so check the conditions. When comparing clinics, compare the same shot count — and remember CoolSoniq shots aren’t comparable one-to-one with Ultherapy or Shurink shot counts.