How to get transgender HRT in South Korea

WARNING: Remember, I’m not a medical expert. Please do your own research too.

Everyone has a gender identity. Most of the times, it matches their sex assigned at birth, so they don’t really think too much about it. But for some people, gender identity can be different to their sex assigned at birth. Based on the fact that transgender people are in the minority group, it’s often misunderstood by lots of people around the globe. It is no different in South Korea. Of course, there are much worse places for transgender people but the country is usually considered conservative. As a result it can be difficult to look up some useful resources. I’m writing this to help people who are trying to get HRT in the country.

But what is HRT?

HRT stands for Hormone Replacement Therapy. According to Wikipedia, “HRT can cause the development of the secondary sex characteristics of the desired sex. (such as breasts and a feminine pattern of hair, fat, and muscle distribution.)” Because some transgender people severely suffer from gender dysphoria, meaning the person feels dysphoria about their sex-based body characteristics, it can be a life-saving treatment for some people. But remember! Gender dysphoria isn’t a requirement to be transgender.

I don’t fully understand what being transgender is. Can you suggest me some resources?

Sure! I highly recommend checking the following resources. I hand-picked them myself.

• Understanding Transgender People: The Basics
• Frequently Asked Questions about Transgender People
• Sex vs Gender vs Orientation
• The Science of Being Transgender

Steps to get HRT in South Korea

Step 1. Get “transsexualism” or “gender identity disorder (성별주체성장애)” diagnosis.

First, you need to get “transsexualism” or “gender identity disorder (성별주체성장애)” diagnosis from a psychiatrist. (Unlike the fourth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the updated DSM-5 accepts a better terminology, which is “gender dysphoria.” But the term doesn’t really apply to the name of these diagnoses yet.) Not all psychiatrists will diagnose it. It is often reported that some psychiatrists don’t know exactly what being transgender is, so you usually need to see more than just one psychiatrist. How you get diagnosed also really depends on the psychiatrist. Some psychiatrists might ask you to have an assessment called “Full Battery Test.” (Supposedly, it can cost from 200,000 won to 400,000 won.) Some others would ask you to see anything changes for a few months. So please, do your own research.

Step 2. Visit a clinic.

Then, you might want to visit an obstetrician, gynecologist (산부인과), or a urologist (비뇨기과). Also, there’s a list of LGBTQ+ friendly clinics you can check. But you don’t necessarily have to visit one of the clinics in the list. It’s usually best to visit a safe place for transgender people but unfortunately, not every clinic is LGBTQ+ friendly. It means it’s possible to get rejected from getting the treatment.

I have some questions about HRT. Can you answer them?

Q. I’ve heard that HRT can cause osteoporosis. Is this true?

It really depends. Let’s say that there’s a transgender woman who doesn’t produce testosterone anymore, due to their bottom surgery. In that case, without being on HRT, the body cannot produce sex hormones itself. (including estrogen and testosterone) It can also make your bone density lower, which could end up causing osteoporosis. But it wouldn’t be much an issue if you keep being on HRT. (Same goes for trans men.)

Q. Does HRT reverse effects of puberty I’ve already gone through?

No. It can’t reverse the effects of the previous puberty. For transgender women, changes like Adam’s apple, bone structure cannot be reversed. For transgender men, changes like breast development cannot be reverted and it may require a surgery.