Chapter 30
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Scouting Haneul Clinic
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Kim Jinsang showed up five minutes before closing time, complaining of shoulder and arm pain.
He said it had originally just been a slight stiffness from sitting too long, but last night it had suddenly worsened dramatically for no apparent reason, keeping him from sleeping.
After a quick review of his history and a physical exam, I reached my conclusion.
"Your muscles don't feel like there's any acute wind invasion. Even if it came on suddenly, it could be from cumulative microtrauma building up over time from overuse, or maybe even a disc issue."
"Yes."
"Doesn't seem like frozen shoulder or a rotator cuff tear, so don't worry too much. We'll treat it and see how it goes. I'll use acupuncture to ease it a bit today, so come back early tomorrow morning. We start at 7, so you can make it before work. If it's bad tonight, don't tough it out—take some painkillers."
"Yes."
He had a knack for tossing out curt replies that could rub anyone the wrong way.
"Time's tight, so I'll just get the acupuncture."
I had him take off his shirt right away and placed needles at the painful spots.
A flicker of annoyance crossed his face repeatedly, but thankfully he didn't blow up about skipping physical therapy.
"Feels a bit better. I'll come back tomorrow."
Apparently as busy as I was, Mr. Kim tossed down his payment and was out the door in four minutes flat.
"Whew, if he'd thrown a fit about it not working, I might've lost my mind. Thanks, Director."
"No problem. You must've been startled when he yelled out of nowhere."
"Eh, it used to happen now and then back in the day. I was thinking of kicking him out for good, but your skills saved the day."
Seo Ina said with a sly chuckle.
I had to let my staff clock out on time, even if it meant pulling an all-nighter myself.
"Good work today. Get some rest, and see you tomorrow."
"Yes~ Take care!"
She finished checking out the last patient, shut down the computer, and we went our separate ways—she to her night part-time gig, me to scout Haneul Clinic.
"Oh, so this is it."
The Busan branch of Haneul Clinic was in a prime spot right by the station, with a sign that grabbed your attention from a mile away. This must be what they mean by great location.
From a quick peek at their website earlier, their specialties had diversified a lot.
The Haneul Clinic I remembered from back in the day specialized in skin conditions like atopic dermatitis as a franchise, but now that was just one tab among many.
They'd morphed into a network doing anything profitable—diet programs front and center, plus skin beauty treatments, chronic fatigue, pain management, you name it.
"...Hello? Are you a... patient?"
As I walked in, the receptionist asked cautiously.
Why's she looking at me like I'm suspicious? We get plenty of masked patients at our clinic too.
"Yep. Twisted my ankle on the way here. Can I check in?"
"Ah... yes! First time? Please fill out this form and have a seat in the waiting area!"
Surprisingly, the waiting room was empty.
It was three times bigger than ours, with four massage chairs, yet not a soul in sight.
They did evening hours till 9 p.m., targeting office workers finishing at 6 or 7, right? This should be peak time. With only one staffer at the desk, it didn't seem like a one-off slow night.
'Oh, treatment case studies.'
The interior looked sleek even to my untrained eye, and the tables had brochures neatly displayed.
I'd already read Director Choi Eunhui's books ages ago, so I picked up the case study binder.
'UV therapy combined with herbal meds improved psoriasis... They even bought a UV machine? Wow, that's a huge reduction in atopic dermatitis.'
Monthly progress photos through a multi-month program, capped with the patient's handwritten thank-you note. More than enough to build trust.
'Ah, so this is in-house advertising.'
As I speed-read through, flipping pages, one line jumped out from a letter about improved facial flushing.
- Thank you so much! Thanks to you, Director, I'm finally free from the boss nagging me about smelling like booze at work. So lucky to have a master physician like you in Cheonan.
Cheonan? Cheonan City in South Chungcheong Province?
A quick search confirmed Haneul Clinic had a branch there too, with reviews rivaling the Gangnam main branch.
'They've collected cases from all branches?'
If they shared academic exchanges and treated similarly, the results would be consistent enough. But slipping in handwritten notes like this made it look like this branch's director's handiwork—perfect for promotion.
Smart marketing.
"Han Yeowon? This way to the exam room~."
The receptionist called me shortly after. I closed the book, stood, and followed her.
- Korean Medicine Doctor Chu Miyoung
The building was huge, so the exam room and desk were easily twice the size of mine. The nameplate was as flashy and oversized as a corporate exec's.
"Wow..., you're so pretty."
I sat in the chair with mixed feelings, but the words slipped out the moment I saw the director's face.
What, Miss Korea?
The treatment cases I'd assumed were fabricated from other branches were legit, and the beauty I'd chalked up to Photoshop was even more stunning in person than her website photo.
Tiny face, sharp features, full makeup. She could've stepped right onto TV.
"Oh~ Thank you!"
Chu Miyoung greeted me with a bright smile.
"Ankle sprain?"
"Yeah. Tweaked it coming down a hill, thought acupuncture might help."
"Perfect timing~!"
Her energy was a tad over-the-top for an exam. She beamed as she checked my ankle.
