Document is current

Article History

Received: 12 March 2026

Revised: 10 May 2026

Accepted: 11 May 2026

First Online: 26 May 2026

Declarations

:

: Not applicable. This study is a historiographical review based on published literature, institutional archives, and publicly available records. No human participants, human data, or human tissue were involved. Approval from an Institutional Review Board or Ethics committee was therefore not required.

: Not applicable. Historical photographs reproduced in this article are either in the public domain or used with permission from the respective institutional archives (Yonsei University Medical Center; Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons). No individual person’s data requiring consent are included.

: The author trained in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Yeungnam University Hospital, the institution founded by Dr. SEUL Jung-Hyun in 1983, and currently serves as Associate Professor at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, whose plastic and reconstructive surgery department was established by Dr. KIM Han-Joong in 1978. Both founding professors were disciples of Dr. LEW Jae-duk: Dr. Seul trained directly under Lew at Yonsei University, while Dr. Kim trained under Lew’s disciple, Dr. MIN Dae-Hong, at Chung-Ang University. This personal connection to the Lew academic lineage through both institutions—Yeungnam through Seul and Ewha through Kim—informed the attention given in this article to the importance of academic mentorship in specialty growth and the systematic expansion of training programs throughout Korea.

: The authors declare no competing interests.