Q. I live in a new town in southern Gyeonggi Province—how can I still receive non-face-to-face diet herbal prescriptions?

Yes, it’s a common concern. Initially, I also wondered whether non-face-to-face herbal prescriptions were feasible. However, under Korean medical law, telemedicine is clearly permitted for re-visit patients, and herbal medicines can be safely shipped nationwide, making location irrelevant. The key point is that initial consultations must generally be conducted in person. So we ask new patients to visit once; afterward, based on their progress, we continue with phone or video consultations and prescribe accordingly. From a Western medical perspective, diet management focuses more on lifestyle modification than simple medication. Through non-face-to-face consultations, we can provide frequent feedback on diet, exercise, and stress management, which often improves treatment adherence. In Traditional Korean Medicine, obesity is understood through patterns such as spleen deficiency (pi xu, 脾虛), phlegm retention (dam eum, 痰飮), and blood stasis (eohyeol, 瘀血). For example, spleen deficiency means digestive function is weak, so food is not properly metabolized and accumulates in the body. Such conditions require consistent management over time rather than quick fixes, and telemedicine is especially effective for this. The advantages of non-face-to-face prescriptions include saving time and money and allowing more frequent consultations. The main limitation is that the Korean medicine practitioner cannot directly palpate the pulse or abdomen. To compensate, we conduct thorough inquiries and also use photos or videos you provide to maximize diagnostic accuracy. Since the southern Gyeonggi new towns are relatively close, an initial in-person visit should be convenient. After that, you can comfortably continue your management remotely.