"Does it hurt when I press here?"
"No, a bit further forward."
"Here?"
"Ow, yes."
I nodded when she pressed the Quxu point. Just below the outer ankle bone, a slight depression forward—the most common sore spot for sprains.
"Looks like a ligament tear consistent with an inversion sprain. Not much swelling, but leave it untreated and it could get serious, so we need proper care."
"Yes, Doctor."
"Come every day until I say you're good. It'll take about a month."
I'd faked mild tenderness on a perfectly fine ankle, and she jumped straight to a month-long course.
Sure, severe sprains with torn ligaments and bruising can take a month. But this?
"Got it. Worse than I thought."
I wasn't here to pick a fight, so I nodded with a smile.
How would a typical patient react? Say okay and ghost? Head to a hospital with scanners? Or maybe keep coming just to see her pretty face.
"Let me show you to the treatment room~."
No real history taken, straight to treatment.
Twenty beds? That's a lot. Only two occupied, though.
Glanced at the skin care room nearby—no one there.
'Treating three at a time wouldn't be bad, but for all this over-treatment, it's iffy. Rent here's got to be double ours.'
Even physical therapy came in two flavors: ICT interferential current and TENS low-frequency stimulation, followed by over ten cupping jars plastered to my leg.
'Installed this on every bed? They must have money to burn.'
As I sneakily looked up machine prices on my phone, Chu Miyoung came back.
"Oh, interested in skin care or dieting?"
The wall by my bed had posters for skin beauty and diet packages. I'd actually been checking my phone, but curious about their sales pitch, I played along and nodded.
"Yeah, my pores bother me a bit."
I parroted something my over-the-top unnie mumbled at the mirror.
"Nah~ Your skin's already perfect; nothing more we could do."
Oof. Too obvious? Busted as a spy?
Truth be told, since opening my Ren and Du meridians, my skin had been flawless, no blemishes.
"Haha, really?"
"How about dieting? Even celebrities use our program."
"Ah... sure."
"Someone who lost 20kg in three months and was managing the rebound just left! If you're interested, let's do an InBody scan before you go."
"Thanks, I'll think about it next time."
Oho. So that's how they rake it in.
'Diet and skin—universal for women. Pores over diet, maybe? Nah, dieting's easier sell.'
Dropping those seeds casually could spark interest where there was none.
A bit pushy pitching diet to someone like me, clearly fit from exercise, but who knows—I might bring a friend.
Not off-putting, just enough. Solid marketing.
"Let's treat that ankle first~. Ever had acupuncture before?"
"Yes."
The acupuncture was straightforward.
I eavesdropped on her chats with other patients—nothing remarkable, just a notch higher energy than mine.
'Hmm, maybe stick some in-house ads on the bed walls? That's about it.'
Underwhelmed by the takeaways, I finished treatment and headed out.
Then, from a consultation room in the corner of the waiting area, someone was complaining loudly.
"Nothing's improved at all!"
Whoa, handling a complaint!
This is prime franchise intel, right?
The lone staffer, who should've been at checkout, was dealing with it, so I sat in the waiting area and listened in.
'Shouldn't have pushed the package consult, but good timing.'
They wouldn't leave complaints to regular staff—must be a manager. I was dying to see a pro at work.
"You took photos at the start. You've been on herbs for a month and a half with no change—my kid's forehead looks worse. Now you want two more months?"
"The director set it at six months initially, and you prepaid three. Results don't show right away this early on."
Aha?
"It should improve a little at least. Sigh, can't do anything about what's eaten, but refund the last month."
"You paid the three-month package discount rate, so refunding reverts to full price—only 40,000 won back."
"What?!"
Ah...
I'd fallen for that at the gym back in the day...
"I explained it upfront, and you agreed to the terms."
I got the picture.
Tiny-print clauses like that, then stonewall refunds. Standard playbook for any package seller.
"Ha, haa...!"
"If you want, we'll refund the 40,000 won. Other patients are waiting outside, so decide quick."
That'd piss anyone off.
In my case, at twenty, I even filed for consumer mediation and still got nothing—haven't bought packages since.
The patient gave up on the refund. I paid and left Haneul Clinic.
"Tch, not much to learn."
No need to go that far anyway—most folks are grateful for results, not nickel-and-diming.
No results? If it's truly time needed, explain well and done. If they don't buy it, that's on my skills.
Sure, every now and then you get a psycho who finishes the meds, gets treatment, then demands a refund.
'Those, I handle with force... Ah, can't do that here.'
Eh, a little killing aura might do the trick?
Wasn't my style to build policies and fine print like that from the jump.
"Take it slow~. We've got fans who appreciate us!"
Experience showed trashy troublemakers were rare—most people bent over backward to repay kindness.
Usually not for me, but to bring friends for treatment.
Pour your heart in, and it pays off eventually.
"Stick to the usual for consults and treatments."
I wrapped up my Haneul Clinic recon and headed home.
Three days later.
That patient from Haneul Clinic showed up at my clinic—none other than my number one devotee, Madam Heo, in tow.