Good medical care ultimately begins with keeping promises to patients. Dr. Kang Jin-moon, the chief director of Yonsei Star Dermatology, reflected on the past year and spoke not of growth as a doctor, but of maturity as a person. This article is a record of his philosophy of care and attitude, as told by him directly.
I chose to explain calmly rather than get angry
Dr. Kang Jin-moon says he felt he matured a little more as a person over the past year. This is because he personally experienced that it is ultimately better to explain calmly rather than get angry, even if someone makes a mistake.
- He tries to approach staff more warmly.
- He started keeping a gratitude journal, even if forced, to find things to be grateful for.
- At first, things to be grateful for didn't come to mind easily, but after a few months, they gradually started to appear.
He reflects that these small changes helped not only himself but also the hospital staff and patients.
The reason I chose scar treatment that others don't
When people think of dermatology, they often think of cosmetic procedures, but Dr. Kang has focused on scar treatment. The starting point was a story he heard during his residency. It was an anecdote about a student whose acne treatment went well, and whose face improved, but who then neglected their studies.
I thought that improving one's skin could enhance that person's happiness.
He pondered areas he could do that others couldn't, rather than fields others were already good at, and chose this path at a time when few doctors specialized in scar treatment.
The first thing I look for in scar consultations is the will to treat
Dr. Kang's most important criterion in scar consultations is the patient's will to treat. He uses the amount of stress the patient normally experiences due to the scar as a benchmark.
- If the stress is significant, he believes that treatment, even if it takes time, will benefit their future life.
- Conversely, if the patient is not significantly bothered, he does not push for treatment.
In fact, a female patient with a burn scar on her face consistently continued treatment for a long time, and one day, she announced her marriage. Hearing that she had given up on marriage because of her scar, he felt a deep sense of reward.
Work-life balance, family, and exercise for survival
As a person, not just a doctor, Kang Jin-moon has valued work-life balance relatively early on. Due to the posture of bowing his head during procedures, he suffered from neck disc symptoms from his late 30s, and since then, he has not missed his weekly exercise, such as weight training or jogging.
He tries to spend his remaining time with his family. He has two sons and one daughter, and he travels alone with each child one-on-one once or twice a year.
The belief that I thrive when those around me thrive
There is a saying that best illustrates his values.
I can only do well if the people around me do well.
He considers it greedy to only look out for himself, and he often shares wisdom that can help his staff in life, even if it's not directly related to medical knowledge, or good passages from books.
2026, a hospital that grows healthily
When asked about his New Year's goal, he replied that he hopes for a healthily growing hospital, not just one that increases in sales or size. It is a hospital where both the patients who visit and he and his staff can all be a little happier together.
Since the beginning of the clinic, the most important value has been keeping promises to patients. He concluded by expressing his hope that, even with any shortcomings, he could contribute a small part to the happiness of those who visited the hospital.
Written by Dr. Kang Jin-moon, Chief Director (Yonsei Star Dermatology) · Medical Staff Introduction · Last reviewed 2026-06-04