Meet The 90 Year Old Lady Who Is Said To Have The #1 “Baby Face” In Korea—And The Real Reason She’s So Impressive
When someone is said to have a “baby face” among Koreans, it means they look much younger than their actual age. The older one becomes, the more of a compliment it is to be called as such. Among Korean celebrities, some famous people in the younger-looking-than-they-actually-are club include soloist BoA, actress Kim Tae Hee, MAMAMOO‘s Solar, and many more.
If you look beyond the realm of entertainment, however, then you may get to know the lady who is said to be the owner of the real #1 baby face in Korea. Meet Dr. Lee Gil Yeo, a woman who lives an illustrious career as a pioneer in the medical landscape of her country.
She recently trended online in several Korean communities for her age-defying appearance. Born in Gunsan in 1932, Lee Gil Yeo is 89 years old internationally and 90 years old in Korea.
No matter how many years have passed, she still looks fresh-faced! When she was in her thirties, she completed an internship at the Mary Immaculate Hospital (1965) and a residency at the Queens Hospital Center (1968) in the United States.
Fast forward fifty or so years later and she’s still as youthful as ever. A Newsweek edition once named her one of the top “2012 Women in the World” and the magazine cover exemplified her lovely visuals.
Amazingly, how she looked 10 years later at 90 years old was not too different from her appearance at 80!
When YouTube channel Med Student TV took a tour of the school she heads in 2021, Gachon University College of Medical Science, they interviewed the esteemed president. The close-up shots showed her skin looking even smoother and her eyes even livelier than they appeared in still shots.
Lee Gil Yeo often garners praise for much more than having a baby face. She is one of the most highly respected educators and doctors in the country who established numerous health-related corporations that improved the lives of thousands of people.
The first one, a medical corporation called Lee Gil-Yeo Obstetrics & Gynecology, was opened in 1958. Following this was the Incheon Gil Hospital in 1979 and the Gachon University College of Medical Science in 1998.
She was also the president of several medical associations and volunteer groups. For one, Lee Gil Yeo was the first female alumni president of Seoul National University where she had graduated with a degree in medical science. She also has a Ph.D. in the Faculty of Medicine at the Nihon University and one in Natural Sciences at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
Lee Gil Yeo is still active as the President of Gachon University. She recently reminded everyone in their website that the goal of the college was to become “the hope of humanity” and the “world leader of medical science,” a fitting mission for someone who dedicated her entire life to serving others.
2018 marks the 60th anniversary of Gachon University Gil Hospital, the 20th anniversary of the medical school, and the 10th anniversary of Lee Gil Ya Cancer & Diabetes. With this in mind, we pledge once again our original goal: ‘the creative research, development of the world’s best technology, conquest of cancer and diabetes that is the hope of humanity, and being a world leader of medical science!’
— Lee Gil Yeo
