Wegovy in Seoul, with a doctor beside you at every dose step

What a Wegovy program in Seoul involves

Wegovy is the brand of semaglutide licensed for chronic weight management, used together with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity. It is injected once a week with a prefilled pen. Semaglutide copies a gut hormone called GLP-1, which slows stomach emptying and acts on appetite centers in the brain, so most people feel full sooner and think about food less. Wegovy launched in Korea in October 2024, and pharmacy supply has varied since then.

A Wegovy Seoul program at VEI Clinic is led by Dr. HyunSung Park, a board-certified internal medicine specialist and gastroenterology subspecialist who studied at the State University of New York. The medicine is only one part. The program also covers screening, a written dose schedule, coaching on eating and activity, side-effect management, and a plan for what happens when you reach a plateau or want to stop.

Who Wegovy suits, and who should not use it

On its label, Wegovy is meant for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, or 27 or more with at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol or sleep apnea. It is not a treatment for losing a few kilograms before a holiday. Dr. Park will not start it unless it fits your health picture.

Wegovy should not be used, or needs a different plan, if you have:

• A personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2)
• Pregnancy, plans to conceive soon, or breastfeeding (semaglutide is usually stopped at least two months before trying to conceive)
• A past episode of pancreatitis, or current gallbladder disease
• Type 1 diabetes, or a history of an eating disorder
• Severe gastrointestinal disease such as gastroparesis
• Diabetic eye disease, insulin or a sulfonylurea, which need closer monitoring

Screening tests and your dose plan

Before the first dose, Dr. Park reviews your history, medicines and family history, and checks weight, waist size and blood pressure. Typical baseline blood tests include HbA1c, kidney and liver function, a fasting lipid panel and, where relevant, a pregnancy test. These give a starting point to compare against later and can uncover conditions such as diabetes or fatty liver that change the plan.

Wegovy starts at a low dose that is increased step by step, usually about every four weeks, toward a maintenance dose. Moving up only when the current step is well tolerated keeps nausea and other stomach effects manageable. You receive the schedule in writing, along with guidance on injection technique, rotating sites, what to do if a dose is late, and how to store pens when you travel. If you need surgery or sedation, we help coordinate when to pause the medicine, since it slows stomach emptying.

Side effects and how we manage them

The most common side effects are nausea, early fullness, reflux, constipation, diarrhea and occasional vomiting, mostly in the first weeks and after each dose increase. Smaller meals, eating slowly, stopping before you feel full, keeping up fluids and fiber, and avoiding greasy food help most people. If symptoms persist, the dose step can be slowed or held, and supportive medicine can be prescribed.

Less common but important risks include gallstones, pancreatitis, low blood sugar in people taking insulin or a sulfonylurea, and dehydration that can strain the kidneys. Rapid weight loss also removes some muscle, which is why we emphasize protein intake and strength exercise. Weight usually comes back for many people after stopping, so we discuss a maintenance plan from the start rather than at the end.

Red flags: when to seek urgent care

Contact the clinic promptly if side effects stop you eating or drinking for more than a day. Call 119 or go to an emergency department if you have severe, persistent upper abdominal pain that may spread to the back, with or without vomiting, which can signal pancreatitis. The same applies to pain in the upper right abdomen with fever or yellowing of the eyes, black or bloody stools, signs of severe dehydration such as fainting or very little urine, or swelling of the face or throat and difficulty breathing. Report a lump in the neck, trouble swallowing or persistent hoarseness at your next visit or sooner.