Hana ENT Hospital has published a 201-page white paper titled Patient-Centered to mark its 30th anniversary, documenting its 30-year history since opening its doors in 1995.
The hospital traces its origins back to Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, where Lee Sang-deok was an otolaryngology resident working under Prof. Park Jae-hoon. In 1993, when Park was recruited by another university hospital, he suggested that Lee join him. However, the plan fell through when the institution hired another physician instead. Lee then proposed a bold alternative to his mentor: opening a hospital together that would surpass university medical centers. After a month of persuasion, Park agreed, and the two physicians opened a clinic in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on March 6, 1995.
Investing 800 million won—more than five times the typical startup cost for a private clinic at the time—they outfitted the facility with advanced medical equipment. Despite the heavy investment, they treated just six patients on their first day.
A Legacy of Firsts in Otolaryngology
Guided by its founding principle of patient-centered care, the hospital grew rapidly. In 2006, Hana ENT Hospital surpassed major university hospitals to rank first nationwide in sinusitis surgery volume. It was upgraded to full hospital status in 2009, and in 2011, the Ministry of Health and Welfare designated it as South Korea’s first otolaryngology specialty hospital. It remains the only specialized ENT hospital in Seoul today.
From six patients on its first day, the hospital’s cumulative patient count surpassed 3.13 million as of February 2026, and the organization has expanded into a network of 42 hospitals nationwide.
Unlike many private clinics, Hana ENT Hospital has maintained active academic involvement. It hosted South Korea’s first endoscopic sinus surgery workshop and has worked to disseminate advanced treatment techniques through platforms such as the Hana Rhinology Symposium and the Hana Clinical Seminar.
The white paper also details the hospital's contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Designated as a National Relief Hospital and respiratory care clinic in 2020, it established a home-treatment center that provided telemedicine care to more than 18,500 patients via video calls. In recognition of his service, President Lee Sang-deok was awarded the Order of Civil Merit (Magnolia Medal) in 2022.
"I am deeply grateful to everyone who encouraged and supported us as we grew from a small clinic that began on March 6, 1995, with two doctors and six patients, into the nation’s largest otolaryngology specialty hospital," said President Lee. "Over the next 30 years, we will remain steadfast in our patient-centered spirit and continue to do our very best."
