Six months ago, I dropped ₩380,000 on a skincare device that looked like it belonged on a spaceship. The Medicube Age-R Booster Pro had been dominating my Olive Young recommendations for weeks, and after watching probably a dozen YouTube reviews from Korean dermatologists and beauty creators, I caved. Half a year later, I have enough experience to tell you exactly what this thing does well, where it falls short, and whether it justifies that price tag.
What Exactly Is the Age-R Booster Pro?
Medicube (메디큐브) is a Korean skincare brand under the parent company APR Corporation, co-developed with actual dermatologists. They started with skincare products — their Red Erasing Cream and Zero Pore Pads are massive sellers — but expanded into beauty devices with the Age-R line. The Booster Pro is their flagship at-home device, combining three technologies into one unit:
- EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation): Sends low-frequency electrical currents into facial muscles, forcing them to contract and relax. The idea is similar to doing “facial exercises” but far more targeted. Medicube uses what they call “Deep EMS” at 1MHz frequency to reach the SMAS layer — the same layer that professional clinic treatments like Ulthera target.
- LED Therapy: Red LED light at 630nm wavelength, which has solid clinical backing for stimulating collagen production and reducing inflammation. The Booster Pro also includes near-infrared at 850nm for deeper tissue penetration.
- Ionic Electroporation: Creates temporary micro-channels in the skin barrier to push active ingredients (serums, essences) deeper than topical application alone could achieve. Medicube claims up to 20x better absorption.
The device itself is about the size of a large electric razor. It has a flat T-bar head made of stainless steel with gold plating, a satisfying weight to it, and charges via USB-C. Battery life lasts roughly 5-6 full sessions per charge.
My Daily Routine With It
I use the Booster Pro 3-4 times per week, always in the evening after double cleansing. My routine looks like this:
- Apply Medicube’s own Collagen Gel (sold separately for around ₩28,000) or any water-based serum generously — the device needs a conductive medium to work
- Turn on the device and select the mode — I mostly use “Auto” which cycles through all three technologies in a 10-minute session
- Glide the T-bar head upward along the jawline, cheeks, forehead, and under-eye area
- The EMS kicks in as a pulsing, tingling sensation — it starts gentle and ramps up. At maximum intensity, my cheek muscles visibly twitch. It is not painful, but it is definitely noticeable
- After the session ends, I pat in the remaining serum and follow with moisturizer
Total time commitment: about 12-15 minutes including serum application and cleanup.
Results After Six Months — The Honest Breakdown
What Actually Improved
The jawline definition is real. I noticed this around week 3-4. My face looked slightly more “lifted,” especially in photos taken from below. I have a naturally round face shape, and the EMS toning gave my jaw area a subtle but genuine contour. My partner noticed before I pointed it out, which is the best kind of validation.
Serum absorption improved dramatically. On nights I use the device, my skin feels noticeably plumper the next morning compared to nights I just apply serum by hand. The electroporation function is probably the most immediately tangible benefit — you can feel the difference in how your skin drinks up product.
Fine lines around my eyes softened. I cannot attribute this entirely to the device since I also use retinol, but the improvement accelerated after I added the Booster Pro to my routine. The LED therapy likely plays a role here.
What Disappointed Me
Deep nasolabial folds did not change. I was hoping the EMS would help with the lines running from my nose to my mouth corners. After six months, they look the same. For established deep wrinkles, I suspect you need professional-grade treatments — a home device at this power level has limits.
The proprietary gel is overpriced. Medicube strongly recommends using their Collagen Booster Gel for conductivity, and it runs out fast. At ₩28,000 per bottle lasting maybe 3 weeks of regular use, the ongoing cost adds up. I experimented with other water-based gels — plain aloe vera gel works fine as a conductor, and so does any hyaluronic acid serum applied generously. Save your money.
The “Auto” mode is only 10 minutes and sometimes I feel like the EMS portion is too short. The manual mode lets you focus on one technology at a time, but then you are managing the clock yourself.
How It Compares to Clinic Treatments
I have also tried professional HIFU (about ₩300,000-500,000 per session) and microcurrent facials (₩80,000-150,000 per session). The honest comparison: one HIFU session gives more dramatic immediate results than a month of Booster Pro use. But the math changes over time. Three HIFU sessions per year cost ₩900,000-1,500,000. The Booster Pro is a one-time ₩380,000 investment that you use indefinitely.
For maintenance between clinic visits, the device is excellent. For replacing clinic treatments entirely, it is not powerful enough. I now do HIFU once a year and use the Booster Pro between sessions, which has given me better sustained results than either approach alone.
Pricing and Where to Buy
The Medicube Age-R Booster Pro retails for ₩380,000 (approximately $285 USD). Olive Young carries it both in-store and online, and they run periodic promotions during their mega sales where I have seen it drop to around ₩300,000-320,000. Coupang also stocks it, often with Rocket Delivery. Medicube’s own website sometimes bundles the device with gel sets at a slight discount.
There is also the older Age-R Booster (non-Pro) still floating around for about ₩250,000. The Pro version added the dual-wavelength LED and increased EMS depth. If you find the original at a steep discount, it is still a capable device, but the Pro is a meaningful upgrade.
Who Should Buy This
The Booster Pro makes sense if you are in your late 20s or older, already have a solid skincare routine, and want to amplify what your serums and treatments are doing. If you are under 25 with minimal skin concerns, this is overkill — invest in good sunscreen and a retinol instead.
It also makes sense if you are someone who would otherwise spend ₩100,000+ monthly on facial treatments. The device pays for itself within a few months.
Final Verdict
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The Medicube Age-R Booster Pro is not a miracle device. It will not erase a decade of sun damage or replace a dermatologist. But it is one of the most effective at-home beauty devices I have used in a category flooded with gimmicks. The EMS toning is real, the LED therapy is backed by actual research, and the electroporation makes every serum in your collection work harder. At ₩380,000, it is an investment — but six months in, I do not regret it. My jawline thanks me.
